311: Tiny Desk Concert

By Maia Stern

Published March 20, 2024 at 9:04 AM EDT

What better way to spend March 11 than with 311 bringing love and nostalgia to the Tiny Desk. The members of 311, who have been a band together for over 30 years, strolled into NPR HQ and barely needed much rehearsal time before playing four of their most beloved tracks. The band has been performing these songs for decades, and you can tell it all just comes naturally. "This kind of reminds me of being in my dad's basement, being back next to the pool table, but it smells better here," said lead singer Nick Hexum, who felt right at home and back to his roots at our office space.

311's self-titled album came out in 1995 when I was entering my peak angst stage. The songs on that album were the perfect soundtrack to all the pre-teen feelings I wasn't able to fully express myself. I also heavily related to what remains to be my favorite lyric of all time from the band's 1997 album Transistor: "I do, I don't, whatever."

311's Tiny Desk set started off with the song that lyric comes from, personal favorite "Beautiful Disaster." The band continued with classic "All Mixed Up" before chilling out a bit with "Amber." Then, as Hexum said before the band's final track, "Down," it was "back to the rock." Listen out for SA's changed lyric honoring my and Tiny Desk's shared hometown: "Fall in love with your teachers, on the wax we are self made / Check the technique, 311 in D.C."

SET LIST

"Beautiful Disaster"
"All Mixed Up"
"Amber"
"Down"

MUSICIANS

Nick Hexum: vocals, guitar
Tim Mahoney: guitar
SA: turntables, vocals
Chad Sexton: drums
P-Nut: bass

TINY DESK TEAM

Producer/Director: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Neil Tevault
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Alanté Serene
Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

Want to see a live Tiny Desk Concert in person? From now until March 28, your support of the NPR Network can enter you for a chance to watch one of these intimate performances live. Your support helps make these concerts possible, so give here for your chance to win the ultimate "thank you" experience.

NO PURCHASE OR DONATION REQUIRED FOR ENTRY. VOID WHERE OTHERWISE RESTRICTED OR PROHIBITED BY LAW. MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER AND A RESIDENT OF THE 50 US STATES, D.C. OR CANADA (EXCLUDING QUEBEC) TO ENTER. ENTRY DEADLINE IS MARCH 28, 2024 AT 11:59:59 PM PT. ODDS DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED. ARV OF TOTAL PRIZE: $2,300. MAX. 10,000 ENTRIES PER PERSON. OFFICIAL RULES, INCLUDING AN ALTERNATIVE FREE METHOD OF ENTRY, CAN BE FOUND HERE.