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.”

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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!

Much Love – The Runt

Hello again my Excitable friends! It’s time for the latest edition of the 311 Fan Spotlight! Let’s meet Courtney Guck!

It was shortly after the album “Grassroots” was released that Courtney found 311. A good friend of his played the song “Homebrew” for him in September of 1994 and he’s been hooked ever since. “I remember being intrigued by how divergent the sound was from the Alternative/Grunge scene. After introduction to Grassroots, I hunted down Music and the rest is history.”

As for show count and first show, Courtney said his response to this question usually gets some funny reactions. “My first 311 show was Halloween at the Stanley Hotel in 2021. My sister still lives in Northern Colorado and our attendance at the show was completely by chance. Amy and I wanted to visit my sister and I love Estes Park. I saw 311 was playing at the Stanley and thought, “that would be fun, I haven’t listened to 311 in years” so we purchased resale tickets and went. My wife, Amy, was very green to 311 at that point and after the show, Nick and P-Nut walked out of the venue and past us. I thanked them for a great show and Amy turns to me and says, “that was the drummer, right?”. I loved the early albums but by the time we got to Don’t Tread on Me in 311’s discography, my preference in music had gotten heavier (see Alexisonfire) and I was craving more of the older sound from Music, so I explored other genres of music for a number years. In my 20’s I was focused on trying to make it as a professional road cyclist, then came grad school, then came adulting – concert attendance during that time in my life wasn’t on my radar.  At this moment, I’m sitting in a hotel editing this edition of Runt Rant one final time and then heading over to the venue. This will be (I believe) my 42^nd show since the Halloween show in Estes. In 2024 I attended 16 shows and it’s my goal to beat that by at least one for 2025.”

As for a favorite, Courtney said each event is unique and he has great memories from them all. However he did say his two most favorite are Estes Park and Warsaw, Poland. “Hearing “Six” in Estes Park will always be right at the top of my list. The Warsaw, Poland show was at a small club called “Proxima”. The club’s manager shared with me that they sold 150-ish tickets, so it was a very small and intimate show.”

While there isn’t just one song that means the most to him, Courtney said he definitely has a list of favorites. “Let’s see if some of my favorites are some of your favorites: Do You Right, Existential Hero, Lucky, Borders, Count Me In, Six, Tribute, Weightless, Let the Cards Fall. That is, by no means, a comprehensive list but those are a few that come to mind.”

For a lyric that resonates with him, Courtney said it’s the line “Like a drive through Estes Park” from the song “Six.” “Having lived in close proximity to Estes for so many years and spending a considerable amount of time up there riding, the lyric and that town hold a lot of meaning for me.”

Courtney has been fortunate to have had some really cool experiences that have allowed him to travel and see many different places. “I lived in central Minnesota until 1994, at which point my family uprooted and moved to Fort Collins, CO. After a 21-year stint in Fort Collins and surrounding areas, I found myself back in central Minnesota where I grew up. My youth was characterized by a strong desire to be an elite athlete, first as a national level junior cross-country skier and later as an elite road cyclist. I’ve been an educator now for 14 years and spent the first five years of my teaching career at Colorado State University teaching undergraduate German courses in the Dept. of Foreign Languages and teaching undergrad and graduate level courses to students studying to be educators in the School of Education.  Since moving back to Minnesota, I’ve dived into business ownership in addition to my time in K-12 education and generally enjoy spreading myself just thin enough that I don’t quite have time to take care of everything I need to do.”

Fun fact about Courtney, is that while he wears many hats, one of them is being a farmer. “I live on a farm with my 20 Scottish Highland cattle, tractors, farm machinery and I can build a barbed wire and electric fence better than your grandpa.”

Jumping off the last question, Courtney said that something that makes him unique is the fact that he wears many hats on any given day. “In addition to having a small farming operation, my wife Amy and I own a bar/restaurant in Central MN. We owned two until last December, at which point we sold one. Amy and I are also in the beginning phases of establishing a small food company that will feature some very well-known food products in our area. I do these other things on top of being a full-time educator and admin’ing the 311 Nation page, which can be a part-time job on its own some days.”

For a guilty pleasure, Courtney said there are a few. “Sunday morning coffee with a few Hershey’s Kisses and CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley. Showing up to 311 shows early and hanging out for the day with everyone. Sometimes I run into the band, most times I get to see or hang out with driver Steve and Cruise, Anthony, have a quick chat with Dolin.”

For other artists Courtney can be found listening to, the list includes
Alexisonfire, City and Colour, Fiona Apple, Iration, and Koe Wetzel. “
“The oldest albums from Fall Out Boy and the entire discography from Panic! At the Disco (except for Pretty. Odd. – sorry, but that was a horrible album) are guilty pleasures of mine.”

As for what Courtney would ask the band, he has this question: “Specifically, what type of smoked fish are we talking about?”

Now here are his words to his fellow 311 fans:

“Thank you all for being like a family. Some of you I speak with considerably more than I do my own family. I love 311’s music and the guys are all very nice but what makes 311 so special for me is the community. I have met and continue to meet so many incredible people. You all make my life more vibrant and exciting, and I appreciate you all for that! Thanks to everyone who shows love to the 311 Nation Facebook group. That project has been a labor of love and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. If you see me at a show, please come and say hi!”

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Thank you Courtney for sharing your story with everyone! As always, my gratitude to all who read these each time. Hope you are all well and that you have an amazing week!

Much Love, The Runt