Headlining the Unity Tour, Omaha-based band 311 rocked the night at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, CA after energetic performances by Slightly Stoopid and previously opening talented reggae band SOJA.

The Unity Tour gathered a strong fan base for 311, which harmonized well with the rock side of Slightly Stoopid and created the common ground of having a unified fun time. 

SOJA set good vibes from the get go with their roots reggae songs and more contemporary reggae off their latest album, "Strength to Survive."

Following the set, Slightly Stoopid opened with “Don’t Stop” to promote their album "Top of the World," released on August 14th. Upholding the band’s name, they played the distasteful “Til it Gets Wet” and came back with the hit song “2AM” with flowing reggae tones accompanied by OG’s congas and percussive skills and DeLa’s saxophone melody.

As if the crowd wasn’t already feeling the energy from the lively band, a special guest, Angelo Moore from Fishbone, called out states while jumping around stage like a memorable Rick James demanding attention from the audience.

To keep the excitement going, they played a punk-like song, “Operation,” which had everyone either bouncing up and down or bumping into one another.

Another hit song from their newest release, “Top of the World,” opens up with “So when the music's stoppin, There's no more knockin’, or kickin’ down my door. Ain't no need for changin’, or rearranging. This life we have endured” and gets people swaying to the truthful lyrics.

With a huge amount of Slightly Stoopid fans at the amphitheater, the crowd got even more pumped up for the headliners 311 bringing back the fans to the “old school” songs.  

Playing a heavier guitar and lyric driven set than Slightly Stoopid, the alternative rock band 311 opened with the popular song “Beautiful Disaster” from their 2001 album "Transistor."

And bringing it even further back, they followed with “Come Original” which was released in 1990. Nick Hexum, a mix of Maroon 5’s Adam Levine and the generic but good-looking front man rock star sang the song “All Mixed Up” with the lyrics, “You’ve got to trust your instinct and let go of regret”, alongside a rap duet with S.A. Martinez.

Taking it to the technical side, drummer Chad Sexton showed off his precision and rhythm skills in “Applied Science,” which alone was impressive and followed by the group coming back out on stage to play various percussive instruments from cymbals to a small gong.

The crowd loved the change in pace and appreciated the band’s skilled musicians, such as Chad Sexton. When Hexton asked the fans “Who’s got the herb?” people shouted and lit up as the song began to unify the good vibes among twenty and thirty-somethings in jersey tanks and backwards hats.

Another musical talent, the 311 bassist known as P-nut, reeled a jamming bass line, further proving why 311's talent promotes a strong fan base.

Closing out the Unity Tour for Irvine, 311 brought us back to “Creatures (For a While)” with the line “It's been a wild ride. I wouldn't change a minute. I can't slow down inside .Guess that's why I live it” followed by Tim Mahoney’s heavy guitar chords and Martinez’s rapping interjections.

This song got everyone singing and waving their arms up and down to the beat as the set ended and people stayed around for the encore of the popular hit “Amber,” which had all the girls slow dancing.

Ending the show on a strong note, the song “Down” began and people vibed off the heavy rock as a solid way to end the night. Pulling from varied music genres from the brighter side of reggae to the heavier rock with rap and everything in between, the Unity Tour proved to be a sound concert surely to get you on your feet and rocking to the music.

Setlist: 311 & Slightly Stoopid at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine, Aug. 24, 2012

Slightly Stoopid: Don’t Stop / Anywhere I Go / Til It Gets Wet / Baby I Like It / Del Roy > Digital / 2 AM / Pon Da Horizon / Hold on to the One / Ska Diddy (with Angelo Moore) / Operation / Dem Fruits / Top of the World (Marshall Goodman remix) / Closer to the Sun / Fat Spliffs / Underneath the Pressure / Runnin’ with a Gun / We Don’t Wanna Go / Express Yourself (Charles Wright cover)

311: Beautiful Disaster / Come Original / Prisoner / Sunset in July / All Mixed Up / Brodels / Purpose / Rub a Dub / Applied Science (with Chad Sexton drum solo) / Random / Who’s Got the Herb? / You Wouldn’t Believe / Freeze Time / Beyond the Grey Sky / P-Nut bass solo / Transistor / Jackpot / Do You Right / Don’t Stay Home / Creatures (For a While)

Encore: Amber / Down

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