Good Friday....Good Times (3.30.08)

just a week ago today, a commemorative holy holiday recognizing the crucifixion of a prophet/religious founder/leader, under the common, public, statutory name of Good Friday was upon us....but to a heretic like me (L), it was Great Friday...."Great?" you may ask??????......well in this greater city of Toronto, on that "good' day, rolled in a great band....311....it was the first show of the year so it broke my proverbial 2008 concert series cherry...and it was extreme;y pleasurable to say the very list.....

my arrival at the venue (Sound Academy formerly known as The Docks) was strategically planned between the opening act, Slightly Stoopid (whom i've seen open for Fishbone a couple years back)... and the headliner...311!!!!

the atmosphere outside usually lends an indicative sign of what the atmosphere inside holds...so i witnessed a quiet chaos unassumingly due to the location as Sound Academy is poised out along Lake Ontario just a bit southeast of all the "action" but far enough for me to feel like this was the only event going on that Friday night....and to a die-hard 311 supporter like me...it certainly was.....

as i walked into the maze that they call an "academy", i felt like i was thrown into another dimension as it seemed as though it took light years to get inside via strange portal-like corridors lined with security guards and wallflowers...but i kept my mind on the matter and found my way to the main area where in 20 minutes i was to witness exactly what i came for....

now usually i may indulge in an alcoholic beverage in the form of a beer when i check out a band to wet the palette during the show and to add, ever so slightly to the celebration of a night out (PSA: remember kids you don't alcohol or to take your clothes off, for that matter, to have a good time..BUT it IS nice sometimes...but be responsible!!!)....and usually due to "all ages" events there is some sort of hoop to jump through to get it....whether it be a restricted VIP area or otherwise....this venue had a "VIP" section...in the back...BUT it had one bar that had a line of 3 to 4 rows deep around it....i'd say about 100 people herded into this tiny little space....being cavorted into drinking down their beer as quickly as possible in order to join the rest of the party by the stage....needless to say i was unimpressed and a lil annoyed with the theory of having 3/4 of the concert-goers that are over 19 being confined to 1/4 of the space...this unfortunate occurrence led me to remain completely sober the entire time...and you know what?????...it wasn't so bad....i just hung tight with my Red Bull and chilled....

enough about the wacky venue....

311 played a smorgasbord of tunes ranging from all their albums which span across nearly a decade and a half of tunage....so for someone who has been down with them for over a decade...it was a delicious treat.....from the hits such as "Come Original", "Amber", "Down" and "Love Song" (The Cure cover) that kept the crowd participation up and bubblin' nicely.....to rarities that i haven't heard often at a 311 show before like "Plain", "Nutsymtom" and "Prisoner"....

the show kept driving without many breaks and/or interludes....no "Are You Ready" intro (sadly missed) or a long, stale gap between the first set and the encore...there was no pause in energy that seemed to have filled the place up to the rim,,,,,ut was buzzing with an appreciated mix of attentive listening and overall absorption by the masses taking in the outstanding vibes this band creates and bazerk, ape-shit thrashing, moshing and dancing (ya......i'm talking to the guy in front of me...other than the band, he was source of glee)....

coming out of there about 90 minutes later, i felt like i usually do after a 311 show....blissful, content, extremely positive and amped with energy...but this time was slightly different...there was also a sense of relief (that my 311 hunger was satisfied.....i haven't seen them live in about 18 months) and an anxiousness for the next time they come to town....

Crowd Favorite: Down, Love Song, Applied Science/Drum Line

My Favorite: You Wouldn't Believe, Prisoner, Freeze Time, SA's wicked dance moves, and of course, that dude in front of me

(Ka)Nish

Check. Check. 311 In LA. (9/27/06)

travelling over 3000kms (3490 to be exact)...from Pearson Intl to LAX started off as quite an ordeal with "new" security measures...i had to check my 25L trekking pak or discard of my mascara, MAC illumination foundation AND my vast array of lip glosses (and if you know me, you know the latter is close to impossible to part with)...not gonna happen...luckily it all worked itself out and this small and irritating peg did not stop the wheel of elation from spinnin' round...not to mislead so early in my prose...so let's get back on track...this whole CALIFORNIA experience was not solely headed up by the 311 concert @ The Greek BUT that was the nucleus and definite highlight....to check out the west coast :lifestyle" was always something i wanted to witness (you know like entering the gates of babylon to check out your enemy...LOL)...but the 311 show was the piece-de-resistance...after a 2 day stint on the cold and overcast beaches of San Diego (which i found out translates to "a whales vagina")  where much to my dismay and endless sobbing, i didn't go surfing....i made it back to the smoggy and muggy streets of downtown LA and checked into the Ramada on Vermont Ave....the beds were lush and lovely and there was a balcony to light those deliciously toxic American cigarettes...5 stars from me!!!!!...it was a good start to the Friday....indeed....walking south on Vermont Ave. there was nothing of grandeur to gawk at besides yet another L.Ron Hubbard Institution on Sunset, a Starbucks, a couple of gas stations and a few closed bars so taking a cab up the hill for a hot minute wasn't as much of a cop-out than it usually is for me ( i LOVE walking ANYWHERE i can)....DESTINATION: Griffith Park...an upward tree-lined street twitching and weaving south into what seemed like endless hills...as i got closer to the venue, the traffic grew thicker and thicker.....so i hopped out and decided to connect with the growing anticipation on foot...one thing about the force known as 311 is that their fans seem to be the same no matter what city you're in....energetic (bordering on insane), fun-loving (bordering on maniacal), easy (extremely stoned) bunch of sapiens...people start sharing and conversing as soon as initial contact is made with a smile...par example...one of the characters i met was a girl from Malibu wearing a self-made T-shirt with phelt letters spelling out "I heart 311" that was a tad bit sauced telling me that she will be driving home after the show...DISCLAIMER: most 311 fans are responsible with alcohol and do not drink & drive.....like a true fan , she in fact did have the sense to profess to having to sober up with water before heading back to the pristine town of Malibu...and like a true 311 supporter i encouraged that notion immensely....we conversed about what 311 shows we've seen and where we've seen them...she seemed to be quite impressed that i have travelled to NYC and LA to take in  the continental vibes 311 had to offer....that made me feel lucky and blessed...then there was another dude...i encountered after purchasing a gigantor beer and settled into a nice nook where i could see the lads up close and cozy-like....out of nowhere...he stepped up to me and called for a toast to 311 and proceeded to give me a mini-lecture on "toasting etiquette"...then took off....now that guy was truly my favorite....such a good vibe about him...a flash in the pan....completely random encounter...then out.....those experiences are the zest of life and to that guy...wherever you are...CHEERS!!!(again)....as for the show....no infamous "Are You Ready" intro...but the crowd was certainly ready due to the sweet sounds of the Wailers playing non-stop trailblazing classics a la Bob Marley and The Wailers...you could sense that this was the end of a very long tenure on the road and it seemed like 311 were close to being spent....however...big HOWEVER...they still managed to generate positive energy and deliver the "chunes" a.k.a. tunes.....with as much enthusiasm as the first time....

311. Guaranteed Fresh. Everytime.

(Ka)Nish

Reborn InThe Sweaty Depths Of The Pit (8/15/06)

on saturday august 12 in our year 2006...i added yet another notch to the "kick-the-hell-outta-my-skull-and-my-ass-so-much-that-i-could-pass-out-due-to-extreme-goodness" concert belt...it was at the Kool Haus in Toronto and the band...311...this would be the 6th time (going on my 7th in september live & direct from Cali) that i went out to witness the ensemble as i have bee a supporter since 1996...and to be honest, i was truly excited and was anticipating the whole event as i've never been let down at one of their shoes yet!!!...(even when they jammed with wyclef jean @ Amsterjam in NYC~they were STILL good despite the co-collaborator)...so upon entering the venue...we decided to set up shop on stage right (directly in front of the speakers~my left eardrum is still recovering)...a spot i never wavered from until after the encores were sung and the house lights went up...made it through the rough terrains of elbows in the back...the unstable waters of the mosh pit and swam in the sea of sweat and body odour....something i haven't done since my more pliable and limber years as a teenager (and without any reward...yes i was expecting at least a set list for almost single-handily saving 4-14yr old children, with braces, from being crushed by the well-intentioned...yet blindly pumped masses.....a lil bitter BUT music will ALWAYS be my reward)......which brings me to "the circle"...oddly enough nearly 10 years ago (more like 7 years and some months)..at the same venue....i went to go see 311 (supported by Sugar Ray along side 2 Skinnee J's)...and stood in the exact same spot (stage right directly in between SA and MiT)....it was my first mosh pit experience as i was mainly into hip/hop/reggae/funk/soul (we old skool b-girls aren't used to moshing ~more shuffling and battling more than moshing and crowd surfing)...and at "rock shows" i played low profile.....i decided to get all up in there and hang out in the centre of the action...i almost crowd surfed but easily chickened out as the 2 huge dudes with baseball caps hoisted me up and slightly fondled my ass~wasn't having any of that...anyways...i digress....i feel i have definitely closed the circle on a righteous note....no more moshing in sweaty surroundings or hanging out after the show for the "aftershow" antics (not too impressed by that so i won't dwell)....once revisited is far more rewarding than revitalising behaviors of the past...no evolution in that....so i'm retired and utterly satisfied that it was at a 311 bashment session....and i wasn't remotely stoned either...they are THAT good....never say never....so leaving a slight window of chance open that the warmth of the nautical Nebraska 5 may lure me in one day into the depths of the pit to be reborn...again.....

my 311 days will endure as long as they rawk it steady...freddy!

(Ka)Nish