Photos and review by: Jason Robey

CHARLOTTE, NC — On the hottest day of a scorching heat wave, alt-rock legends 311 brought their Unity Tour 2025 to Charlotte, to the delight of a sea of sweaty fans. The band has been touring relentlessly in support of last summer’s Full Bloom album, playing to old school fans and picking up scores of new ones along the way.

Sitting On Saturn kicked the evening off with a 30-minute set of powerhouse pop punk, occasionally weaving in some ska and reggae influences. With a short time to win over the growing audience, the trio kept the energy high, jumping across the stage while the crowd sang along to tunes like “Creme Brulee” and “Chest Hair.” 

Badflower hit the stage running with “No Place Like Home,” keeping the momentum going and the sweat pouring. The group’s emo-tinted alternative rock connected easily with the audience, and frontman Josh Katz’s intense vocals gave songs like “30” and “Heroin” a visceral edge. The one bump in the road came during “Snuff,” when the entire PA system went down for several minutes. The band continued playing, knowing that the crowd couldn’t hear anything, aside from the distant sound of drums. They picked right back up with “Ghost” and finished their set on a high note with “Detroit.”

311 lit up the venue with a high-energy performance that reminded longtime fans why the band’s “Unity Tour” still hits hard after all these years and showed newer fans why they have amassed such a loyal following. They kicked off with the crunchy riffs of “Homebrew,” rolling straight into “Beautiful Disaster,” setting the tone for a night full of groove and grit. Celebrating their 35 anniversary as a band, vocalists Nick Hexum and SA Martinez bounced effortlessly between reggae-infused melodies, rap-rock breakdowns, and classic alt-rock choruses, keeping the crowd moving and singing along from the first note to the last.

Throughout the set, 311 struck a balance between older favorites and newer material. Long-time staples like “Amber,” “All Mixed Up,” and “Come Original” had the amphitheater buzzing, while deep cuts like “Loco” and “Use of Time,” as well as material from the newest album such as “Need Somebody” and “You’re Gonna Get It” were received with just as much enthusiasm, proving the band’s loyal following and consistent evolution. Their cover of The Cure’s “Lovesong,” added a dreamy mid-set vibe before the tempo kicked back up. During “Applied Science,”Drummer Chad Sexton delivered a jaw-dropping solo that showcased his precision and creativity, before being joined by the other members on separate drum kits for a tribal-sounding drum jam. 

In their usual fashion, the band closed the night with the ever-explosive “Down,” a staple that turned the venue into a full-on singalong. With the same bouncy energy they’ve brought for the past 35 years, their tight musicianship and imaginative stage lighting created an experience the crowd would feel long after the show was over. 311 has once again shown why fans have flocked to their shows for more than three decades, and will continue to do so as long for years to come.