311 w/ Cypress Hill, G. Love and Special Sauce
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 17, 2013
I worry that a good number of your fans are growing tired of your concerts. Don't get me wrong, they're fun, energetic and you play the shit out of your songs. You mix up your setlist on a nightly basis and play as much of the great old stuff as the not-as-great new stuff.
When I go to your shows, it feels like it's 1996 all over again. SA Martinez, you haven't changed your dance moves in 20 years and fans love the familiarity. Nick Hexum, you're still in great shape and your voice sounds spot-on. P-Nut, fans appreciate your wicked bass solos, though maybe you don't dance around as much as you once did. Timothy Mahoney, your guitar work is stellar and you're clearly zoned out at every performance. Chad Sexson, the drum rhythms are jaw-dropping and your solo keeps everyone fixated on you. Maybe the newer songs aren't quite as strong as the old ones, but you work them in just fine.
Now, let's get to the point.
I have no doubt there are fans who enjoy your consistency, but did you look out into the crowd last night. What did you see? An empty lawn and hundreds of empty chairs. The 19,500-capacity Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre wasn't even half full. Why? Because people saw you last year, or the year before, or the year before that. They've seen and heard it all before.
How do you fix it? Change it up. Play an entire album. It's the Unity Tour, so why not play Unity in its entirety. Why not go back to the old ways of ending every show with "Fuck the Bullshit"? Why not bring G. Love out for a song? Why not bring Cypress Hill out for a song?
I'm trying to help, guys... I know you want to keep playing the big amphitheatres, but you're on a downhill slide in attendance. It's obvious you love what you do, but you can't continue on the same path you're on.
If you're going to keep hitting the same venues each summer, please try something new. You just might like it, and your fans will, too.
Encore
Beyond The Gray Sky
Down