Nick Hexum and 311 band members all tease their skills on the drums, compliment Clive crowd

Horizon Events Center concertgoers seemed to set the tone right for the multi-genre rockers 311, who kicked off their tour in Clive Tuesday night.

“We want to thank you guys for coming out to the first official show of our fall tour,” singer and guitarist Nick Hexum told the crowd.

The band embarks on a tour with more than a dozen shows, including an upcoming performance in Cedar Rapids on Sept. 27. Rock act Blame My Youth and alt-rockers Awolnation of "Sail" fame opened on Tuesday.

The Omaha-originated band comprised of Hexum, Chad Sexton, Tim Mahoney, S.A. Martinez and P-Nut played for about few hundred, many of which spent their evening alternating between grooving out to the band’s funkier songs and keeping pace with their heavier pieces.

And, making themselves heard for a couple of songs, including “Amber.”

“You guys sound good out there,” Hexum called out to the crowd after “Don’t Stay Home.”

311 dedicates ‘Down’ to the fans who’ve been around for some time

311, who’ve experimented with funk, hip-hop and reggae in their sound, emerged onto the music scene in the early 1990s.

“This year we're also celebrating 30 years since our very first album,” Hexum said about 1993’s “Music” before launching into a song off the album, “Freak Out.”

Martinez, DJ and vocalist, spoke to the Des Moines Register before Tuesday’s show and praised “Music” and its production as well as his love for it.

“That was like the first,” he said. “The first big release you're a part of. The first time you were really in these studios in LA. First time working with some well-known producer.”

311 kicked off the night with “Beautiful Disaster” off their 1997 album, “Transistor.”

They went on to perform “All Mixed Up,” “Come Original,” “Do You Right,” and “Down,” the latter of which they dedicated to all the “old-school” 311 fans.

“Thank you guys for coming out and rocking with us tonight,” Hexum said before “Down,” which was the last song of the night before an encore performance of “Omaha Stylee.”

“You’re beautiful,” Martinez told the crowd before 311 took a bow.

311 gives Clive crowd a drum solo to remember

Nothing seemed unusual about drummer Chad Sexton beginning to work a solo while his bandmates were offstage nearly an hour into a set.

Then, additional drums were wheeled out on the stage.

That’s when, not just Sexton, but all of 311 took up a pair of drumsticks and delivered a drumline-like performance. At one point, they tossed their drumsticks in the air and deftly caught each other's before smoothly continuing their pounding on the percussions.

Earlier in the evening, 311 showed their playful sides as bassist P-Nut included the iconic “The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme)" from "Stars Wars" during his solo, and Martinez incorporated the Robot as he danced about on stage.

Other songs performed in the night included 2000's throwbacks “You Wouldn’t Believe” and “Creatures (For A While).”

For fans of 311, the night ended with something they would likely expect.

Hexum’s familiar line that he’s told audiences all over for some time.

“Stay positive. Love your life.”

More: Vocalist S.A. Martinez talks about how welcoming the 311 fanbase is ahead of Des Moines show

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at PBarraza@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 311 kicks off fall 2023 tour at the Horizon Events Center in Clive