A genre of music I do not cover quite often but that has a large history in the music scene is reggae. I've of course heard Bob Marley's music throughout my life, and other reggae artists have come across my ears, and I have enjoyed it in passing. Southern California has also opened a new concert venue in Long Beach along the coastline called the F&M Bank Amphitheater. I saw a poster that Dirty Heads and 311 are doing a co-headlining tour coming to this new venue with Atmosphere and Rome. This felt like the perfect chance to get dropped into a melting pot of reggae-style bands from across the past few decades and get a chance to check out the newest venue in my area.

Opening the night was Rome, who really came to prominence performing for the last two decades with Sublime with Rome. That band wound down at the close of 2024, around the same time the surviving members of Sublime relaunched with Jakob Nowell, son of late frontman Bradley Nowell, stepping into his father's role as singer. Rome has continued with his own musical journey. Most frequently strapped with an acoustic guitar, Rome created grooves and vibes with his music that had people bobbing and grooving in the crowd. The diehards showed up early to support Rome, as multiple people had signs shouting their love for him. You could see how much he appreciated the love, as he had the biggest smile plastered across his face for the whole set, and he set the mood for the rest of the show. Rome combined his solo songs and songs he wrote with Sublime with Rome for a set that let me relax and shed off the stress of the day as the crowd settled into the show.

Up next was a hip-hop group called Atmosphere. Though they are a hip-hop group performing on a bill with reggae artists, their flow and the feel of their songs fit perfectly into the style of the night. Even their lyrics don't sound like traditional hip-hop lyrics, as vocalist Slug raps about life and the struggles that come with it. But more so, he is talking about the common man and our common struggles. With this being my first experience of their music, I was immediately able to connect with the music and lyrics that Slug was talking about. Behind the DJ table was Ant, producing and mixing the beats live on stage. Ant's musical flow helped to bring a more cheery or uplifting beat that offset the sometimes dour lyrical content that Slug was rapping about. Turning around and looking at the audience, you could find plenty of people with a tearful demeanor as they sang and connected with Atmosphere's music. This band appears to have a very dedicated and beloved fan base, and I am happy to have experienced it, as I need to invest more time exploring their musical catalog.

It was then time for the first of our co-headliners as 311 was taking the stage. Opening with their song "Beautiful Disaster", I have always thought 311 had a more melodic feeling to their music, but this opening song showed that they can bring the heavy sound when they need it. Fronted by Nick Hexum, the man is the embodiment of sex appeal aging like a fine wine, with a smile that could brighten even the gloomiest day and a voice as smooth as silk. You can't help but get drawn into the band and the man instantly. While Hexum handles the singing, co-vocalist Doug "SA" Martinez comes with the flow, singing and almost rapping at times, layering his vocals with Hexum's to create a dichotomy of vocal rhythms. Lead guitarist Tim Mahoney feels like you ripped him out of a metal band, with his hair flying all around his face as he shreds on the ax. He adds the bite to 311's sound. Bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills feels like a character on stage as he dances, sticks his tongue out at the audience, and goofs around with his band members, all the while picking and slapping at his bass. Drummer Chad Sexton is a mixologist of drumming sounds and techniques. Playing rhythmic patterns, creating cool island vibes, or blasting us with a heavy upbeat, he drove the songs from behind the kit.

A big highlight for their set came during their song "Applied Science", as halfway through the song the rest of the band stepped off the stage to allow Sexton to launch into a drum solo, filling it with drum patterns and grooves that kept the audience engaged. Near the end of the solo, the rest of the band came out and performed a choreographed marching-band-style drum performance in tandem with Sexton. It was a beautiful display of percussion mastery from the whole band. 311 filled the rest of their set with four decades of classics that included "All Mixed Up", "Come Original", "Freak Out", "Sunset in July", "Don't Stay Home", "Champagne", "Freeze Time", "Lovesong", "You Wouldn't Believe", "Coda", "Beyond the Gray Sky", "Creatures (For a While)", "Amber", "Feels So Good", and ending with "Down". 311 showed why they are such a beloved band in the reggae and alt-rock genre with a performance that anyone could have enjoyed.

It was then time for the return of the hometown boys in Dirty Heads to close out the show. Originating from just down the street in Huntington Beach, you could feel the hometown love showing up for the band. Co-vocalist Jared "Dirty J" Watson rode the bounce of the beat the band was laying down with his lyrics. Both singing and rapping throughout the songs, you could pick up the lyrics and start singing along with the band by the second verse. Co-vocalist and guitarist Dustin "Duddy B" Bushnell's guitar playing made the songs feel like you were hanging out at a party in the backyard with great friends. The band have always understood that their music is as much about creating a feeling as it is about delivering individual songs. Their combination of reggae rhythms, hip-hop grooves, rock energy, and melodic hooks translated naturally to the large outdoor venue.

There was a relaxed, celebratory energy throughout the venue that perfectly matched the band's music. Dirty Heads know what their audience came to hear and, more importantly, what their audience came to feel. The music is built for summer nights, open spaces, friends, and crowds willing to let themselves get swept up in the moment. These summer vibes were filled with songs like "Seven Seas", "Burn Slow", "Bum Bum", "Heavy Water", "Oxygen", "Rescue Me", "My Sweet Summer", "Life's Been Good", "One of Those Days", and "Lay Me Down" - which featured Rome returning to the stage - plus "Better", "Vacation", "Island Glow", "Medusa", and ending with the "My Sweet Summer" remix. This was the perfect set to close out a beautiful Southern California night.

The F&M Bank Amphitheater was nearly sold out and filled with fans who wanted a night to lose themselves in songs filled with groove and to just vibe to the music, and that's what we got from Dirty Heads, 311, Atmosphere, and Rome. The new Long Beach venue feels like a standout to the Southern California musical community and a great summer concert location. The cool breeze that blows through the venue as the sun sets creates a relaxing atmosphere where nothing else in the world matters. This tour ends at the end of the month, but if you missed it you need to catch any of these bands the next time they come to a town near you, and I personally can't wait to see what future concerts come to this new venue.