Well hello again my friends in 311 nation! It’s that time of the week where we meet the next fan spotlight. This week we get to learn the story of Mike Walls!

Around 1994 is when some kids, who were a couple of years old than Mike, were playing the Blue album on a boombox at camp. “I stopped dead in my tracks as I was walking by, I had to know who it was. I had never heard anything like them before and I was instantly a fan. Being a musician myself since the age of 9, the thing that has always grabbed about their sound is their ability to blend so many different types of musical styles together in such a seamless way.”

Exact number of shows Mike has attended is hazy, but he believes he is around 37-38. First show for him was in 1997 at the Jones Beach Amphitheatre in Long Island, New York. As for favorite show, he chose the Halloween show in 2017 at the Paramount in Huntington, New York. “As the Halloween shows usually are, that night was magic for many reasons. They played so much stuff off of Transistor, it was amazing. On top of that, SA’s costume that night would eventually inspire his character in the 311 comic books, so that was a cool addition to the whole experience.”

There are a few songs that really resonate with Mike, but he said the one that really hit him was “Beyond the Gray Sky.” “That song has seen me through some tough times, and now that I’m past all that it fills me with a sense of gratitude for being able to push through and keep going every time I hear it.”

As for lyrics, Mike said there are way too many for him to list. “I’m in the cover band ‘Brodels – a 311 Tribute’ (shout out to my fellow Brodels – Jacob Ruhmann, Mike Vicious, zach McConnell, and Michael A Vidal). I do Nicks parts in the band so there’s A LOT of lyrics in the mental library, makes picking tough. But, one of their more recent lines that I’ve really liked ever since I heard it the first time is from Rolling Through off Voyager. “You always know that you gotta grow, so, honestly it’s best that you know, who you are as you go rolling through” Life can make it easy to lose sight of what’s important, it’s important to remember what you stand for when things get tough and those lines speaks to that.”

Long Island, New York, is where Mike was born and raised. He lived upstate for a few years and also in Connecticut for bit. He’s been an auto technician for about 10 years at a GMC dealer. “Do you have any idea how may oil changes I had to do to pay for the cruise? It was A LOT haha. Before that I was a home theater installer for almost 10 years.”

Mike was in the 4th grade when he started singing and playing guitar. Then he picked up being a DJ in college, so music has always been a pretty big part of his life. “In fact, pretty much all of my activities since my 20’s have centered around music in some way. It’s an integral part of me. No matter whether it’s in a club or on a stage I love putting smiles on faces with music. Besides that I’m just a fun loving goofy dude that likes going to shows with my friends. If you see me out, say hi! I have a big heart that I tend to wear it on my sleeve a lot. I’ll move mountains for the people I care about. I’m trying to be the best version of myself that I can be and working on living a happy life. All we can do right? SPALYL to all the excitables out there.”

Fun fact about Mike is that he won a poetry contest when he was in high school. Something that makes him unique is that he can do some really good impressions. “My Stewie Griffin and Kermit the frog are spot on.” Guilty pleasure for him is the movie “My Cousin Vinny.” “It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, if I happen across it on TV, best believe I’m dropping e everything and sitting down. My mom and I have been watching it together since I was a kid.”

As for other bands that Mike can be found listening to, he said this list is pretty long. “My music taste varies a lot. Besides guitar and singing I’ve also been a DJ for over 20 years, so I’m into a lot of different electronic stuff too. Lately I’ve been jamming Surfer Girl, Little Stranger, The Elovators, Enter Shikari, Twenty one pilots, Sleep Token, Jinjer, and then all of the DJ stuff from Europe.”

Words that Mike would like to say to 311 are these: “Thank you for being who you are and doing what you do. You have given all of us unforgettable experiences and life long friends and idk what my life would look like without this band.”

Now here are Mike’s words to all his fellow 311 fans out there:

“We don’t get much time in this life, try not to let negativity take up too much of it. its a waste of energy. With the time you have, hug the ones you love, do the things that make you happy, and go see some live music because it’ll prob make you happy lol.”

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Thank you Mike for sharing your story with us all! My eternal gratitude, as always, to the readers of this little blog. May your week be filled with good vibes my friends. Until next time.

Much Love – The Runt

Welcome again readers & friends of the 311 Fan Spotlight! Here we have edition #407. Let’s meet Ben Witsen!

Fall of 1999 is when Ben’s 311 fandom started. His older cousin Ryan introduced him to MTV and was getting him in to popular bands of the time like Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Korn, etc. “I want to say it was October as I believe it was about a month shy of my 10th birthday that I came home to watch TRL as I did after school every day, and I watched the debut for the Come Original video. I was absolutely blown away. Nothing my cousin or anyone else had showed me had the mix of sounds and the energy that I caught from hearing it. Not long after I heard the Soundsystem album and thought how cool they were. Then, as kids do, I got distracted and basically only knew them casually for the next several years.”

Flash forward to summer of 2007 and Ben saw that Matisyahu was performing that night and he asked one of his closest friends, Johnny Blaze, to go to the show on about 2 hours notice. “311 is the headline act, I tell him, pretty much as an afterthought. We go to the show and had our lives changed from that day forth. From that day on I dove head first into the music and never looked back.”

For show count, Ben checked through the tour lists and he counted 64, with some of the dates being a bit hazy. First show was in Philly in 2007, which is the one mentioned previously. “My homie Jonny and I actually got backstage at our first show because we got friendly with some Matisyahu fans who had already gone backstage a few nights previously! After our little meet and greet we went back out and watched 311 take the stage and proceed to change our lives forever.”

Picking a favorite show or event is tough for Ben. There are some up in the top level like when he did a 7 show run in about two and a half weeks last Fall. ” I drove solo to and from my current home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to Pittsburgh, Atlantic City, New Haven, Burlington, and New York. The Music and Grassroots album shows in New York and the hijinks associated with them were just tremendous.” However Ben chose the 2017 cruise to Cozumel as his top event. “The three sets were terrific as always (ALL BANGERS NO MASH!), but what makes it the most special was the immersion I had into the 311 community. After a decade of hitting shows in the Philly regional area, it was my first major event after having to bail last minute on previous cruises or 311 Days and the like. My mainest man JP Chilicki, whom has been featured here before, got me into his cabin and started introducing me to people. I have always been a very outgoing and social person, but I had never really felt like I fully belonged or felt accepted until that cruise. The love, the positivity, the joy, the laughs, all rooted in the band that we all love so much. It was just magical. While in Cozumel the homies and I rented this little mopeds and zipped up the coast with the water on one side and dense jungle on the other and it was just fucking surreal. I was in a picturesque place with an incredible group of people and would later be seeing 311 on a fucking boat. Like, what could be better?”

Favorite song, if Ben narrowed it down to one, would be “Paradise.” “Following that amazing day I had in Cozumel we got Paradise during the 311 show that night and it really just hit me. Like, this *IS* Paradise to me! A handful of years later at 311 Day 2022 I was wearing my Paradise 311 Eagles jersey (GOOOOOO BIRDS) and I heard that opening chord it and looked at my friends and tossed them my bag and shot forward. The big homie Steve Plump from San Diego hoisted me onto his shoulder and spun me around and P-Nut caught it and gave me a nod and smile and I just lost it. I was full on bawling and it felt so good! The tears are welling up as I type this reflecting on that moment, and just how fucking happy I was.”

For lyrics, Ben has two that really resonate with him. The first one is, “Embedded in our souls, it breathes out of this band.” ” I think this single line from Omaha Stylee sums up all of it for me. This band is the embodiment of the love, the positivity, and the unity that we all share.” the second one he chose is, “I got a clique but it’s more like a family.” “For real! The people I’ve met and grown to know in this community truly are like family to me. We’ve shared ups, downs, and in-betweens. I have people in my life now that I will have forever, and that I would do anything for. There’s a reason this band of ragtags and misfits is called the Familia.”

Ben was born and raised in Philadelphia and bounced around the surrounding area. It 2016, he moved to Rehoboth Beach and has been there ever since. “I’m currently a bartender at a higher end mom-and-pop owned restaurant that largely caters to our locals and other service industry workers, so they’re mostly to thank for my 311 travel habits. I’m also an exceptional poker player and that has gone a long ways into aiding my 311 addiction as well. I’ve had a few occasions where a session has paid for a 311 Day trip or cruise in full. Some of the more degen people in my family taught me how to play different variations of poker games when I was five and I’ve made sure to put it to good use.”

For something unique about Ben, he said he has a strange phobia that involves a certain red condiment. “I’d rather eat cyanide than the stuff most people put on their hamburgers and hot dogs!” Fun fact about him is that he might be the most knowledgable person on Earth when it comes to Harry Potter trivia. “It may be nerdy and silly, but I know the books inside and out, cover to cover. I’m more than down for a challenge if anyone reading thinks they can hang!”

Guilty pleasure for Ben is that he is a HUGE fan of “The Challenge” on MTV. “The recent seasons have kinda sucked, but I go on Paramount+ and watch old seasons religiously. I can’t get enough of CT, Wes, Kenny, Tina, Coral, and the gang.”

As for other bands aside from 311 that Ben can be found listening to, he’s a huge Deadhead because of his parents. “My parents met on a Grateful Dead tour and I was brought to my first show at just a few months old, so I guess it kinda explains how I became who I did! My mom took me to a dozen or so shows from infancy until Jerry died, and when I was a teenager I picked the ball up and ran with it. I’m also a huge Warren Zevon fan and have his portrait tattooed on my leg.” Other than that, he said you are missing out if you aren’t listening to Little Stranger. “I’ve been friends with John Shields since middle school (gimme my Troy bootleg DVD back dawg!), and to see he and Kevin having worked their asses off to the point they are right now is just incredible. It makes me so happy when my friends succeed, and they were the talk of the boat this past cruise! Let’s fucking go boys!!!”

To 311, Ben has this message: “Thank you, for everything.”

And now here are his words to the other 311 fans out there:

“Thank you all for being you. The bonds I’ve built in this community mean more to me than I could ever put into words. I’ve celebrated life, mourned death, and built everlasting friendships with the best people I could ever ask to have around me. I love you all. Stay positive and love your lives!”

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Thank you Ben for sharing your 311 story with us! As always, a big shout out to all the readers each week. Sending you all many good vibes. Enjoy your week!

Much Love – The Runt

Well hello there Excitable friends! It’s about time for the next 311 fan spotlight. This edition we meet Courtney White!

It was during middle school when a friend of hers started listening to 311 that she first heard their magical sounds. “I got two 311 CDs for my birthday, Live & Soundsystem (new album release) and I was hooked!”

As for show count, Courtney believes she is somewhere in the triple digits but she lost count a long time ago. “I remember one summer I went to 5 311 shows in a span of like a week and half.” First show for her was in Kansas City at the Uptown Theatre in 2000. “We hung out behind the building afterwards and got to meet Nick, Tim and SA.”

Favorite show for Courtney, there are a few. She said the secret show at The Hive in Omaha was pretty bad ass. Other than that she said it’s pretty much a tie between the first cruise and the third. ” The sail away show on Cruise 1 had this amazing feeling I’d never experienced before and #3 I had met SO many new and wonderful friends. I am a 7timer!”

There are a few songs that mean the world to Courtney and they are “Eons,” “Use of Time,” and “Large in the Margin.” “Maybe it’s because they are part of my original favorites but I get emotional every time I hear them – especially live.” For favorite lyrics, she loves the ending of Offbeat Bare Ass: “The war on drugs may be well intended but it falls fucking flat when you stop to mention the overcrowded prisons where a rapist gets paroled to make room for a dude who has sold a pound of weed to me that’s a crime – here’s to all good people doin time ya’ll.” She also loves “Every time I turn the volume down, all I hear is the deafening sound of your hearts pound” and “You’re all up in my mix like fucking Betty Crocker.”

Courtney was born, raised, and still resides in Kansas City. She grew up on the Kansas side and now lives on the Missouri side. “GO CHIEFS!!” For work, she has been selling cars for the last 14 years and she says it certainly pays for all her 311 adventures. “It’s a job that I really love.”

Courtney has two 311 tattoos that she says people either comment on because they know the band…or they ask her what 311 means! Fun fact about her is that she had a very Midwest experience – she’s been in a tornado. “Ironically, coming home from 311 day in Memphis, we had to pull over on the highway and get under a bridge to be protected from it.  Wasn’t a big one luckily but it was an experience!”

While Courtney claims she doesn’t have any special talents, she did say that she’s really good and successful at her job. “I am the product specialist car salesperson.” Guilty pleasure for her is watching reality TV shows like Are you the One?, The Challenge, Too Hot to Handle, and Below Deck. She also loves cooking competition shows.

When not listening to 311, Courtney loves the sounds of Zebrahead, Stick Figure, the Movement, and Rebelution. She also loves some old school bands like Tool, Korn, and Less Than Jake.

When asked what message she would like to send to 311, Courtney had these words: “This question always gets me bc I’m not creative in any sense and anytime I ever see one of them in person, I freeze up and never know what to say.  I was in Omaha at a hotel and some of the guys were staying there too – this was after the secret show at the Hive – and SA and I were in the elevator together and I was stunned.  He’s asked if I had fun and I simply said “I had a blast!  Did you guys have fun?”  facepalm.  But I guess I’d keep it simple – Thank you and I fucking love you guys.”

As for what she would say to her fellow 311 fans, that was easy:

“311 fans are so awesome, we really are a special group – keep livin’ & rockin’ Excitable Ones!”

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Thank you to Courtney for sharing her story! And of course my endless gratitude to all the readers each spotlight. Hope you are all well and surrounded by love & good fortune. Until next time.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my friends out there in 311 nation! Another fan spotlight has arrived to you. This week let’s meet Julie Stone!

As a kid in the 90’s, Julie remembers seeing the cover of the Blue album and also the weird looking alien guys on the back, and she said the image was burned into her head. “My sister would listen to it, and I loved how different it was than anything I’ve ever heard. Fast forward to when I grew up, I was going through a really hard time in life and I was reintroduced to 311 through a friend, and I was hooked as soon as I realized how hot Nick Hexum is! The fact that the music felt so good, reminded me of a simpler time, and the lyrics saved my life is a plus!”

The last time Julie counted how many shows she’s attended, she was over 35 but thinks it may be closer to 40 now. Her very first show was 311 Day 2008 in New Orleans. “And that was the start of the magical adventures that followed!” Favorite event for her was the first cruise, hands down. ” That was such a life-changing experience. Taking a leap of faith to get on a ship full of strangers and hope for a good time was something I still can’t believe that I was brave enough to do. Now I refuse to skip a cruise. It was the absolute best time of my life and I’ve connected with so many wonderful people that I plan to remain friends with forever!”

Picking a favorite song is hard for Julie, like it is for many fans. She feels that “Don’t Tread On Me” is her theme song, even if it isn’t a fan favorite. “Before I rediscovered 311, I felt as though I let a lot of people walk all over me. Now when I feel it happening, I hear the song in my head, and it empowers me to stand up for myself and take shit from no one!” And while there are many lyrics that she loves, these are the top three that she tries to live by: “I always say what I feel and that is a promise, nothing in life is above being honest,” “You can’t be let down if you don’t expect the world,” and “Do what you feel, the more absurd the better.”

Julie grew up and still currently resides in South Louisiana. She has had many jobs that help fund her 311 habit, including waiting tables, administrative jobs at hospitals, and now she is a Peer Support Specialist in a mental health crisis center. She is on her way to becoming a Licensed Counselor. “I take a lot of what I’ve learned through 311 and life to help support my clients. I am a single mother to one beautiful boy, that has slowed down my traveling for 311, but he is finally getting to the age where I feel as though he would enjoy coming on 311 adventures with me, and I can’t wait. I want him to experience the magic that I’ve felt thanks to 311 and you all. After seeing so many shows, it really has become almost more of a priority to see my friends who I only see at 311 events, the show is an added benefit.”

Interesting fact about Julie is that aside from the people she met the day before getting on the first 311 cruise, the only other person on the entire ship that she had met was Nick Hexum. Something unique about her is that she is pretty good at feeling peoples vibes and connecting with them. ” I adapt well and can usually get on a person’s level. I also feel like I can connect with animals in a similar way, I may not be the animal whisperer, but I think that they can feel my good intentions.” Guilty pleasure comes in the form of playing Fortnite. “I started playing to bond with my son, but now I just want to zone out and play. It’s really my number one guilty pleasure right now. Those little kids are ruthless though!”

When not jamming out to 311, some of Julie’s other favorite artists include Incubus, Sublime, No Doubt, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park, Dirty Heads, RDGLDGRN, Halsey, Eminem, and Rihanna. “These are just the main ones; I like a wide variety of music.”

Julie’s message to the members of 311 is this: “Thank y’all so much for making music that saved me and helps me to constantly enforce positivity in my day to day life, especially when I feel like giving up. Oh and never stop coming to New Orleans!!!”

And now here are her words to her fellow Excitables out there:

“I don’t even really like people, but I fucking LOVE you people!!! Really though, probably without even realizing it, y’all have been such an amazing support system through the struggles in my life and I feel so fortunate to be able to call so many of you my friends. I hope to see some of you soon!!! Stay Positive and Love Your Life!!!”

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So many thanks to Julie for sharing her story with us all! As well as a huge shout out to all the readers and supporters of this blog each post. I hope you all have the best week you possibly can. Sending you all the warmth and light that you need.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my friends in Excitable nation! Shall we kick off a new week with another 311 fan spotlight? I think so. Let’s meet Christina Abatie!

Back in the day Christina was listening to anything and everything. She found she loved almost all music, everything from Pantera to Depeche Mode. “I’m a 1996 High School graduate and 311 was in their prime as far as radio play with ‘Down’ and ‘All Mixed Up’ pretty much playing on a loop. It would have been impossible to NOT fall in love with their music and inevitably who they are as a band.”

Being a super positive person herself, Christina said it was easy to be drawn to 311. “I am engrained to make light of everything and can’t help myself but to make jokes at unusual and inappropriate times to try and keep good vibes flowing anywhere and everywhere I go. 311’s message was/is so uplifting that it had a gravitational pull to my spirit. I felt that they had that same attitude toward life and their interactions with people. All people.”

Show count is unknown for Christina because she said she is far too ADHD to even begin to try and figure out the number. She believes it’s at least 30 and that doesn’t include six of the cruises she and her hubby went on. “I saw my first show (that I can recall vividly) in August, 2002 at the Madison Theater in Peoria, Illinois. It was a GLORIOUS venue that gave everyone an intimate experience. Nick Hexum even did a ‘stage dive’ from one of the balconies. He flew! I sent him a couple pictures of it on Twitter a few years ago and he replied that he hadn’t seen the pics before, so it was pretty cool to reminisce about the show that sealed the deal for me as a lifelong fan! I’ll attach the pics to this email for you. Fun fact: My husband was also at that show, before I even knew he existed and would become my husband 10 years later. His love for 311 was/is parallel to mine and it was meant to be.”

Favorite event for Christina, well she narrowed it down to a specific moment from the second cruise during the beach show. “DURING Rub a Dub. Close your eyes and picture this with me for a moment. You’re in one of the most beautiful places you can imagine, in warm salty water, sun beating down, a nice breeze, surrounded by some of the most amazing people you will EVER meet, jumping and splashing, sipping on a whisky bladder that we found randomly floating by on a wave, while 311 is rocking ‘Rub a Dub’ on the beach… are you kidding?!!!! Core memory.”

While there are many songs that mean a lot to Christina, the first one that really came to mind is “Jupiter.” “It just goes along with my whole outlook on life. It can always be worse. And sometimes the things you aren’t given are the things that save you or propel you to the things that are meant for you. I recently had to close down my restaurant. It was my baby and when it closed I couldn’t see what my life would be like without it. But now, a few months later, I see all the things I was missing. I’m LIVING life again, not just existing in it. I’m not working myself to death and away from my family around the clock. I can confidently walk forward with positivity. The 311 Cruise back in March was the springboard to what my life without my business can be again. Music has been my therapy.” So naturally her favorite lyric comes from the song as well, “Stay positive and love your life.”

Christina is a midwestern girl, born and raised in the heart of Illinois. She was raised to always stay true to herself and to be creative, as well as to always do what she loved. “I was an athlete and artist in high school and beyond. So it was interesting trying to figure out where I fit in. I ran track and played soccer, but ultimately, the artistic side won.” Currently she lives in Pekin with her husband and their four children. “Yes, Illinois is full of cornfields and flatlands and people passing through may call it boring, but my family has fun everywhere we go. Literally. Doing the most random things. For example, we just went to the zoo with my 9 and 6 year olds and then spent the afternoon walking around a cemetery looking for old tombstones, taking pictures, and trying to imagine what the people who were buried there were like. I’m not kidding, we had a blast. I’ve lived here my whole life and love the small town community feel, and it’s nice, because we are only a couple hours away from Chicago and St Louis, so when 311 rolls through, we go to both of those shows each year.”

Christina and her husband have taken their boys to a couple of 311 shows and they became instant fans. They are lucky and the band is playing about 10 minutes away from them in September. “The boys are 19 and 16 and from a previous marriage, then my husband and I married in 2012 and had two girls, ages 9 and 6, so we have quite the span of ages and variety of drama’s over here. We love spending time with family. Big on family time. My sister, her husband, and their 2 daughters relocated from New York City, in the heart of Times’ Square, to right next door. We literally share a driveway. What are the odds that could ever happen?! Their daughters are the same age as our girls, so the “cousin crew” adventure around the neighborhood like free range chickens and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Watching them explore and grow is so reminiscent of my childhood that it gives me all the feels! We love to go thrift store shopping, which is a good way to help save money for all the things 311, plus we find the coolest stuff. We also love hoping in the car and going to random towns with no plan. Again, we make anything and everything fun. It’s how I was raised. No plans, just go! I am so thankful I was raised that way. I am such a lover of people. Having our own family business was a great way for our family to serve our community. We formed very strong connections with our customers and they, like the 311 community, have become such an important part of our lives. Now that our business is closed, I am reigniting my passions. Not sure where my next paycheck will come from, but I’m on the hunt. I am also currently looking into starting a non-profit organization with another small business owner who also recently closed her business. We are on a mission to help people, help people. Encouraging people to help their friends and neighbors. We are one community and positivity is contagious. Even small gestures can go a long way.”

When asked what is something people may not know about her, Christina said she is a chronic over sharer so she isn’t sure there is anything! But she did mention that she’s had struggles with pregnancy and fertility. “When I say I’m blessed to have my four living children, I mean BLESSED. Before each of my pregnancies I suffered from one or more miscarriage, giving each of my living children the title of “rainbow babies”. We also had a stillborn son, Gabriel, before having our youngest daughter. I was actually pregnant with him during the 2015 311 Cruise and we used our photo op with the band to announce the pregnancy to our families. You know how sometimes people put a pic of their friends’ heads on a stick if they can’t attend an event, so it’s like they are there with them? We did that for our 3 kids with each of their heads on a stick and then had a blank one with a blue question mark on it, since he was a boy. They guys were all super excited for us and happy to be part of our special moment. Another reason they are so close to my heart. It was a big moment and a big memory for us. I started a blog after that big loss as a way to get all my thoughts and feelings out, rather than internalize them. It inadvertently became a community for others who had suffered the same types of loss and it was then that I discovered that I love to write. And helping others helps me, so it was the best therapy.”

Fun fact about Christina is that she is a graphic artist by trade but she absolutely loves flipping houses! “My mom and I used to flip houses before it became popular. I love the whole process of taking something that seems overwhelming or a lost cause and turning it into something beautiful. Always choose the ugly duckling. I can see the potential in anything. I can look at something (or someone) and see what it (they) can be, when sometimes others can’t. When we started our restaurant, it was a run down building on the Southside of town, in the middle of an industrial area. Nothing notable in that area. But I saw the potential and wanted to give people a reason to visit that part of town. We turned it into a gem. If you don’t water the grass everywhere, it doesn’t grow. I’m an advocate for “community” in all parts of town, even now that my restaurant has closed.”

Guilty pleasures? Christina has a few. “I’m a sucker for reality TV, because I don’t have to use my brain. I watch the Titanic EVERY time it’s on TV. My daughters and I love watching silly videos on TikTok and love being in videos, too. We catch silly moments on video all the time around here and some of our moments have gone viral on TikTok, so check it out @ThePizzaChick !”

Thanks to her teenage boys, Christina has been exposed to a ton of music and listens to many genres and artists aside from 311. “As a 45 year old woman, I get weird looks when I’m busted at a stoplight jamming out to ‘Juice Wrld’ (R.I.P.), but I don’t care. I’m also a Taylor Swift fan and not sorry about it. Have been for years. We saw her 2009 performance in Times’ Square before the VMA’s (and before the infamous Kanye moment) while visiting my sister in NYC. My husband was fangirling over it. and I’ll never forget that memory. I can’t call myself a Swiftie, because I’d have to google what that means, haha, but I love how she takes control of her life and lives unapologetically. She is a beautiful song-writer and amazing performer. My son sent me videos from the ERAS Tour where he had 5th row seats with his girlfriend, and I’ll never get over how insanely jealous that made my daughters and I.”

For her message to 311, Christina has these words: “Thank you for being a constant advocate for peace, love, unity, and respect. Forever excitable!”

Now here are her words to all the other Excitables out there:

“Some of our best friends are people we have met in this community and don’t live anywhere nearby. You can have the most beautiful friendships with people when you are bonded over the love of this band and their message. It translates through the energy and spirit of us all. I am so proud to be a lifelong fan and a part of the excitable crew. Keep being YOU!”

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A huge thank you to Christina for sharing her 311 story with us all! You know the next part, my eternal gratitude to all the readers each post. Happy September and hope you all have an amazing week!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello friends out there in Excitable nation. In honor of it being 8/16, I’ve written a fan spotlight on my friend Keith Cedrone, who unfortunately passed away in June. He loved 311 and I’m sad we didn’t get to do this before he left us. With the help of his wife, my good friend Kelly, we have put together a tribute to him to honor the day and their wedding anniversary.

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Keith got into 311 because of his wife Kelly since they are her favorite band. He started listening to their eclectic catalog at home. Then when he saw them live, he couldn’t believe how hard they could go but also have great overall musicality.

Keith attended around 15 shows. First show for him was at Great Woods (AKA now Xfinity Center) in Mansfield, Massachusetts, with Sublime with Rome, in 2010. His favorite event was the cruise to Jamaica in 2015. He loved being on vacation with Kelly and seeing all the bands that were on the ship.

The song “Unity” was Keith’s favorite song. Kelly said it’s what sealed the deal for him becoming a real fan. As for favorite lyrics, Kelly and Keith had lines from “1,2,3” and “Speak Easy” read at their wedding. The lyrics they chose were, “It’s all right to feel good, it’s all right for nothing to be wrong. The deepest dream that we have could be tomorrow’s song,” and “I search for something to compare you to, thought long and hard for a simile true.  Now I’m suddenly aware end the quest you’re beyond compare.”

Keith was born in March of 1987 and was raised in Massachusetts, residing most recently in Norwood with his wife Kelly and their three beautiful daughters, Harper, Fiona, and Lorelai. Keith absolutely loved his wife Kelly and he loved being a girl dad. They made him smile more than anything.

Keith & Kelly’s wedding song was “Hard to Concentrate” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kelly said everyone should give this song a listen today in honor of Keith and to “appreciate how the guitar plays like a bass line.”

Something that was really interesting about Keith is that he was a black belt in Karate and Tai Chi. He also was a Journeyman Electrician in the IBEW Local 103, and he loved his job. Keith also loved being outdoors, traveling to Maine and ice fishing with his daughters, something that was passed down to him from his own dad.

Keith was exceptionally good at puzzles and math. As well as being a super dad to his girls. Which is probably why his guilty pleasures were kids movies and cartoons, such as the Hotel Transylvania series.

Kelly was Keith’s forever concert buddy. They enjoyed going and seeing many different bands including his absolute favorite band, Shinedown. Aside from them and 311, Keith loved music from Tropidelic, Passafire, The Movement, Seether, NF, and Jelly Roll.

Keith was quiet, but one of the nicest people on this Earth. Anyone who’s life he touched knew there was something special about him. He always had a smile on his face and was generally interested when he asked how you were. He bonded with many of Kelly’s friends, including me. Our birthdays were only 2 days apart, so we always seemed to find a concert to go to around that time. I just wish we had many more to celebrate together.

Some of Keith’s friends happily shared some memories of him and the impact of his amazingly positive personality and niceness:

“Keith and I used to have deep conversations about songs and why they meant so much to us. After his passing, Keiths words in one of those conversations are what gave me the strength and courage to finally make some pretty big changes in my life.” – Lisa Parker Swane

“Keith was a kind, soft spoken, guy who clearly loved his family. Fatherhood appeared to come easy to him. Seeing him with his girls, he was a natural. He also had the best humor. I remember telling him how upset I was about all these tiny cars my then 3y/o son had all over our floors and how I desperately wanted rid the house of them (haha). His response was something to the effect of, “Vacuum them up. Kind of like when I get a crayon. It’s like whoops.” That was one of the first most realistic parenting comments I recall hearing. It still makes me laugh. We miss you, Keith. Shine on over us all.” – Christina Cross

“Keith was the kind of guy that was a friendly soft spoken kinda dude with a ferocious sense of humor. He always had a secretly absurdly funny comment to say about things that would make you chuckle. Always liked that about him – it’s great when there’s something fun hiding behind “the curtains”.” – Max Cross

“Keith was the sweetest and most caring person I ever met. He put his family first but always knew how to have a good time. I remember our times watching the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (not by his own choice 😉 ) and joking about a variety of cartoons at any given chance while quoting movies and laughing all the time. He made sure Kelly and I always had a good time when we would hang out. I will miss our times together but know you are keeping a close eye on your family and friends from above.” – Caitlin Nash

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To say there is a huge hole in the world without Keith is an understatement. Whenever he was around you, the world was full of light & love. I know he lives on in another dimension, but we miss you in this one my sweet friend. Until we meet again.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again to all my friends out in 311 nation! It’s that time, to introduce a new fan to you all. This week let’s meet Eric Tate!

In the summer of 1993 Eric and his wife decided to part ways and she ended up with the car, meaning Eric had to bum rides from various co-workers. ” A friend of mine that worked with me serving tables at Bennigans offered to take me home one day but he had to swing by his house to shower real quick as he was heading to his girlfriend’s house after he dropped me off.  Before he jumped in the shower he asked me if I ever heard of 311….I said no, so he put on a song called “Hydroponic” off of their “Music” album. At first I really dug how the song opened with that heavy badass bsssline …then the drums and guitars kicked in…I was like “WOW… Whaaaaat???!” So soon after the song ended my buddy was out of the shower at that point and asked me if I liked it?  I said “Hellyeah!!! I loved it!”. He asked what I loved about it and I told him just mainly the sound of it.  He then asked me if I paid any attention to the lyrics and I said “No, not really”, so he played it again and told me to listen to the words this time and holy shit….OMG! That’s when it dawned on me that there were 2 dudes singing…and the lyrics “resonated” with me I guess you could say (pun intended).”

There was a line in that song that really stuck with Eric and it’s “I’m not going to waste life being hateful.” “At the time I was pretty pissed at/hated just about everything about my life; my failed marriage, no car and having to bum rides to and from work/everywhere, me horribly missing my 3 young daughters (ex took them about 6 hours away so that REALLY sucked not seeing them everyday for like a very long time)…pretty much my sucky ass shituation overall. So by the 2nd time listening to the songs AND the lyrics/message, I became an Excitable before the song even ended and I didn’t even know what that was yet!?”

For show count, Eric said he lost track awhile ago. If he had to guess he believes it’s around 70. First show for him was May 28, 2020, at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA, when 311 was touring with Incubus. As for favorite show/event for him, Eric said 311 Day 2008 takes the top prize. “My cousin Jason (aka “Jake” or “DJ 1 Piece”) scored backstage VIP passes as he had been friends with Chad for several years at that point.  Watching, singing and dancing my ass off for that marathon of a concert was unlike anything I have ever experienced at a live show! (63 songs I believe?) We somehow ended up on Chad and Tim’s bus right after the show, and Chad had to bail as he was super sick with like a fever of 102 or something crazy?!  He apologized and said he hoped we had fun and that he needed to go get some fluids in him and get some rest.”

Song that means the most to Eric is “Visit” because he just loves the lyrics. As for a favorite line from a song, he loves one from the song “Full Ride:” “The only thing that never gets old is honesty.”

Eric was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, then at the age of 10 he moved to Canfield, Ohio. He wasn’t there long as right after his 11th birthday they moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and he pretty much lived in that area until he graduated high school. “I joined the Marine Corps and lived on base at Cherry Point, NC while in the USMC,  then moved back to Florida after I got out. Moved to Missouri for about 9 months and hated it, so we moved back to Florida, once again.  In the mid 90’s I met a girl in the “Marijuana Debate” chat room on AOL and fell in love and moved to Castro Valley, CA (Her screen name was “A4TwentyGirl” and mine was “SemperHigh” so you can guess what side of that debate we were on! 🤣). We eventually realized we were better off as friends so we never ended up getting married (she’s still one of my best friends to this day).  I lived in NorCal until the middle of lockdown in 2020 when I decided to once again move back to Florida!  To fund my 311 habit, I do retail insights working remotely as a data analyst!”

When asked what is an interesting fact about himself, Eric said, “I just recently went to the gym the other day and I seen this idiot who put a water bottle on the treadmill… right where the Pringles can goes!!! 🤟🤣🤘.” That leads us to what Eric believes makes him different is that he loves to tell jokes, do magic tricks, and act silly. “Pretty much anything to make people smile and/or laugh everyday!” Guilty pleasure for him is his dogs Luna and Coco, plus spending time with his insanely funny niece and three amazing grandkids!

When not listening to 311, some other artists that Eric loves include Dirty Heads, RDGLDGRN, Tropidelic, Stick Figure, Little Stranger, Bumpin Uglies, Katastro, Nothing But Thieves & Depeche Mode!

To 311, Eric would like to send this message: “Just a very special THANK YOU to all the guys for making this crazy life THIS much more Excitable! Following you guys over the past 30 years (70+ shows/8 311 Days/ last 4 cruises) has allowed me to meet some of the most amazing lifelong friends & the coolest people I never would have met if it weren’t for you guys and your music!  Oh…and can we please hear “Crossfire” just once live please!  🙏😆”

Now here are Eric’s words going out to all the other awesome 311 fans:

“Just always be kind… try to make someone/anyone smile everyday as you never know what life could be throwing at them at any given moment. And of course…. STAY POSITIVE AND LOVE YOUR LIFE!!!!”

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Thank you to Eric for sharing your story with us! Of course, my eternal gratitude to all the readers each blog post. Have an amazing week and sending you all good vibes.

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again all of my excitable friends. It’s time for the next edition of the 311 fan spotlight! Here we are with #400 – let’s meet Vickie Vaden!

The year was 1995 when Vickie first heard the sounds of 311 and she was instantly hooked. “I really liked the way they mixed in the reggae vibes with the heavy rock. They had such a fresh and unique sound and it drew me in!”

First live show for Vickie was at the HORDE Festival in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 1996. “They had such awesome stage presence, I couldn’t wait to see them again!… and that is where the obsession began…lol! Oh man, I haven’t counted how many shows I have been to but I would say definitely in the hundreds!”

As for favorite event, Vickie said the cruises just can’t be beat. “I have been on all 7 and met some great friends over the years!  The 2nd cruise was my favorite! That island show was surreal and I will never forget it! 2nd place from the cruises I would say the Pow Wow festival was super cool! The whole 311 community is so friendly and incredible!”

Some of Vickie’s favorite songs include “I’ll Be Here A While,” “Sunset in July,” and “Beyond the Gray Sky.” ” Beyond the gray sky is so beautiful to see live when Nick ask everyone bust out the lights to honor those that have passed. It makes me think of my mom (she passed away in 2018), I miss her so much!  My mom was so proud of my photography accomplishments that I had made with 311.”

Born and raised in South Florida, Vickie has been there her whole life. She has two older brothers that molded her into a big fan of rock and live music. “My oldest brother took me to my first concert when I was 13, Ratt and Poison.. LOL! Hair metal was big time then! I have been to countless concerts since then.”

It was around the same age that her mother handed Vickie her first camera and she has been hooked on photography since then. “The summer before I started high school, I was in the photography class and that is where my love of photography started. Throughout high school I really got into photographing local bands, Marilyn Manson was real big down here back then before he got signed. I would hit the clubs and photograph shows and then go to school the next day and couldn’t wait to develop my film! Looking back it is kinda crazy that my parents let me stay out so late on school nights to see all these bands..lol! I think my older brothers had broken them in so they were pretty lenient with me. At the same time, they knew they could trust me to not do anything too dumb. With all the photos I shot I started to gain a lot of experience and making a portfolio for myself. I don’t even know how but my friend managed to get me photo passes for big shows around that time period. She had a tiny little home made magazine and knew how to talk the talk I guess. Lol! I was able to photography Lenny Kravitz, pearl jam and Anthrax to name a few. It was so exciting for me!!”

After high school Vickie was still going to concerts but not really getting involved with photographing many of the bands. Then in 2009 her interest sparked again. “I have been able to connect with a lot of band mangers and shoot some of my all time favorites, including 311! I have taken shots on all of the cruises. Most of you would recognize me for my cruise “Fisheye shots” I love that lens! Lol! I started lifting my camera on a monopod with a shutter release to get a higher angle, The way it captures the volume of the crowds is awesome! I have definitely captured some of my favorite shots over the years of 311 on the cruises. My favorite moment was being able to give meet the band and give them a canvas of a cruise photo and get them to sign mine as pictured. My biggest accomplishment was to have 311 use some of my photos in their archive box set.  To be a fan all these years, buying all their CDs and then have my photos IN one is mind blowing and I am so grateful! (Thank you Peter Raspler! )”

Vickie is a single mom of 3 kids and has been raising them all by herself for the last 14 years. They are now ages 20, 18 & 16. “They have been to more concerts than most adults! lol! I started them super young! My 2 girls are now 311 fans and also really like dirty heads, sublime etc. They are my built in concert buddies. :)”

Fun fact about Vickie is she works at the police station as their photographer and photo tech. “I am on my 22nd year there. Luckily I only do their “pretty photography”.. Team photos, portraits and what not. I never had to photograph crime scenes, but I did have to process all the photos and have seen anything you can imagine! Crazy, crazy stuff!”

Aside from photography, Vickie also knows how to decorate cakes and make candy and goodies. “

My mom owned a cake business when I was growing up so I learned how to make everything and would help her fill orders as a kid. That also really helped me become an entrepreneur with a ton of side hustles over the years. The last 8 years or so I have been doing art festivals and selling my work on ETSY of my photography. I hope to pursue it a little more when I have more time. Everyone can check out my work on instagram at @retroseashoredecorfl also facebook I have this page for my business: https://www.facebook.com/RetroseashoredecorMore importantly for most, you can find my band photographs on my facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057585063579“

Guilty pleasure for Vickie is the band Twenty One Pilots. “Those guys put on one heck of a show!” When not listening to them or 311, she can be found jamming tunes by Rebelution, Lenny Kravitz, Dirty Heads, A tribe called quest, Sublime and Sublime with Rome, Amy Winehouse, Beach Boys, Mr. Bungle, Hirie, Bob Marley, Pearl Jam, Lumineers, Buddy Holly, Glass Animals, Matisyahu and most of the reggae rock that’s out there. “I have a pretty broad range of music that I listen to.”

Vickie would like to send this message to 311: “Please hire me full time and pay me to be your personal photographer! Lol! Until then, I guess I have to keep working my real job and side hustles.”

Now here are her words to all the other 311 fans out there:

“Thank you all for being so kind to me as I made my way around you at shows with all my big ass photo gear! Y’all are some of the most positive, friendly, awesome people! <3”

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Thank you so much to Vickie for sharing her 311 story with us all! As always, many thanks to all the readers and supporters out there. Hope you all have an amazing week friends! Stay cool.

Much Love – The Runt