Hello again my friends out there in the 311 universe! Our next fan spotlight has arrived. Let’s get the story from April DeManss!
It was in her early teens that April first became a fan of 311. “I actually sang Down with a band that my parents followed around locally. It was SO bad but I rocked all the lyrics. LOL!”
Show count? Well this last cruise was her first 311 show ever! It was also her first cruise. So obviously, the sets on the ship were her favorites! She said she is going to totally be on the next one.
Song that means the most to April is “Beautiful Disaster.” “Because that’s what my husband calls me—his beautiful disaster!” As for lyrics, her favorites come from “Amber:” “Nothing good comes easily, sometimes you’ve got to fight.”
Outside Baltimore, Maryland, is where April grew up. She has lived in Maryland her whole life. She worked in the prosecutors office for 20 years and only left after her breast cancer treatment to work for a non-profit for prosecutors and law enforcement. “I’m also a personal trainer and focus on empowering women to be their strongest self! I also have 2 non-profits promoting awareness about animal cruelty and am an adjunct faculty for the Veterinary Forensics masters program at University of Florida. I also volunteer on a small, family farm taking care of all the animals and ensuring they are raised and harvested humanely. That’s a lot of “also’s….” but I live life hard and love it even more!”
Earlier this year, April’s breast cancer metastasized to her brain. “We named my tumor Earl: because Earl had to die. My now husband and I went to the courthouse on March 4th, got married, and went to the emergency room for my brain surgery. We had already planned the cruise, and that was my biggest question to the neurosurgeon, “can I go on our honeymoon?!” lol. I’m so grateful that I made it and especially the other amazing 311 members that are also breast cancer thrivers! I see you ladies!”
Fun fact about April, she’s very stubborn! “I had brain surgery and brain radiation and I’m here to tell about it. I’m doing everything to live, survive, and thrive with cancer again, because I found the love of my life and I don’t want to break his heart ever!”
April said that there are many things that make her a unique person. “I’m quite well known for my ridiculous laugh. There’s no other ape that’s a hot mess (or beautiful disaster if you will—I love you Julius!) like me. I love giving to others and sharing love! I want to ensure that you leave my presence with a smile or laugh!” Guilty pleasure for her is food! “Ice cream, pizza, coffee. Good stuff!”
As for other artists that April can be found listening to, she said she’s a very eclectic listener. “I used to teach cycling classes so I love going from anything like country to pop, punk rock, and 80’s hair bands!”
To the band, April would love to say these words: “Thank you! Thank you for an incredible honeymoon that will forever be embedded in my heart! I was so scared I wouldn’t be able to make it. But staples came out the Friday before we left, and I couldn’t be happier with these memories!”
Now here is her message to all the other 311 fans out there:
“Love every day in the present moment, and share love with others! None of us are promised tomorrow!”
Wow what an amazing story April! Thank you so much for sharing it with us all. Thanks, as always, to all the readers each post. In the spirit of April, go out there and kick some butt this week with a smile on your face!
What is up my friends in the 311 universe! Hope everyone is doing well. Shall we get to the latest fan spotlight? Let’s meet Nadia Rushing!
In 1995, Nadia needed a ride home from marching band practice. She was unaware of the musical journey she was about to go on. “A guy named Tony was kind enough to drive me home and he introduced me to Music and Grassroots and I was instantly hooked. I had never heard anything like them before. I believe Blue had just recently come out too. Being I wasn’t yet able to drive, I begged to get to the record store and spent most of the money I had to buy the albums. I spent hours upon hours lying on my bedroom floor listening to the CDs, reading song lyric after lyric and singing my heart out. And yet, after hours of studying, I still sing what I hear!”
For show count, Nadia said she sadly isn’t one of those fans that keep accurate track. She believes it’s around 30. First show for her was in 1996, at the Omni in Atlanta, when No Doubt was the opener. “Besides my infatuation with 311, Gwen Stefani was my female role model so this show was amazing.”
Picking a favorite show can be difficult for most 311 fans. Nadia has been fortunate enough to attend a few 311 Day events, 2 cruises, and a show at Red Rocks. Of all of these, she said her first cruise was an experience like no other. “While this was my favorite event, I must share my favorite experience. While in college, 311 was playing in Jacksonville, FL with Jimmy’s Chicken Shack as the opener I believe. My friend I didn’t have a tickets to the show but the venue told us we could buy at the door. So we drove 3 hours only to find out it was sold out. (This was before the days of internet sales). We were bummed and didn’t just want to drive home for nothing so we wandered into a nearby tattoo parlor. There we ran into one of the road-crew guys for 311. We told him our heartbreak and he told us where to go to see their tour bus and hopefully catch a glimpse of the guys. We took his advice and hung around the tour buses, taking with other fans, etc. and wouldn’t you know, I looked over my shoulder and there stood miT, talking with the fans. We got his autograph and were lucky enough to meet Chad as well. P-nut then came out and one of the fans told him our story and asked if there was any way for us to see the show. He said “of course! Write your names down for me and I’ll turn it in at the gate”. We were in complete disbelief and never thought it would have actually happened. But sure enough, we went to the gate a while later, acting like complete fan-girls and we were on the list! It was an amazing show and we had a blast. Post-show we went back to the busses and were lucky enough to meet all 5 members and get all their autographs, I still have the shirt they signed all those years ago!”
For a favorite song, right now it’s “Persimmon” that holds some weight for Nadia. “Recent current life events led me down some dark roads and this song has helped me in ways I can’t explain. One thing I can say for sure, there is a 311 song and album for each part of life and I’m so thankful to have them all when I need them. In good times, happy times, sad times and angry. 311’s catalogue never disappoints.” Nadia also said that “The Happy Slam Dance Song” a.k.a. “Do You Right” will always be a favorite of hers! As for a lyric, she doesn’t have one in particular. “But I know I can always count on 311 to have the words I’m looking for. To have an ounce of the lyrical talent of SA would be a gift.”
South of Atlanta, Georgia, is where Nadia grew up, in a small town known as the bubble or gold cart capital. Others may know it as Peachtree City. She has very supportive parents and two sisters, one of whom has been the fan spotlight before (Jenna Kimlinger)! “I had no idea then, but she used to sneak into my room, find my diary and listen to 311 when I wasn’t home. She became a bigger fan than I can ever claim to be because of this.”
Nadia attended college in South Georgia, at Georgia Southern University. Radio and CD’s were her only music options. “There weren’t many non-country options so I didn’t keep up with 311 much after DTOM. (Thankfully my sister brought me back into the light a few years later and am thankful for that every day!) I graduated with my BSN, worked as a nurse and got married; we stayed in south GA for some time and I became a mom to 2 amazing kiddos. I am happy to report that I’m turning my youngest into a 311 fan as we speak! I can’t seem to get my oldest into them but can appreciate my love for 311. I’m now divorced and living back up near the ATL area with my kids.”
Nadia still works as a nurse, in a role that has allowed her to have an amazing work/life balance. “While my sister Jenna and I share the 311 love, our older sister never got into them. She has come to show here and there so we can spend sister time together. We keep trying to convert her and maybe one day we will be successful. While she may not be a fan, she did share with me how she sees the roll that 311 and the connections made through this band have had such a positive impact on my sister and I. We’ve been lucky to have our amazing 311 family jump into action when we needed it most. These friends will never know how much we love them and appreciate the amazing humans that they are. And of course, I can’t even begin to say how much my sister from another mister, Tish Morgan means to me. Jenna, Tish and I all got matching 311 tattoos recently and life is all about who you have matching tattoos with. I would not be the person I am today, without those who matter most.”
Interesting fact about Nadia, she said the older she gets, the more introverted she is becoming. “But I wish I could be more extroverted and have the guts to talk to more people.” A talent for her, she was stumped, so she asked her sister. “Interestingly enough, she said that I am a great gift giver and have a knack for picking out just the perfect Christmas gifts for others! Who knew. 😉” Guilty pleasure for her? It’s the show “Gilmore Girls.” “It’s always on in the background and I can recite most of it by heart. I usually have to have some kind of noise in the background so it’s either music or Gilmore Girls. I also have to admit, I like Ed Sheeran!”
When not listening to 311…or Ed Sheeran, Nadia is a huge 90’s rock alternative fan. She listens to it often. She’s also currently loving Little Stranger, Dirty Heads, Tropidelic, The Elovators, and most recently, Sitting on Saturn.
To 311, Nadia has these words: “Because of this band, going to shows, and the love, positivity and support of the Unity that is 311, I will always be thankful to 311 for the amazing friends I have the pleasure to call my 311 family.”
Now here are her words to all of the other fans out there: “Thank you to everyone who makes each event an amazing experience. There is nothing better than a 311 show and I will never be able to explain how each event fills my soul. IYKYK!”
Thank you tons to Nadia for sharing her story with us all! Of course, my love and gratitude to everyone who reads these. Sending you all good vibes and nothing but happiness.
Hello my friends! It’s been a minute but we are back with a brand new 311 fan spotlight! Let’s get the story from Samantha Westbrook-Gomez!
Samantha was the type of person that never really paid attention to who sang the songs she listened to, she just knew she liked it or she didn’t. So she was a fan of the blue album when she was young, but didn’t really know who 311 was. “The love I have now for 311 and their music comes from my Husband Justin. He is my own personal DJ.”
Show count for Samantha is around 13-14. First show for her was in Reno, Nevada, about 8 years ago, with her husband. Favorite of the shows she’s been to? ” I have had the amazing opportunity to enjoy 2 cruises (2023 and 2025). The 2023 cruise on 311 Day has to be my favorite.”
A song that means the most to Samantha, she says changes. “Right now Inside Our Home has been on repeat. Mountain Top off the new album is another. Down was my first love however. Followed by Champagne and then Strong All Along.” Favorite lyrics for Samantha? She said those are “Stay positive & love your life,” and “Fuck the bullshit.”
Samantha grew up in a small town in California, that only had about 10,000 people. “My parents separated when I was very young, so I’ve had 4 parents for as long as I can remember. I’m also blessed with a lot of siblings, 11, not counting ones that aren’t blood but still family.” In her 20’s, she realized that college wasn’t working for her, so she went to work as a server full-time, also training to become a bartender. “Along that journey I moved to Maine for 6 months to work in Acadia National Park at the only restaurant in the park called the Jordan Pond House. I got to learn a lot of old English traditions and serve tea and popovers and a tone of great fresh Lobster.”
After Maine, Samantha moved to Arizona for a bit, then back to Maine for a second summer season, and then decided she was headed to Alaska for a summer. “Flew all my stuff over for the summer, fell in love with the area & had an amazing summer, then decided to go back and be a little closer to home. So “close to home” for me meant a 5 hour drive. I found myself working for then Squaw Valley resort, at a top of the mountain restaurant. Before the season started I agreed to pick up extra hours at another spot in the mountain just for money, and the 2nd day I was volunteering for that they told me 3 guys from the banquet department are coming in and I was to show them how things are done. One of the 3 men is my now husband Justin. We spent the winter together, I was very apparent about my plans for the summer. Told him I have a truck and camper and I was going to be driving it to Alaska for my 2nd summer and I would love for him to join me, well he actually did! We spent the summer there, came back to Tahoe and Covid hit so we have decided to try and make a home and family here where we found one another. What’s great is we were from rival high school in the same small town areas, great up living maybe an hour or so apart and never met until our 20’s up in Tahoe!”
Interesting fact about Samantha, she started playing the clarinet when she was in middle school, all because her grandfather loved to play. “I eventually learned to play 4 different types of clarinet.” Something that makes her unique is her creative problem solving skills. “I feel like I tend to find solutions sometimes where there seems none at first. I’m also the person to call to put together IKEA furniture I love challenges! 🤣” Guilty pleasure for Samantha? “Harry Potter, and fantasy book reading. Literally could disappear for days.”
Other music Samantha likes she said is crazy and all over the map. The list includes Metallica, Turnstile, Fever 333, Blink-182, HIRIE, Little Stranger, Ballyhoo!, Living Legends and Shania Twain.
Samantha’s message to 311 is this: “I would thank the whole of the band, the message of positivity and love they spread is so empowering and strong.”
Now here are her words to all the other 311 fans out there:
“To all the other Excitables out there, you are a huge part of why this band is so great and we love going to live shows. It’s the community and friends we see time and time again at shows and on cruises that makes the love for the band that much deeper. Stay Positive and Love your Lives!”
Thank you so much Samantha for sharing your story with everyone! As always, my love to all that read each week. Hope you are all having an excellent day/week/month!
Hello again Excitable universe! A new week has arrived and so has a new 311 fan spotlight! Let’s get the story of Jayce Barnhart!
It was during a 1996 road trip to New York City that Jayce first heard 311. “I was in the Army back then, stationed up in Fort Drum, New York. It’s about seventy miles north of Syracuse. Very cold. But it was about six hours from New York City, so a buddy and I decided to spend a weekend in the Big Apple. He had all kinds of strange, new, and exotic music to share for the drive, but there was one Groove that stuck out.
“Who are these guys?” I asked, incredulous and pleased.
“Three Eleven,” he answered.
“Can I borrow this?” I asked him.
It was total rock and roll, thrashing guitar like everything I loved about Led Zeppelin or Van Halen. But there was some serious rap going on as well…and not the bubble gum stuff like Will Smith or Sugar Hill Gang. These lyrics were really more like poetry, ripped through the music. The vibe was also definitely a reggae vibe, which enveloped it all into everything I would ever need from music ever again. I was hooked on 311. Hydroponic was the tune that totally set me off wanting more.”
Show count for Jayce is at 30 – 25 of them being in the last five years. First show for him was in his hometown of Eugene, Oregon. “When 311 finally arrived at a familiar and nearby venue. Though they’d been my favorite for years, I hadn’t begun chasing them down from city to city by then. This year, I have plans to see them EIGHT times!”
While Jayce always tries to make every 311 event as memorable as he can, he did pick 2 that were ultimate fan experiences. “My two previous experiences at sea with 311 on the Cruise, this past year had to have been the ultimate 311 fan experience. Concerts on the deck, with the dancing, and the live premieres of so many cuts from their newest album…It was an experience that I’ll never forget.”
There are a couple of songs that Jayce said mean a lot to him. “There are a few songs that move beyond being catchy and full of talent in order to hold a deeper meaning to me. I hate being trite or cliche, but Tranquility is a beautiful song that reminds me of my mother, and one of their newest, Persimmon, always makes me think of my son. My very favorite song is “Neverending Summer.” Best tune, best vibe, best solo, BEST BEST BEST!”
Lyrics that mean a lot to Jayce also come from “Neverending Summer” – “These are the good ol’ days.” “My toddler and I would sing this song together, blasting through the car stereo while he was strapped into the carseat behind me. And those WERE the good ol’ days. But the beauty of the song is that you can listen to it TODAY and know that TODAY will be the “good ol’ days” someday. Why not make every day a special one that you can look back on fondly?”
Springfield, Oregon is where Jayce was raised, the home of “The Simpsons.” (He said to look it up!) At 19, he joined the military and served tours in Panama, Bosnia, and Korea, before being honorably discharged. “I moved back home to Oregon and started a family before moving to Salt Lake City. I lived there a few years and really enjoyed it until the Big Divorce in 2020 when I began attending 311 shows as often as I possibly could. Right now, I’m a civil engineer stationed in Colorado Springs (AUGUST 2025!!!), which is nice and central, in case there is ever an opportunity to travel north, south, east, or west to see a 311 concert.”
Interesting fact about Jayce? He’s a total pen pal! “A real, live, penpal. I write regularly to scores of people from across the country. Ever since high school summer camps, I’ve always enjoyed meeting people and getting to know them through periodic correspondence. While in the Army, either through Basic Training or overseas in Bosnia, I was always responding to “Dear Serviceman” letters and making new friends. I’ve especially enjoyed meeting fellow 311 fans over the past few years and getting to know them all so much better. In a world with passing social media messages and quick texts, I very much enjoy an opportunity to communicate with someone more personally. Otherwise, we’re all just random NPCs.”
Something that makes Jayce unique is that he’s obsessed with the number 56! “Don’t ask me why, but it’s been my lucky number my whole life. I began noticing while I grew up on 56th street, the number popping up all over my life. Driver’s licenses and important phone numbers all seemed to include the number 56. So one day, I decided to add up the numbers in my social security number. And you guessed it: 56. So I started stealing everything in life I could find that had the number 56 on it. Highway milepost markers, table tents, jerseys, or anything else I could find that had the number 56 on it. Please don’t laugh at me.”
Guilty pleasure for him is Fortnite. “Have you ever played that goofy game? It’s like playing “guns” at Disneyland. My son turned me on to it, and I haven’t stopped playing. I consider this to be a “guilty” pleasure because it’s something I can’t find myself normally bragging about. But since we’re all friends, look me up if you’re ever online: I’m VitaminJay.”
Other music that Jayce can be found listening to? “Don’t laugh, but I’m crazy about Sir Mix-a-Lot. He’s from the northwest just like me. (Look it up) I’ve always liked Beck and the Beastie Boys as well. However, I can listen to the entire discography of Led Zeppelin or the Beatles and never get sick of the music. 311’s catalogue hits me the very same way. Except Love Song. Sorry, but that one’s gotta go.”
To 311, Jayce would like to send this message: “Look, I can’t bore these guys with my gushings. I bawled after meeting them the first time. (You did too!) There’s no real way I’d be able to form a coherent sentence that they’d consider. But I am in awe of each and every one of them. Their talent has split the atom and created a phenomenon through which we can all live, laugh, love, and play. Each one of those Five Men has played a part in constructing this Beautiful Thing. 311 has shown me what it means to be a fan, and what it means to love the music. 311 is electricity, magnetism, and gravity through music. BEST BAND EVER!”
Now here is his message to all the other fans out there:
“Whatup superfans? 311 is actually only PART of the magic. The other part is YOU. I can’t wait to see you this summer, at 311 Day, and on the boat in 2027! Look me up if you wanna write letters or play some Fortnite. We can even write letters ABOUT playing Fortnite.”
Thank you Jayce for sharing your story with everyone! As always, my love to all the readers each post. Have an amazing week my friends!
Welcome back my excitable friends! Are we ready to get to the next fan spotlight? Let’s meet Jenise Sullivan!
Jenise was about 12 years old when the “From Chaos” album came out, and that’s when she first heard of 311. “I was getting ready for a ski trip with my sister Jessica Sullivan and she told me to pick up the album to listen to on our trip. The first song that stuck out to me was ‘Uncalm.”
Show count for Jenise is over a dozen. She’s seen them in 6 different states and on two cruises. First show for her was in Utah and her second show was at Red Rocks. Favorite of the shows? “Definitely the cruises! specifically Cruise seven when they played let the cards fall and second Cruise when they played get down.”
Favorite song for Jenise is “Get Down.” “For some reason it just gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.” There are a lot of lyrics that she loves also. “I would have to say basically the whole song Simplify and Jupiter when Nick says “so many things that have gone wrong, but still, you have ears to hear the song and if you’re reading in close caption, there’s still worse things that could’ve happened.”
Jenise was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho. She now lives in Boise. “I have never lived anywhere else but have been fortunate enough to see many places including 7 different states and 4 different countries. I’m the youngest of 6. I’ve been to many 311 shows with my brother Johnathon Sullivan and Jessica Sullivan, who not only introduced me to 311 but we have shared many fun days and nights laughing and crying to there music it really means so much to us.”
Jenise has 3 kids: Charles, Mollyann, and Lucy, and they mean the world to her! “They have also been to a handful of 311 shows and concerts in general.” Jenise also loves to snowboard and go on adventures with her boyfriend Justin Pickford. “We love to go camping and he also enjoys 311 and tells me that he probably wouldn’t have seen so much live music if it wasn’t for meeting me. Justin also helped me gain the confidence to start my own cleaning business so I do commercial and residential cleaning services all over the treasure valley so that how I support my concert habit.”
Fun fact about Jenise is that she loves to cook Italian food and she also drinks milk daily! “If you were ever my room mate on the boat you know I drink milk every day even on the boat and eat what ever pasta dish they have out!” Something unique about her is that she and her siblings were all born at home. “My mom is a badass tough women.” Guilty pleasure for her? Horror movies and true crime podcasts!
For other music you can find Jenise listening to, it’s a wide variety including all different types. “Right now I have tickets this summer to Glass Animals who I will be seeing for the first time, and Slightly Stoopid, and Little Stranger, all the awesome reggae bands. I also have a lot of Paramore, Surfer Girl, and Andy Frasco in my rotation.”
If Jenise could say one thing to 311, it would be this: “I would ask P-nut if he wasn’t the bassist for 311 what job would he have? I also would tell them I love them.”
Now here are her words to all her fellow fans!
“I love you all and can’t wait to see and meet more of you at every show! I will be at the show in Pocatello in August!”
Thank you Jenise for sharing you story with all of us! Per the usual, my undying gratitude to all the readers each week. Hope you are all happy & well!
Hello 311 nation! It’s time for the newest edition of the fan spotlight. Let’s meet Johnathon Sullivan!
1996 was the year and Johnathon’s homie Jarom had the herb. This is when he first heard the tunes of 311. “We were space cruising and he popped in the fire album. The 2nd track Random just hit different. I asked him what we were listening to. He said “311”. From that point on I went and found everything they had done.”
Show count for Johnathon is over 100, but he doesn’t know the exact number anymore. First show for him was in 1997 with Incubus and Sugar Ray in Boise. “It was amazing.” As for a favorite event or show, he’s been to quite a few like Red, White & Boom and many 311 Day’s. His fave though? “You can’t top the 311 cruise. So many life long friends and epic moments on that boat! Incredible!!”
Johnathon said he doesn’t know if he could just pick one song that’s his favorite. “They are so consistent with the messaging, energy, and live show. So my favorites come and go. Right now Wildfire and most of Stereolithic.” As for a favorite lyric: “My drama unfolds behind closed doors.”
Johnathon grew up in Idaho, in a pretty big family. He has 4 sisters and a brother, a couple of his sisters are also huge 311 fans and go to many shows and events with him (Jenise and Jessica). As a kid, he pretty much grew up on the basketball court. “Music and hoop were my 1st 2 loves in life. When I was 19 I joined my 1st band and recorded my 1st album. This was before the internet lol. There are still copys floating around somewhere. I have been a part of various project since then. My last band was called Finding Keys. We did release a short EP on the streaming formats.”
At the age of 27, Johnathon moved to Hawaii with his girlfriend at the time. “We were there for about 7 years. I loved it and miss the ocean. While I was living there, my now 12 year old son Evan John L Sullivan was born. We did move back when he was about 2 so he could be raised around the rest of his mom and my families. I’m a Painter by trait and most of my disposable income is used on live music and travel. I love the people I’ve met through 311, many that are a huge part of my life. Talking to you Brooke, Ashley, and speed limit guy!”
Interesting fact about Johnathon is that he was raised in a cult. “I grew up in a church that didn’t allow doctor visits or modern medicine. I never joined the church but I learned a lot from it and wouldn’t change a thing about my childhood. It was full of love and compassion. Mixed in with a lot of crazy.”
Johnathon mentioned he grew up on the basketball court and said he was an excellent player growing up. “I can still shoot the shit out of a basketball.” Guilty pleasure for him is Stephen King. He’s a huge fan. “The Dark Tower series is an incredible read.”
As for other music Johnathon loves, he said My Morning Jacket has very much changed his life over the last 4-5 years. “They are tapped in. IYKYK. I love the new OK-Go album, never was a huge fan but the new music is fire! Aesop is amazing. I love music that is edifying. If you want people to listen, tell a story from your eyes. Don’t repeat someone else’s.”
To 311, Johnathon has an easy message for them: “Thank you!!” “The band has changed my life on many different levels like im sure they have many of the people reading this.”
Now to all the other fans reading this:
“Give yourself some grace. Try to avoid comparing yourself to others. Everything in moderation including moderation.”
Thank you to Johnathon for sharing his story with us all! My thanks always also to all who read these posts. Hope you are all well and living your best life!
Hello again my Excitable friends! Happy July! Let’s get to the next 311 Fan Spotlight shall we? Let me introduce you to Jordan Henshilwood!
Jordan found out about 311 when he was just 12 years old and it’s because his whole family listened to them! “Became a real fan I would say about 17, loving how the music makes you feel and meaning behind the lyrics.”
Show count for Jordan he believes is somewhere around 10. First show for him was in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Utah Credit Union Amphitheatre around 2016/17. Favorite show he’s been to? “2025 OTMFB!”
The song that really means a lot to Jordan is “Sand Dollars.” As for lyrics, one of his faves also comes from that song: “I kept making a U-turn, ended up with a sunburn, but the lesson that I learned, was worth the skin that peeled.”
Jordan’s upbringing from age 5 – 12 was a bit different than others. “My parents had my sister brother and I jumping hotel to hotel, from one homeless shelter to the next! Sitting on the corner asking/begging for money! They were in and out of jail my whole life. When I was about 12 I moved into my grandparents’ house. Eddie Bratke, well known in this community, my uncle, was living there and took on the role of raising us kids! Can’t thank that man enough! Couple years later he found his amazing wife Ashley Bratke and they both have been my guide in life, letting me know right from wrong, helping me be the best version of myself every day!”
In 2022, Jordan went to work with Eddie at a glove warehouse and he’s now the warehouse manager of it! “These two have taken me under their wing and showed me life and showed me the 311 FAMILY and what they are about! 2025 and life couldn’t be better, went on my first 311 cruise, moved into my first house alone and we are only half the way through! Life couldn’t be better!”
Something that Jordan does every day, he tries to find the good in any situation. “Always live my life with a smile on my face! It’s better that way!” He tries to make the best out of any moment. Guilty pleasure for him? It’s doing yard work! “It’s satisfying.”
Other music that Jordan can be found jamming out to include artists like Dirty Heads, Surfer Girl, Little Stranger, The Elovaters, The Movement, Denm, Artikal Sound System, and Bumpin Uglies, just to name a few.
For what Jordan would say to the band, his message goes out to Nick specifically: “Sorry I hit you with the ball OTMFB!”
Now here is his message to all the other 311 fans out there:
“You all are AMAZING and WONDERFUL people! So glad to be apart of the 311 fam, You Guys Rock!”
Thank you Jordan for sharing your story with us all! And of course, thank you to all that read these each time. Have a great week, keep smiling and spreading the positivity. The world needs it!
Welcome back my friends out there in the 311 universe! New week…new fan spotlight! Let’s check out the story of Lauren Black!
Lauren heard of 311 when the Blue album debuted, one of the local stations had a show called “The Adventure Club with Josh” and she said he somehow always played cool new music. She’s pretty sure that’s where she first heard them. ” I immediately fell in love with the energy and that super sweet unique blend of rock and rap. It was truly love at first listen. I quickly became obsessed with Music and Grassroots as well, playing that shit on repeat, over and over again, and the rest is history. Their music became such a part of me and so ingrained in my head, I listened to it on repeat so many times over the years growing up. I did struggle with undiagnosed ADHD, depression and anxiety in my early teen years, and 311’s music literally probably saved my life, helping me reshape my mindset by thinking positively, inspired by their lyrics.”
As for show count, Lauren said she used to scoff at fans that kept such well documented spreadsheets of the shows they’ve seen and songs they’ve heard. “I always wanted to live in the moment, plus I smoke a lot of weed so sometimes I forget. A while ago, I went back and tried to count up every show I have been to. My best guess is that I have seen them about 135 times at this point.” First shows she saw were at the Bronco Bowl in Dallas and then also in 2001 at the Warped Tour.
For a favorite, Lauren said there have been a lot over the years that have been incredible. “Every 311 day I have been to (which is all of them since 2002, with the exception of 2016) has been amazing and always for different reasons. Each 311 day is unique. 311 Day 2010 was especially sweet for me because I got to interview the band for MTV news and got the full backstage experience. That may have been when I peaked in life. The Halloween shows, especially 2010 and the one at the Stanley hotel a few years ago, have also been excellent.”
Songs that mean the most to Lauren can change over time, depending on where she is in her life. “Thankfully I am at a really nice, chill, stable place in life, but the top few songs that really come to me at this moment are “Sun Comes Through,” “Use of Time,” and “Space and Time.’ YES I do like their new music too!”
There’s a lyric that means so much to Lauren that she has it tattooed on her foot, as a tribute to her best friend who passed away her freshman year of college: “Lovely life I thank you.” “I met Lisa my first week of college and we clicked right away with our mutual love of music. She loved 311 so much but her all time favorite band was Less Than Jake. We always had the very best time together. The last time I ever saw her was when we went to a 311 show in Tulsa together in 2004. I left the next day to head to New Orleans for 311 day, and she went to Galveston for spring break, where she was tragically killed in an accident. Though not the banger I love to hear for an encore at a live show, I do really appreciate Beyond the Grey Sky as a song. I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with my friend Lisa while she was here, and my tattoo with BTGS lyrics honor that.” Another favorite of hers is “Savor the sun, but when the clouds come, make animals.”
Lauren has lived in Texas her whole life, except her time in college. She said she is very lucky to still be close with her family. “My dad took me to my very first 311 Day in 2002 when I was a sophomore in high school. He hung out with a security guard in the back most of the time, but that was really cool of him, and I know he definitely considers it a parental flex that he was there and could do that with me. My mom went with me when I got my first tattoo (which happens to be the Soundsystem logo!), and she loves to play the 311 Lullabies album for the toddlers she works with in public school. My sister has been with me to countless 311 shows, including 311 Day 2006. I am actually too lucky to have a family that supported my 311 addiction so well over the years. How can I ever break this habit at this point?”
Lauren is married and living in Austin, Texas, with two dogs. “My husband actually does not love live music like I do (He likes seated shows only with super chill music like Iron and Wine, and even then he still might not want to go.) so I usually go to shows alone or with friends. I think sometimes people are surprised when they find out I am married. We are kind of homebodies but I do still love to go out for a good concert or a delicious meal.” Lauren also has Celiac Disease, a severe Gluten intolerance, so she has to watch what she eats but says she still eats really well. “There is a ton of great food here in Austin, especially gluten free (Tacos on corn tortillas are naturally gluten free!). Austin also offers a lot of cool outdoor and nature oriented activities, which I love (for now at least – before the extreme heat from climate crisis overtakes this area!). The trail at Town Lake and swimming at Barton Springs are two of the very best things to do in Austin, if you ask me.”
Travel is something Lauren loves to do, especially to legal states that sell 710 Labs products! She does hair for her profession, and she especially enjoys doing blondes or fun, vibrant colors. Her dogs, Bronte and Penny, are she and her husbands pride & joy. “Bronte is a five year old doodle mix and Penny is a sweet fourteen year old golden retriever. I wish I could bring them everywhere with me!”
Lauren graduated with a degree in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin, however she has also studied English at both Cambridge and Oxford. As for a guilty pleasure, she stated that she doesn’t really feel guilty about any of her pleasures because her life is full of them! “from 311, to 90 Day Fiance, to old episodes of MTV’s The Challenge, to drinking Diet Coke almost every damn day (that shit is delicious and addictive!), to nerding out over Lord of the Rings, to wearing socks with sandals, or dresses that look like they were meant for toddlers… I am a big fan of just doing what makes you happy, as long as it isn’t anything messed up.” She also can’t get enough of trash reality television! “It’s a serious problem. Married at First Sight, 90 Day Fiance, Love After Lockup, and really all Bravo, TLC, Lifetime and old school MTV reality shows are the best.”
Lauren said some old school 311 fans might remember that back in the day she used to take official 311 merch and sew the basic shirts into cute dresses or halter tops with lace & fun prints. ” I still do that every now and then, but I always love to dress just a little different and wear what makes me happy. I have even been told by someone in the band my unique clothing style sets me apart from other fans. I do love wearing a 311 shirt to 311 shows! I just need to put a fun twist on it.”
Other music Lauren can be found listening to? Her second favorite band is Guster, and she’s seen them about 60 times. “They are so insanely musically talented and their shows are nothing but fun and good vibes. The band members play multiple instruments and often switch it around during shows. The drummer for Guster is a beast and does a lot on bongos as well. I highly recommend everyone checking out Guster live if they have a chance. Much like 311, Guster really shines live and their energy is amazing. The biggest difference between the Guster guys and our 311 guys, is that Guster is always riffing and shooting from the hip. It’s not uncommon at all for them to do a live jam off the cuff about lobster rolls at their show in Maine, or to do long rambling intros, or just have fun talking to and interacting with the crowd.”
Lauren also loves Hip Hop & Rap. “I love alllll the hip hop music – old, new, mainstream, underground, hard, pop, drill, down south, whatever. I love a good beat. I especially love female rap. Megan Thee Stallion, Glorilla, Trina, Lil Kim – there are so many talented females in the game. Outkast, Animal Collective, Lil Nas X, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Drake, Less Than Jake are also up there in my favorites. I love variety!Finally, I cannot say enough good things about the collab Nick Hexum did with George Clanton. I could listen to that album for the rest of my life and never tire of it – it’s just so good!”
Lauren has been lucky enough to speak to the guys in 311 multiple times, and her message to them is always one of gratitude: “Thank you for making fantastic music and bringing people together, and spreading love and positivity all these years. While that is most definitely still true, currently I would like to thank P Nut and SA for standing up and being vocal about their political and moral beliefs during these dark and divisive times. They embody the positive qualities and values 311 has been singing about these past thirty plus years, if you ask me. Also Nick, you are still fine as hell, and your golden retriever and dog posts are literally the best – keep giving us cute animal content.”
Now here are her words to all the other awesome fans out there:
“I cannot express enough how much I love this community and all the friends I have made over the years. I can’t believe I am still meeting cool new fans I didn’t already know who have also been fans for ages! Like, how did our paths not cross sooner? I love jamming with y’all, sharing joints with y’all, getting fun fan made swag, making sweet memories, and having the time of our lives together. Please do not ever hesitate to say hi if you see me out and about or reach out if you happen to be visiting Austin!”
Thank you Lauren for sharing your fun story with all of us! So happy you are a part of this community. Always, my undying gratitude to everyone who reads these posts. Hope you all have a week full of happiness, peace & good things.
Welcome back to the next 311 Fan Spotlight! This week, let’s get the scoop from Erin Perez!
It was the summer before 7th grade when Erin saw the video for “Down” on the MTV Top 20 Video Countdown and she was completely blown away. “The sound and the video really caught my attention and woke up something inside. It was like a shiny puzzle piece snapped into a missing part of my brain.”
Erin says she lost track of her show count at this point, but a few years ago she and her friend Gabby past the 200 mark. “When I was 15, after begging my parents, my uncle took me to my first 311 show on 4/3/2000. It was at The Palladium in Los Angeles, and Jimmie’s Chicken Shack opened. It was an excellent experience and gave me a taste of that 311 magic that happens at their events.”
Picking a favorite show was difficult for Erin to narrow down. “The three-night 311 Day 2020, right before the world shut down, was amazing! The basement set was the coolest thing, and closing with acoustic I’ll Be Here Awhile gave me chills. I have been so fortunate to have attended six 311 Days (we had to miss 2010 because I had surgery too close to the date. I’m still sorry Gabby!), five 311 cruises, Pow Wow, the two recent Hawaii concerts, Mandalay Bay Beach shows, the Raiders Halftime set, and many other memorable shows! Anytime they play Champagne with bubbles my heart gets extra happy.”
For songs that Erin loves, she said the Transistor Intro is her pump her up song. “I listen to it before I have to do something hard or intimidating.” Some of her other favorites are “Eons,” “Visit,” “Extension,” “Purpose,” and “1,2,3.”
Favorite lyric? Erin said she picked one for her high school yearbook: “The jaded ones will wither while the optimistic grow.” “From Six, I still love that line so much.” She also likes these lines:
“It’s alright to feel good, it’s alright for nothing to be wrong,” 1,2,3
“I wanna do what’s right, Be kind to every single body,” Creature Feature
“You can’t stop entropy so why even try,” Life’s Not A Race
Erin grew up in a little suburb of Los Angeles called Azusa, which the locals she says call “Mayberry.” “There’s no anonymity here, ha. I met my best friend, Gabby, in middle school and we’ve been true comadres ever since. I feel so blessed that she became a huge 311 fan and we have been blessed to share so many amazing experiences, including many with her daughter (my goddaughter).”
Erin said she’s pretty much a townie, as she grew up in Azusa and still lives there. She works for Azusa Unified. Although she did live in Long Beach for 4 years while attending college. “I love learning and studied Human Development at CSULB. Post-grad, I have credentials in Visual Impairments and Blindness, Orthopedic Impairments, and a credential and Masters in Orientation and Mobility. Next year will be my 19th year of teaching for Azusa, where I spent time as an Assistive Technology Specialist and Teacher of the Visually Impaired (VI). I am an itinerant VI teacher and get to drive around between schools/districts and work one-on-one with my students. I truly believe it is the best job in education!”
While Erin has always been a quiet and shy person, she said that 311 shows are one of the few places she feels free and part of a positive collective consciousness. “Whatever is happening in life, we’ve always had a show, new music, special event, or a coming announcement to look forward to, and help keep things positive and moving.”
Fun fact about Erin, she worked for In-N-Out Burger’s cookout department while she was going to school. “I got to serve from the food trucks at some really cool events. My favorite experience was meeting Zach Braff and Donald Faison at a Scrubs taping we catered, where they did a hilarious bit/routine for us. I also got to meet David Hasselhoff and Jon Voight (along with some very rude rich people…).”
Something that makes Erin unique is that thanks to her job, she can read braille by sight. “I constantly read (and judge errors!) on signs/etc out in public.” Guilty pleasure for her, she said she has the spirit of an old person and purchases TV series on Apple TV. “I like to play stuff in the background and am guilty of re-watching all my favorite/comfort TV shows on a loop: The Office, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Good Place, Parks and Recreation, Freaks and Geeks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, King of the Hill, Girlfriends, Better Call Saul/Breaking Bad, Dexter, Ugly Betty, and Schitt’s Creek. I also love puzzles and can spend hours zoned out listening to an audiobook/podcast/music while working on one.”
For other music Erin is into, she said The Beatles were her childhood favorite and she still loves them with her whole heart. Other than that, she can be found jamming tunes from The Strokes, Paul McCartney, Passafire, Billy Joel, Yellowman, Oliver Tree, Charlie Zaa, Oasis, New Found Glory, Hanson, Reggie and the Full Effect, Johnny Cash, Sublime, and The Smashing Pumpkins. “My bf’s favorite, so we always joke they’re his 311.”
To 311, Erin has this message: “Thank you so much for everything and making the soundtrack of my life so much better than it would have been otherwise!”
Now here is her message to all her fellow 311 fans:
“Thank you all for the energy, love, acceptance, joy, and support unselfishly shared between us all over the years! “Two perfect strangers sharing a groove!”
Thank you Erin for sharing your story with all of the community! Of course, my love & thanks to all the readers out there. I hope you all have an amazing week!
Welcome back my friends out there in the 311 universe! Hope you are all ready for the next fan spotlight. This week, let’s get the scoop from Katrina Bentley!
The year was 1996, and Katrina was growing up in Bellevue, Nebraska. Her older brother is the one that introduced her to 311. “They were becoming popular after their blue album and many of my friends were listening. When MTV actually played videos..haha. Down and All Mixed Up over and over. The sound was unlike anything I had ever heard and I was hooked immediately.”
Show count for Katrina is in the 20’s somewhere, and this includes two 311 Day events, 4th of July in Vegas, and two cruises. First show for her was December 10th, 1997, in Lincoln, Nebraska. “Sugar Ray and Incubus opened. That was a great night!” As for a favorite, she said that while the cruises are amazing, this first show still stands out as her most vivid memory. 311 Day 2020 was also a top one for her. “As chaos was unfolding all around us, those few days in Vegas and the music made time stand still.”
Song that means the most to Katrina? She said the whole “Music” album really connects with her. She also loves “Beyond the Gray Sky.” “The message I get from this song is so powerful.”
Favorite lyrics, that’s a little harder to narrow down because there are so many that Katrina connects with. Some of them include: “Music’s what I need to keep my sanity,” “I go a yard and a mile, to make you smile,” and “People never see the whole trip of life, Grab knowledge, man, and all you do is syph”. “I believe that is how it goes. Either way, I always sing this out loud when I hear the song–in my car or live…it is special to me.”
As mentioned, Katrina grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska, and then after high school she moved to Omaha and went to the University of Nebraska for a few years. “I then moved to Idaho to continue my college education and have been in the Pacific Northwest ever since. I have lived in Idaho and Washington and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I am a healthcare worker and although I love my job, I would say I work to allow the privilege to see 311 locally and afar.”
A lot of Katrina’s friends know this, but for those meeting her for the first time, she is full of trivia information – specifically for music and movies. She also has a recurring, irrational fear of being the last one. “Not sure of what.” Another one of her fears is that she’s afraid of the dark. “Silly really, but it’s true.” Guilty pleasure, she said isn’t really so guilty. “I find comfort in binge watching movies or TV series I have already seen.”
For other music that Katrina is into, she really loves rock music and on of her top faves is Alice in Chains. “Jerry Cantrell solo music too. 311 has introduced me to bands like Ballyhoo; Iya Terra; and The Movement. I love all 3!”
To 311, Katrina would like to say these words: “Thank you! For the music and the positive message they spread. My life has been forever enriched due to their creativity. No matter what is going on in my life, I can listen to 311 and be calm and happy. That is so powerful and emotional. And to think I share this with so many fans, that is truly amazing.”
Now here are her words to all of her fellow 311 fans:
“Well of course, Stay Positive and Love Your Life! And thank you for your kindness at shows–I feel loved and included in a room full of strangers. But, we are not strangers, we are family.”
Many thanks to Katrina for sharing her story! And of course, my undying gratitude to all who read each post. I wish you all the best week and keep on spreading the good karma!
