Taking a brief respite from the recording of their much anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed Transistor album, Soundsystem, 311 made their triumphant return to the concert stage here at the HFStival. While the sound problems that go along with such a large venue really robbed the listener of the subtleties and melodic interplay of 311's music, the guys took it in stride and restaked their claim in front of a live audience with an energetic, power-packed set full of all the fan favorites such as "All Mixed Up", "Down", and "Transistor". The fact that they haven't performed live in quite a while was nowhere apparent as they threw everything thing they had into the music and back out at the crowd who in turn ate it all up and returned the favor with the most vicious pit action and crowd surfing thus far in the day.

Though they didn't break out any of the new songs from the forthcoming Soundsystem album as I had hoped they might, I was still thoroughly impressed with my first live 311 experience. Look for the new disc sometime before Y2K and if it's anywhere near as groundbreaking as Transistor then I think the whole rock music world might just be turned on its' ear.