Hello again 311 nation! It’s a new week and time we learn about another awesome fan. Let’s meet Erika Wood!

It was a complete accident that Erika became a 311 fan. It was during her sophomore year and she was getting ready for school when she turned on MTV the video for “Down” just happened to be on. “That was that, I was hooked and picked up the blue album that weekend, which was difficult to do in Tahoe because all we had at the time was a Kmart and they were very selective about what albums they carried. Then the following weekend I ordered the rest of 311’s albums through BMG (totally dating myself).”

Show count for Erika is 47 and she has a spreadsheet. She’s been to every 311 Day since 2010 and went on the cruise in 2013, 2017, and 2019. Her first show was on October 9, 2000, at the Warfield in San Francisco. “I bawled like a baby at the end because I thought it was so amazing and that this one show was the only one I’d make it to. Little did I know what it would turn into.”

Favorite event for Erika is 311 Day 2012 and she said she’s not sure how she survived that second set list. “It was opened  with  Down, Rock On, Grassroots, Hive and my favorite Sever.” Another one of her faves is the first concert she went to with her husband which was in Vegas on August 12, 2002, at the House of Blues. “I had noticed a tour bus pull into the Mandalay Bay from our room at the Luxor and I was positive it was them, of course Chris thought I was insane but we booked it outside and low and behold Tim was there just chatting with fans, it took about 4 long HOT hours, but we met the entire band, needless to say that’s a day I’ll never forget.” She also said that this years cruise was epic and they had so much fun every day of it. “The best part was meeting Harlow and Nick in our reindeer costumes and for the rest of the cruise every time we ran into Nick he said there are my bad ass bitches.”

The song “Speak Easy” now has a special place in her heart because of the loss of the beautiful Renee. “I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to get through that song without tearing up.” She also will always love “Down” as it’s the reason she found 311. The lyrics “Stay positive and love your life” are ones that have gotten her through some really tough times. “I just repeat and repeat it to myself until I eventually talk myself out of being sad or depressed.” She also said that “You can’t be let down if you don’t expect the world” really resonates with her. “There’s been so many times when I’ve, let’s say, expected more from people and have been disappointed in the end, so I’ve learned what ever happens happens and not to expect too much from people.”

Erika grew up in South Lake Tahoe, California. She hasn’t moved very far as she now lives in Reno, Nevada, which is only an hour away. She said it’s sad but there really isn’t an alternative music scene in that area. “Last year when 311 came here the billboard was down before the show even started.” She says she has no idea how she hasn’t gone into serious debt during all of their 311 adventures over the past 17 years, but she works hard and saves money so they can do it and even managed to squeeze in a trip to Hawaii in 2012. “Music has just become such an outlet for me, it makes me happy to be in a pit among my excitables, however any other concert I’m so anxious and on guard the entire time it’s ridiculous.”

In 2002, Erika and Chris had been living together for only a month when they lost everything in a house fire. They were devastated. “Poor Chris was only worried about finding any of my 311 collection in the rubble. In the mist of our grieving my dad decided to reach out to Joan and about two week later I got a package from the HIVE, I carefully opened it ( I still have the manila envelope) and there was a hand written letter, some guitar picks, cds and an autographed picture. From that moment that was it I was an excitable through and through, funny thing is I brought the letter to the Fresno show in 2003 in the hope I could thank the guys in person, and once again we met them (again it was super hot) and I was bawling poor Nick was like yeah I remember doing that in the moment I believed him, but who knows if he truly remembered but after losing everything that meant the world to both of us.”

Erika said that in her normal, everyday life, she’s a really shy and anxious person, which is a side that no one sees when she’s around the 311 community. She said being shy, she tends to like animals more than people – they have 4 cats and 2 dogs. Another interesting fact about Erika is that she has 17 tattoos and 6 of them are 311 related. “the others are all related to meaningful events in my life and family members I have lost. I have the Renee flower on my shoulder which make me feel like she is always with me.” Another interesting fact about Erika is that she has zero interest in skiing, for good reason. “In 5th grade during the ski week on the second day, I fell just right and tore my ACL, another ligament and fractured my tibia. So no more skiing for this girl.”

Something interesting about Erika and Chris – at least one point every day, they both have the same exact song in their heads at the exact same lyric. “I guess that’s what happens after being together for 17 years sharing so many concerts together. I must admit though it’s been a wild ride.” Guilty pleasure for Erika is that she’s a reality T.V. junkie. “It’s so bad that when we are in an area where a reality show is filmed I have to go, we’ve been to Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, NJ we have also visited the bakeries in Time Square and Las Vegas. I’ve dragged Chris to every ATM fish tank we are in the vicinity of and we went to Gold and Silver pawn shop from Pawn Stars when we were heading out of Vegas in December.”

Other musicians that Erika loves include No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, P!NK, Dirty Heads, Garbage,  and Sublime, just to name a few.

Erika has these words for 311: “I would just like to just thank them for their music and the beautiful people they have brought into my life and for helping me through rough times.”

To all the other fans, her message is this:

“I truly care about everyone in the 311 community, when I see some of you at these events I really really want to go up and say hi but my shyness stops me in my tracks every time. I’m truly grateful for all of you and I’m privileged to be part of such a positive community.

Stay positive and love your life ❤️”

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Much thanks Erika for sharing your story with everyone! Thanks to everyone for coming back and reading each week. I truly hope you all have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Why hello there 311 fans! Welcome back for the latest edition of the fan spotlight. Kick this week off properly and read all about Christine Dantonio!

When the song “Down” was released, Christine remembers hearing it on the radio in Philadelphia and she instantly loved the energy, originality, and mix of the musical styles. “I love music with feeling and 311 has a lot of that!” It wasn’t until college when she made a friend from the west coast who introduced her to the albums Music and Grassroots that her love for them expanded. “The addiction grew from there.”

Christine has been to 19 shows and she has shows 20 and 21 planned for this summer. Her first show was November 20, 1997, at the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State University. “I was a senior in college at the time. This is the only show I’ve been to that I still don’t know the setlist!”

She chose this years cruise as her favorite event, it was her first time going on the cruise. “  It was so awesome being with friends I met because of 311, meeting new friends, and experiencing something so special with other fans who “get it”.  For those who were OTMFB with us, I was the one handing out the 311 temporary tattoos!” The photo above was taken at the port just before they boarded the ship. The back of her Eagles jersey says “Stony Baby” and her husbands says “Homebrew.”

Speaking of “Homebrew,” that is one of Christines favorite songs. “My husband and I walked into our wedding reception with it playing!!  The lyrics describe some very fond memories of when we were young and super crazy.  “It was Independence Day, I’ve seen the other side and I say, Oh, I’ve been insane.”  We still jam to this song whenever it comes on now.  If only we could turn back time and be young again.” A few of her favorite lyrics include, “Music’s what I need to keep my sanity,” “The fish who keep on swimming are the first to chill upstream,” “I’m a perfect example of not giving a fuck about the catty rude people that just suck,” and “I was 19, I’d do anything. Shit like that now scares me, but I’d like to do it again.”

Coatesville, Pennsylvania, is where Christine grew up. It’s a small steel city just about 35 miles west of Philadelphia. She attended Penn State and obtained a bachelors degree in Labor Studies & Industrial Relations. After graduation and working for a year, she then put herself through law school. She attended Roger Williams University in Rhode Island for one year and then moved back to Pennsylvania to attend Villanova. “I have been in the Philly area since then, currently living in Norristown, PA for the past 13 years.  I work at a wonderful law firm where my practice focus on defending local physicians, nurses, and hospitals.  I am constantly learning new things about medicine which keeps it interesting.  If I had the money, I would go back to medical school.”

Christine met her husband when they were in high school. They dated on and off for about 5 years, separated for 1 year, and then gravitated back to each other in 2000. In 2001 they got engaged and then they married in 2003 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. “We bought our first home in 2005 and our only son, Taylor, was born in 2006.  Some thought Chris and I would never last (he’s the bad boy, I’m the good girl) and now we laugh in their faces.  Strong All Along!!!”

Her husband Chris has been to every single 311 show with her and they just took their son to his first show last year at Festival Pier in Philly. “I had been trying to meet one of the band members for 20 years and Taylor got to meet Nick Hexum at his first show!!!  I also caught one of the drumsticks used during the band’s Applied Science drum solo at that show.  Now Taylor is hooked and trying to get his middle school friends to join the 311 family.” Going to live shows means so much to Christine and makes her the happiest person she can be. “I try to go to a show every chance I get.  There is nowhere that I have more self esteem and feel more accepted than at a 311 show.”

Christine’s love of music has inspired her to learn the guitar. She just got her first one at Christmas and is teaching herself using YouTube and internet lessons. “It’s not a fast learning process, but I have the rest of my life to learn.  The first song I learned was Three Little Birds by Bob Marley.  Hoping that some day I can play like miT.” When not learning guitar she also likes to go road cycling. “I got into it about 4 years ago when I decided to get active and realized running was not for me.  I ride for fun and do charity rides.  The longest ride I have done is about 70 miles from the Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia to Atlantic City, NJ to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  I will be doing my third ACS Bike-a-Thon on June 9 (the day before this spotlight posts).  Someday, I hope to do my first century ride (100 miles).  I have actually designed some 311-inspired cycling jerseys and may get one or two of them made.”

Something cool about Christine is that she is a true Libra, born right in the middle of that Zodiac sign. “As everyone knows, the sign for Libras is the scales.   The scales are also prominent in my work – law.  Ironically, I have the worst physical balance (working on that by doing yoga), but my spiritual balance is unwavering. It is in my nature to see both sides of every story and promote peace and compromise.”

Christine is stonybaby311 on Instagram, but she said she needs to do a better job posting. “I enjoy living in the moment too much to worry about snapping pics all the time.” Guilty pleasure for her is that she loves binge watching TV shows. “I always feel guilty for being lazy, but I just get so caught up in them!  I tend to push myself to the limit, and then want to do nothing at all.  So, I watch shows.  I gravitate toward dramas, with my favs being Breaking Bad, Weeds, Sons of Anarchy, West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, The Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones.” Some other musicians that Christine loves include Dirty Heads, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, Tropidelic, Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Jane’s Addiction, and Sublime.  “I am really a product of the 90’s grunge era.”

Christine has this message to 311: “Thank you for giving all of us great music, positive energy, and please never stop doing what you do!!!!”

Here are her words to all her fellow fans:

“I am so grateful to be a part of the 311 family!!  You are my brothers and sisters!!  Respect and love each other’s differences, be kind to each other, speak positively, and rock on!!”

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Thanks everyone for reading all about Christine Dantonio! I hope you all have a magical week. Keep it positive always!

Much Love – The Runt

Greetings friends out there in 311 nation. A new week has arrived which means it’s time for the next edition of the fan spotlight! Let’s meet Joe Solomon!

When 311 released the blue album Joe was young, but his brother was listening to the band and Joe really liked their sounds.  Flash forward to the 2000’s and Joe made some friends that all they listened to was 311. “I’m like really digging their music. In 2002 I went to my first show, 311 Day. It was my 21st birthday, and I’ll never forget.”

Show count since that wonderful first show is at 89 for Joe. His favorite even so far though has been the cruise this year. “It’s a different experience all together.”

Song that Joe loves is “Galaxy.” “SA’s rap and lyrics are on point!!” While he loves their music there are no particular lyrics that come to mind as favorites, he just loves it all.

Joe grew up on the west side of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born and raised there but left for about 10 years to work as a traveling nurse. He then returned because it was where he has his biggest support network. “I’ve lived in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, all while working on the Navajo Reservations as a nurse. Now I serve the local neighborhood as an Americorp Volunteer. I work with at risk kids. I live my life in service be it professional or personally.”

While Joe’s 311 habit makes him poor in the summer months, he tries to to squeeze in a few local shows because it brings him together with the great friends he’s made thanks to this band. “Because of 311 I have built some really solid relationships. I feel blessed because of that!! I’m also blessed to be alive.”

In 2012 Joe became disabled and fell into a coma. “Basically if the brain senses trauma, it shuts down. I had a reaction to anesthesia, and my life drastically changed at that moment. I’ve been on the mend since, but sometimes it’s a real struggle. If I didn’t have family or friends that have carried me along, I wouldn’t be where I am. I appreciate each and every one of them!! I’ve overcome a lot, and refuse to let it kill those positive vibes!!”

What Joe is most excited about right now is that he is going to embark on a kayaking adventure, traveling the entire Ohio River in August and September. “I’m doing an awareness paddle to raise awareness about mental health in America and am all about sharing my story. I feel blessed to be able to do this and create a buzz around it! It’s been a real positive experience, and is only getting better. Being a volunteer, we have a month off between assignments, so I decided to do an awareness paddle this year. Last year I traveled through the New England states, and met some really amazing people in my travels. You only live life once, so I try to make the best of it!!”

Since you now know about Joe’s kayaking adventure, it’s no surprise to know he’s an endurance distance kayaker. You can follow along on his adventure at Kayaking 4 a Cause (https://www.facebook.com/goingthedistance2019/). Something you may not know though is that Joe once lived in a hotel for 4 years in the middle of the Navajo Reservation. Guilty pleasure for him is watching the National Geographic channel. When not listening to the sounds of 311 you can find him jamming out to bands like Rebelution, Dirty Heads, The Green, Iration, Tribal Seeds, The Movement, and Ballyhoo!.

His message to the guys in 311 is pure & simple: “Thank you for all the great memories of my life!!”

To all his fellow fans:

“Don’t give up the fight to stay alive!! I’m living breathing proof that fighting pays off in many ways. I will fight to be an advocate for mental health, because if we have support we have a chance! Bless up to all the fighters out there. Just don’t give up!!”

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Thanks for that awesome story Joe! Of course, thank you to all who keep reading also! Have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Hey my friends in 311 nation! It’s a new week & Happy Memorial Day! Let’s get it started and meet Brian Sweeney!

Brian was in elementary school when he first started listening to 311. It was about the time that the blue album came out. He heard the singles – “Down” and “All Mixed Up” – he was hooked. “I was a big fan of alternative rock, and they had such a unique sound that I gravitated towards.  When I heard the full album for the first time I was blown away by the amazing guitar, the interesting rap / rock vocals, and then I started diving into their older stuff, and have been a huge fan ever since.  I think one of the things I really liked is that they were riff driven, and not simply playing 4 chord songs, they have a lot of changes and phrasing that make every song interesting to hear.”

As far as show count, Brian never really kept count. However, he thinks he is somewhere between 50-60. “I’d see them 2 times a year or more, and over the years and especially with their bigger events have been able to see multiple sets (cruise, 311 days, etc.).  I think my first show was at PNC in NJ, a large outdoor amphitheater.  They always packed the house!”

Cool story about Brian…he met his wife playing an unofficial 311 pre-party at the Cheeba Hut in Denver with Kevin Labella, who urged him to come see 311 at Red Rocks. “That was one of the first iterations of what would become the Unity All Stars.  I then spent the RR show ditching my friends and hangin with this beautiful woman Lauren Richerson, and we instantly formed a connection.  After that my favorite events have been the cruises..  Becoming part of the 311 family I have gained so many new friends, and it’s not just the music I look forward to but seeing all those happy faces and feeling the love.  Each cruise is different, on Cruise 1 I didn’t know many people, but when I came back for Cruise 4 (and have been on each since) my friends group grew to the hundreds!”

As for song that means the most to Brian, it was a hard choice. It depends on the day and what musical sounds are soothing him. “But as a guitarist, generally my favorite songs are Tim heavy on solos, and Stealing Happy Hours is probably my #1 go to when I want to chill out.” Favorite lyric for Brian is this – “The world revolves around your mind in a golden spiral, the natural way that things organize, you can’t stop entropy so why even try. Observe the conscious flow and don’t mystify, life’s not a race.”

Northern New Jersey is where Brian grew up. From the age of 6 until he was 18 he played competitive soccer. That and playing guitar were his outlets. He then attended SUNY Albany where he met 2 of his current band mates – Kevin Labella and Aaron Zuckerman. They started a cover band that also played a lot of 311 music. “We kept in touch over the years and I consider them 2 of my best friends.”

Post college Brian lived in New Jersey for awhile and then when he met his wife they moved out to L.A. Then at the end of last year they relocated to Kansas City. “Happy to be in a home in a cool city but having the burbs life.” Brian started playing guitar when he was in elementary school and he said it’s become an extension of him. “I almost always have music and ideas for songs or riffs in my head, and it’s a great outlet for emotions and the drive for creativity. I love seeing live music, and I love a lot of different kinds of music genres and seeing musicianship up close.  But I’ve definitely seen 311 more than any other band, it’s not even close.” Other musicians that Brian loves include progressive rock bands like Tool and Propagandhi, as well as artists like Jimi Hendrix, NoFX, Strung Out, Clapton, Deftones, and Snarky. “Variety is the spice of life.”

Unique attribute for Brian is that he he has a bit of synesthesia with sounds, colors, and shapes. “It’s basically like having certain sounds, notes, tones, giving off unique colors or shapes that I can feel.   And the brightness, tone, distortion, phrasing, etc. all give it sort of a unique signature to me, and each note, an E or a C or an F# minor or whatever are generally in certain parts of the color spectrum.  Like a bright sounding happy G chord can be a lighter shade of green with gold and silvery flecks, or a heavy distorted palm muted G chord takes on a dark hunter green.  It can apply to any sound but I feel it most with music.   I can’t read music and don’t really know how to speak music theory, a lot of it is self-taught, intuitive, and using relationships of sounds, chords, notes, etc. that I’ve sort of learned over the years.  To me every song is almost like a painting, with different colors, shapes, and textures that are unique to them.”

Interesting tidbit about Brian is that he once won a state-wide drawing contest to design the mascot for a recycling PSA. He was in the 4th or 5th grade when it happened. “Drawing, writing, and making music are all creative outlets for me.” Guilty pleasure for him is that he watches Dragon Ball, an anime that has been around for about 30 years. “I dig it as much now as a 35 year old as I did as a 12 year old.”

Words Brian has for 311: “Thank you.  More than any other band, 311 has really changed my life.  From bringing me into contact with people like my wife or my bandmates, to giving me endless hours of musical bliss, and always keeping me feeling positive with their messages, 311 is really close to my heart.”

Words for all the other fans out there:

“Just to love each other.  We’re on this golf ball called earth, and every day we have the power to be positive, and to try and be the change we want to see in the world.  Life goes by too fast to be swallowed by negativity.  Enjoy every day, every song, enjoy each other, and try to lift yourself and others up at every chance.”

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That’s the story of Mr. Brian Sweeney! Great story and thank you for sharing. Much gratitude to all the readers as well. Now go have a great Memorial Day and be the positive, loving people you are!

Much love – The Runt

Hello all excitable friends! It’s time we meet the latest 311 fan spotlight. This week we meet the other half of last week’s spotlight – Joe Waltermann!

The year was 2005 and Joe and his wife had just moved into a new home. He had just set up his man cave and was going to take a nap.  “My wife decided to sit in the room and watch a concert on TV. Of course I did not sleep as it was 311. It rocked and I was hooked.”

First show for Joe was in 2007 in Indianapolis. He took his wife and kids to it. His show count is now at 35. They’ve been to four 311 Day events, and five out of the six cruises. “Would have been all 6 but it was moved back to May and we had a son graduating High School.”

Favorite show for him was the sail away show on the first cruise. “That was the most exciting and coolest thing to see 2500 people getting ready to set sail. The energy was intense. And this was the start of a lot of great friendships.”

Joe said that he’s not really a lyric guy, that’s Julie. “I am the guy that can’t hear the words and sings the wrong lyrics. But love the music. How does a guy that has been to 35 shows not know any lyrics??  I write my own lyrics for my life and have loved every moment.” Joe is however, all about the energy of the crowd and the rhythm. “I just love to rock to the sound.  It takes me to a place all my own. There are so many great songs. One that gets me chill in my head and then jumping would have to be Creatures.”

Richmond, Indiana, is where Joe is from and the farthest he’s moved is about 90 miles away to a suburb of Indianapolis called Greenwood. Julie and Joe have lived there for 30 years and have 3 kids. For 25 years he’s been a banker and financial advisor. He also loves to volunteer in his community. “People see me as pretty conservative and good person. I do have that dark crazy side that most people don’t see. The positivity of the 311 family allows me to let loose and enjoy the fun in life. Work hard, play hard. I like to spend as much time as I can with the love of my life and best friend, Julie Waltermann. She brings out the best in me. The best 30 years of my life. We love doing as much as we can with our 3 kids even today as they are getting older and have their own lives. We travel together and play in numerous tennis leagues together. My family is the most important part of my life.”

Joe said he is a true introvert. “Someone once called me a Social Introvert. Most people think I am an extrovert  as I am always talking. This is an introverted awkward reaction to silence in a room. It tends to work great in my work life but I am very quiet at home.”

There is a rule Joe created called “my rule of 50” that he goes by. “Not very original but totally effective. Anytime I was going to pass on an adventure because i was an introvert, I would think whether or not I would regret it when I was 50. I almost passed on going on the first cruise due to many issues, family, cost, and am I too old for this. Guess what? Look at the fun I would have missed and the friends I wouldn’t have. This has worked wonders in missing nothing in life with family and friends. I had zero regrets when I turned 50.  OMG!!! I am over 50. Thanks to the music, my heart, body and mind are still in my 30’s.”

Other musicians that Joe loves includes Dirty Heads, Stick Figure, and Rebelution, which he discovered thanks to 311. “I am still a rocker at heart and love the 80’s and 90’s hair bands. We try to catch any of them touring through Indy. I was too quiet when I was younger and never went to concerts. I am making up for it. Use my “rule of 50”.  Can’t forget Evanescence. Love me some Amy Lee.” Guilty pleasure for Joe is any and all action movies. “Gets the adrenaline pumping.”

To 311, Joe’s message is this: “Thank you for giving me this incredible family.”

Words for all the other fans:

“Go to the shows. Love the music and lyrics(those that can hear the words or google them) and meet as many wonderful people as you can. You will love that these are the friends that will always have your back and make some of your best memories.”

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Thanks Joe for sharing your story! Keep on rocking everyone  – have a kick ass week!

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome friends! It’s time we meet another awesome 311 fan. This week I introduce you to Julie Waltermann!

A complete accident is how Julie was introduced to 311. She belonged to the CD club Columbia House and if you didn’t send back the card saying you don’t want the CD of the month, they send it to you. The CD for that month was Soundsystem.“Of course, I forgot to send the damn card! I decided to pop it open and give it a chance as I had heard Come Original on the radio and from then on I was hooked! That CD was on repeat for months in my car! Their music was so unique and combined so many genres that I enjoyed that it was instant fandom.”

Julie’s show count is now at 35, which includes four 311 Day events and five cruises. First show for her was in 2007 in Indianapolis. “Their energy during that first live experience made me want more!” Favorite of the 35 is hard to choose for her. “My first 311 Day in 2010 was only my third live show and was such an epic experience, seeing it was a 6 hour show! It was also my first time being with so many Excitables. The first 311 Cruise always stands out as a favorite as well because the vibe of being with so many fans for all the best reasons was amazing! I met some of my best friends that trip. 2016 at Red Rocks was my absolute favorite venue of all time and I can’t believe I waited so long to visit such an iconic music venue!”

The song that grabbed Julie when she first listened to Soundsystem was “Eons.” It remains her favorite to this day. “That miT riff at the beginning gives me goosebumps every time!” She loves all the words in “Paradise” but the lyrics she chose as favorites are, “Everything you do it comes back to you, whatever it may be. What you did as a devil or did as an angel. The favor returns itself somehow.” She also loves the lyrics, “Life’s a bowl of punch, go ahead and spike it,” and, “You’re all up in my mix like fuckin’ Betty Crocker.”

Richmond, Indiana, is where Julie was born and raised. She now lives in Greenwood and has been there for 25 years with her husband Joe. She and Joe have been married for 30 years and have 3 kids together – Tony, 25; Drew, 22; and Erin, 18. “All three of my kids inherited my love of music and concerts!”

Profession for Julie is dental hygienist, which has also been constant in her life for 30 years! “My boss is great to let me take time off each time I ask for 311 events! Joe and I love to workout, play tennis, travel, and spending time with our kids and friends.”

Joe and Julie met on a blind date when she was a senior in high school. Last March, when in Las Vegas for 311 Day, she surprised Joe with a vow renewal in front of 26 of their excitable friends! “It is literally the ONLY time I have pulled off a surprise on him!!”

Julie says her musical interests are all over the map and are very eclectic. She loves the reggae genre including Stick Figure, Rebelution, and Iration. She also loves some pop such as Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars. She said after 311, Prince and then Dave Matthews Band make up the 2nd and 3rd most songs in her Spotify playlist. “Others on heavy rotation are Dirty Heads, RDGLDGRN, David Bowie, The Police, and recently The Skints. My best friend in the world LOVES country and it is still the one thing we can’t agree on!”

Guilty pleasure for Julie is anything related to “The Real Housewives” on Bravo T.V. “And it drives my husband crazy!”

These are the words Julie has for 311: “Thanks for leading me through the good, the bad, and the ugly that life has thrown at me and giving some amazing friends along the way!”

Now her words to her 311 family:

“Every moment with 311 fans has been a privilege and adventure feeding my soul through life!”

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That’s Julie Waltermann’s story friends! Thanks for sharing Julie and to all who read the posts! Have the best week and see you next time!

Much Love – The Runt

Well hello and welcome back to another awesome 311 fan spotlight. It’s time we meet the lovely Carrie Butler!

It wasn’t that long ago that Carrie got hooked on the music of 311. She and her best friend went to see the 311 & Cypress Hill show in Mansfield, Massachusetts. She’s been hooked ever since!

Since that first show Carrie has seen them 25 times total. Her favorite event so far was this years cruise because it was also she and her husband Paul’s honeymoon.

The song, “Don’t Stay Home” means a lot to Carrie. “I was a single mother that missed out on the concert life to raise my daughter.” Another thing that 311 does that Carrie loves is the drum solo during “Applied Science”.  As soon as she hears the words “Not your head to this,” she knows it’s time to rock out!

Needham, Massachusetts, is where Carrie grew up. She spent a few years in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, but then finally landed in Maine to be closer to family. For 13 years she worked as a caregiver while also working cleaning a bar/restaurant. Currently she works at Bates College. She and her husband save all of their change to help fund 311 fun!

Carrie is very thankful for having 311 come into her life. “I was in a very abusive relationship with my daughters father and 311 helped me get out and meet so many beautiful people, which one is my husband. I had a lot of anxiety that made me stay home and miss out. When I heard Don’t Stay Home I immediately connected with the lyrics.”

Some things that Carrie is really great at include gardening and pottery, which she vended at her local farmers market for 4 years. Guilty pleasures for her include chocolate and whiskey.

When not jamming out to 311, Carrie can be found playing music from Cypress Hill, Stick Figure, Pearl Jam, Bumpin Uglies, Pink Floyd, and Janis Joplin.

Carrie would like to tell the band: “Thank you for changing my life. For bringing us on the most amazing vacation and making so many memories I will cherish in my heart for eons!”

This is her message to all fellow fans:

“I want to thank all the lovely family I’ve met. I also want to thank Chrissy for taking the time to do the runt rant. Stay positive and love your life.”

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Aww thanks Carrie for the kind words & sharing your story! It’s my pleasure to share the stories of the excitables week after week. Thank you to each and every person who reads about their fellow fans.

Until we meet again my friends, keep being amazing.

Much Love – The Runt

Well hello again my friends out there in 311 nation! New fan spotlight time! Who’s excited? Let’s read the story of Chris Childress!

Chris first discovered 311 in 1995 when he was 8 years old. After playing outside and finishing homework, he and his younger sister were usually allowed to enjoy music videos on MTV and “The Box.” When the video for “Down” crossed their family room TV screen for the first time, Chris felt an instant attraction to the music. He had previously spotted 311’s logo in his cousin’s CD collection and a Grassroots album at a family friend’s house before, but upon hearing their music for himself, Chris begged his dad to buy him 311, which he would later come to know as “The Blue Album.”  He recalls regularly listening to the whole album from front to back and then starting from the top again. “What really drew me in back then was that I had never heard anything like 311 before. The songs absolutely rocked, and I could feel the music even if I didn’t understand everything they were saying at the time. I still don’t understand everything they’re saying.”

Eleven years later in 2006, in his freshman year of college, Chris was killing time at the mall during spring break when he picked up the 311 Day 2004 Live in New Orleans DVD. “The first time watching that DVD blew my mind and essentially ‘woke my mind up’ to what a phenomenal live show and crowd 311 had been cultivating for many years unbeknownst to me.  I didn’t even know they had that many songs, and never heard of a band playing a 5-hour long show before. It was incredible to me.” Captivated by what he saw and heard on the DVD, it was that summer when Chris bought a ticket to see 311 perform live for the first time at Festival Pier in Philadelphia. “I hit their Philly shows every summer after that, then started driving to Atlantic City for Fall Tour shows, which snowballed into my first 311 Day (2012), my first 311 Cruise (2013), my first Red Rocks show (2013), 311 Day 2014, meeting my girlfriend, Kama Star, moving to Vegas, cruising again, joining as a guitarist for the Unity All Stars, etc., etc., etc.”  While he has lost track of exactly how many 311 shows he’s attended in all, he estimates it to be in the 40-50 range.

Chris’s favorite 311 show is a toss-up between Festival Pier in July 2011 or Red Rocks in July 2013. “Both of these shows were extra special in their own unique way and each experience really cemented 311 shows and the 311 community as a big part of my life and my future.” Another show that was special to him was in Atlantic City in 2010. Chris drove to the show alone but was immediately befriended by a long-time fan who parked next to him. “I ended up watching the show by myself that night, but noticed some people in the crowd really vibing together and I remember saying to myself, ‘I need THAT in my life.’ Then my friend from before the show found me afterwards and encouraged me to stick around for a couple more hours. I took his advice and we were rewarded when Nick Hexum came off the tour bus to meet with a small group of us, so I had my first experience meeting a member of the band.”

The entire “Blue Album” really resonates with Chris because it was what originally got him hooked on 311, but if he had to name one track that means the most to him, he would choose “Random.” “That one automatically gives me ‘that feeling.’ There’s a certain nostalgia factor when I hear it that brings me back to my childhood days.”  While just about every 311 song has a lyric that he loves, there are a few that really stand out in Chris’s mind: “It’s alright to feel good, it’s alright for nothing to be wrong. The deepest dream that we have, could be tomorrow’s song”; “Slow slow lover, rub you down, we don’t want no one hurting don’t make a sound. Oh living is a journey, waking, believing, running for shelter now.”; “Give thanks and praise for good things you found, humble people not ashamed nor proud. And always try to keep your feet on the ground, and love yourself.” “You’ve got to trust your instinct and let go of regret. You’ve got to bet on yourself now, star, cause that’s your best bet.”

Chris was born in Philadelphia, PA, and was raised in a suburban town called Media. His parents were both musicians so he was raised listening to a wide variety of music and was introduced to the piano and bass guitar at around 3 years old.  He began taking piano lessons, played the trumpet in the school band, the bass in jazz band, and by the age of 12, he convinced his parents to let him start playing the guitar. “By [age] 14, I was extremely focused on music and learning to be guitarist.  I became deeply infatuated with my dad’s vinyl record and CD collection, consisting of classic rock, folk, blues, jazz, prog rock, funk, and fusion, all of which really broadened my range in terms of what I was listening to and trying to emulate.  I began taking private lessons in jazz harmony and improvisation with a jazz piano player named Jimmy Amadie, who remains one of my greatest influences not just in music, but in my life.”

In 2005, Chris graduated from high school and went on to study English with a concentration in writing at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. It was there in his freshman year of college that he really started to catch up on 311’s entire musical catalogue and, as previously mentioned, he started attending their live shows. After graduating college in 2009, Chris briefly joined a band called Soraia while applying to law school, but neither pursuit panned out.  In need of a career path and a steady income, Chris took a job at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in 2011. “During that time my attendance of 311 shows and events started to ramp up significantly since I finally had a little bit of money coming in and some paid vacation time to use.”

After attending 311 Cruise #3 and Red Rocks in 2013, Chris became good friends with Kama Star and they gradually started dating.  She lived in Vegas, and after 6 months or so they decided they wanted their relationship to continue, which prompted Chris to pick up and move in with Kama in June 2014.  “Little by little, I established myself in Vegas and the new location brought me even closer to the 311 community.”

Chris had become friends with a couple members of the Unity All Stars between Red Rocks 2013 and 311 Day 2014, and after a few times hanging out, they were asking why he hadn’t played any songs with them yet.  He remembers telling Kevin, “As soon as you tell me what songs to learn and when to bring my gear, I’ll be up there with you.”  By the time 311 announced Red, White, and Boom Weekend in Vegas in 2016, Kevin needed Chris to fill in on guitar for their lead guitarist, Brian Sweeney, and Chris joined the band.  “We all live in different states and have jobs outside of music, so we don’t go on tour or play as often as we would like, in fact we never get to rehearse as a band before gigs.  But that approach hasn’t stopped us from playing the past three 311 cruises, 311 Days, and a solid number of fan-party gigs over the years.  We have a great group of people and we are all extremely invested and connected to the music that we cover.  We aren’t the most polished, rehearsed band out there, but we thrive on each others’ energy, and most importantly, the energy of our audience.  Kevin does a great job pushing us all to challenge ourselves, to play as many different songs as we possibly can, and putting together sets that our crowd will be excited to hear. We practice our asses off to be able to perform in the manner that we do, without a single group rehearsal, but let me be the first to say that we would be nothing without 311 and our audience, the 311 fan community.  Getting to experience even just a sliver of the crowd energy that 311 feels playing for everyone is an incredible experience and something that I’m thankful for every day.”

Chris currently works in the Las Vegas cannabis industry as a Lab Testing Coordinator which helps to fund both his 311 habit and playing with the Unity All Stars. “My ultimate goal is to keep doing all of the above while also writing and recording music of my own and continuing to develop and grow as a musician and just to be a better person.” What you may not have known about Chris is that he is a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and was his chapter’s president during his senior year of college. He also has a strange capability to be able to read people. “I feel things acutely and have a certain sense of empathy and intuition, sometimes to the point that I freak myself out with thoughts or feelings that end up coming true.” Chris has a passion for food and loves cooking, especially sharing home cooked meals with others. He also has a couple guilty pleasures – playing video games and being a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan. “I watch every single Flyers game unless I absolutely have a conflict, and I still play my Xbox 360, keeping NHL ’14, Skyrim, The Sims 3, GTA V, Fallout New Vegas, and a few others in steady rotation.”

In addition to 311, some of Chris’s favorite musicians and bands are Allan Holdsworth, Frank Zappa, Yes/Steve Howe/Chris Squire/Bill Bruford, Scott Henderson/Gary Willis/Tribal Tech, the Grateful Dead, the Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse, and Steve Gadd. “That’s just to scratch the surface…there are many, many more.”

If he could pass a message along to the band, Chris explains: “I always want to express to them infinitely how much gratitude I feel for them, their music, and their persistence in following their dreams, in turn providing inspiration for hundreds of thousands if not millions of people including myself. But if I really had one sentence right now, it’d probably be like, ‘Hey guys, let’s hang out at my place, I’ll grab some beers and grill up some dinner. We can smoke, laugh, and listen to music, whatever you guys want, stay as long as you like!’”

And in closing, Chris has a message of positivity to his fellow 311 fans:

“Just like 311 has shown us the way, don’t be afraid to chase your dreams and passions in life, don’t let anyone except for yourself tell you who you’re supposed to be in this world; be thoughtful, caring, respectful, and kind to each other.  There’s nothing more important to humanity than our individuality and how we accept one another.”

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Hello all and welcome back for another 311 fan spotlight. This week let’s learn the story of Daryell “Scooby” Royer!

During middle school Daryell was really into the music scene. Every shirt he owned had a band logo or their artwork on it. “I grew my hair long, drew on my jeans, and I was always tethered to my Sony Disc-man with giant oversized can headphones and my zip up binder of CDs in tow that musta weighed 20 lbs. In that binder was literally labeled “311-Weezer” and contained a little bit of everything from Boyz 2 Men to the Jerky Boys, John Philip Sousa to John Popper, that last one truly responsible for bringing me all the way into the fold.”

Then the summer before he started high school he got tickets to The HORDE Tour, which was put on and headlined by Blues Traveler. “Blues Traveler was my jam back then because as an aspiring musician it gave me hope that a fat guy could make it in this world.” It was at this tour that he saw 311 live for the first time, on September 1, 1996, in West Palm, Florida. “As if I wasn’t already feeling it, having snuck from my lawn seat to the pit for their set, and puffed on a random new friends nazz cigarette during Nix Hex. But then the big man himself came out and blew his harmonica while some dudes from Omaha played Taiyed and that was that, I was hooked.”

Current show count is now at 125. Favorite event so far has been the 2017 cruise, which was Daryell’s first one. “Having schlepped every and all my friends from airport to harbor and back for the previous 4 cruises, I wasn’t gonna to stand on the shore anymore waiving goodbye to my familia as they set sail and committed myself to getting OTMFB. Adulting was hard, but I made it work and won’t ever miss another boat. The second 311 set of that cruise was my 100th show and it’s like I was reborn there, surrounded by love, totally unable to control my emotions. Singing through tears and speaking in tongues, hands in the air waving all around like I just didn’t care. I’ve never been one for church, so that’s as close to a religious experience as I’ve ever had. I stood next to Larry for his son’s solo, watched as he smiled that Larry smile, and then watched as the goosebumps totally enveloped my arms to signify what I had just witnessed. The magic wasn’t done yet though, because as they were closing the set, I suggested that we just be creatures for awhile, and we were.”

Daryell’s answer for favorite song – well he quoted his cousin, thee bearded brodel: “I love 311. They play all my favorite songs.” One of his favorite lyrics is, “The river cuts its way through stone. Not through sheer force, but persistence. At the end of the day the relentless always win.”

Daryell was born and raised in Florida and grew up in his family’s restaurant. “Starting out at the age of 5 as the cutest maitre d on the planet, I quickly moved into the kitchen as soon as I could see over the stove.” He then worked in kitchens over the next 15 years, with a few breaks here and there to work as a tattoo artist, bounty hunter, and a commercial truck driver. Then he discovered his gift of cannabis arts. “I currently work in the seed to sale production and manufacturing of the highest quality medical cannabis in Florida. If you’ve had a Scoob Cube, then you know. I also play my robotic saxophone for a couple different groups including The Unity Allstars and sell my art on Etsy ( https://etsy.me/2G6aifA ) to make a buck and help fund my 311-centric lifestyle.”

Want to know an interesting fact about Daryell? “I’m probably the luckiest unlucky guy around. When I was in elementary i spent over a week in an oxygen tent (boy in a bubble stylee) I’ve also been shot, stabbed, run over, and electrocuted too.” Something that makes him unique is he finds the funny in any situation. “I’m often the “too soon” guy because of my desire to want to make people laugh. The greatest range of emotion one can feel is laughter through the tears.”

Music attraction is all over the map for Daryell with the exception of country. “I love and find I inspiration from all sorts of music. If it’s good, I’ll listen. Subsequently, every band I’m really into now, Ive discovered on a 311 undercard. Slightly Stoopid, Stick Figure, Fortunate Youth, Pepper, Rebelution, The Movement, SOJA… I found them all through opening for 311.”

Guilty pleasure for Daryell…well it’s “Amber.” “Over the years, I’ve had a love/hate, love to hate, hate to love relationship with this song. I’ll be perfectly honest, I’ve taken my fair share of pee breaks. But, I’ve also taken part in the most amazing arm in arm organically formed dance breaks, smoke circles, and sing alongs too. Me and my cousin Colenzo have Whoa’d like nobody’s ever Whoa’d to that song. Plus, me and some other Allstars who are all about that Unity ska’d up a version on this past cruise that rocked the atrium and allegedly melted 3 faces.”

Daryell’s message to 311 is: “You don’t just make the music that I listen to, you’ve scored the soundtrack to my life.”

His message to all the other fans:

“Fuck the naysayers. Always rock your 311 gear in public. When someone asks “are they still a thing?” you tell them YES!”

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Another great story from another awesome fan! Thanks Daryell for being a part of this community and per the usual, thanks to all of the readers out there for supporting your fellow excitables! Have a fantastic week you beautiful souls.

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome back friends & fans of 311! It’s about time for a new fan spotlight. Let’s meet yet another member of the Unity Allstars, Aaron Zuckerman!

The seventh grade was the first time that Aaron heard music from 311. He was in his art class and was instantly hooked. “What continues to draw me to the band is how they evolve their writing styles while staying true to their sound.”

First show for Aaron was in Worcester, MA when he was in his freshman year of college, around 2001-2002. Alien Ant Farm opened for 311. Show count for Aaron he’s unsure of. Favorite event for him was the 2012 cruise. “It wasn’t sold out and felt like private events the whole time.”

Song that Aaron loves is “I’ll Be Here Awhile.” “Brings me back to some good times playing unplugged shows and house parties in college with what turned into the Unity Allstars.” A favorite lyric of his is, “Serendipitous my travels throughout time.”

Aaron grew up in Croton on Hudson in New York. He spent most of his time in the woods, on the river, or playing guitar and bass in his room. He attended college at SUNY in Albany. There he was part of a 4 piece band called Infectious by Nature, which later evolved into the Unity Allstars. Now Aaron and his wife live in Hollywood, South Carolina, where he paints and repairs boats for a living. “I am an avid woodworker, painter and artist.”

The Grateful Dead are a band that Aaron absolutely loves. He’s also into Radiohead, Sublime, Weezer, and Passafire. He loves others too, there’s just too many to list!

Cool fact about Aaron’s family is that his grandfather was a stand up bass player and his father is a drummer, so musical talent runs in his family. He also once lived on a sailboat in Florida for 3 years with a dog and 2 cats! Guilty pleasure for him comes in food form – he loves McDonald’s Egg McMuffins.

Aaron’s message to 311 is sweet & simple: “Thanks for treating the fans like family!”

His message to all of the other fans is just as simple & perfectly worded:

“Stay positive and pass it along!”

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There you have the story of Aaron Zuckerman! Thanks for Aaron for sharing his story and to everyone for reading. Go have a kick ass week my friends!

Much Love – The Runt