Review: 311 at Portneuf Wellness Complex, Pocatello, ID

311 rolled in on Saturday, Aug. 16, for their first Pocatello, Idaho, appearance and turned the Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre—tucked inside the Portneuf Wellness Complex—into a sea of headbangs and reggae sway. After a mid-90s bake (no pun intended), the sun slipped behind western clouds and the place snapped into a perfect Idaho sunset just as the band hit, the hillside lawn filling in under the foothills.

From the jump—“Beautiful Disaster” into “Misdirected Hostility” and “Taiyed”—the taters were boiling. Nick Hexum’s vocal was bright in the mix, Tim Mahoney’s clean, glassy leads cut through, and P-Nut’s low end did that 311 thing where reggae bounce meets alt-rock punch. “Come Original,” “Sunset in July,” and “Braver” kept the energy high without harvesting the spuds too early, like a band that didn’t fall off a spud truck yesterday.

Mid-set was the flex: a bass feature with a tasty coda, then a percussion workout around “Applied Science” that had the pit bouncing and even the beer-line folks forgetting their buzz. The Cure’s “Lovesong” cover quieted and undulated—unexpectedly tender—and “Amber” did what “Amber” does: phones up, bodies swaying, Gem State gleaming. The harmonies were tight, and the tempo sat right in that cool summer-evening pocket.

They still know how to harvest the potatoes (forgive the potato references). After “Don’t Stay Home” and a ripping “Feels So Good,” the encore brought “Random” and the inevitable, irresistible “Down”—a one-two that had security nudging out the thunderstruck crowd out after the show. It wasn’t the longest set you’ll ever see, but it was dialed—no blight, no dry rot, just a clean 85-ish minutes of blooming.

Badflower and SoCal’s Sitting On Saturn set the table nicely—different flavors, same momentum. The whole night felt like a summer postcard: big lawn, warm air, cold beer, and a veteran band sounding sharp. If you want the quick verdict: zero fillers, a setting money can’t buy, and a crowd that never spoiled. File under “great yields.”

_{(Venue note: Portneuf Wellness Center’s amphitheater setup and sightlines are built for these nights—Idaho’s biggest outdoor stage, with room for a full-on hillside choir.)}