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This week, 311 celebrate their fans and their music during a three day festival called 311 Day. We sent two 311 superfans to give us the diehard’s perspective about the show, the crowds and the vibe of the greatest 72 hours in 311 history.

By Dave Kosin

So here’s the thing about 311 Day: It’s more than a concert, and way more than just a vacation. It’s a homecoming, really. More like a family reunion.

311 fans know how tight-knit the fan community is. Whether you grew up with someone who always went to shows with you, made new friends in a pit somewhere or got involved with the 311 bulletin board, chances are when you roll into down for 311 Day, you’re gonna know quite a few people.

I’ll admit I was a little late to the party. I didn’t really get into 311 until 2007, but once I did, I was completely hooked. I started hanging out on the bulletin board shortly thereafter, and I found myself meeting up with other BBers at shows all over the country. Then I’d make new friends on the board, then I’d meet them and repeat (and repeat and repeat).

Almost three years later, I’ve made dozens of great friends, all thanks to 311. Some of my closest friends in the world — I consider some of them my brothers and sisters — are fellow 311 fans. So when I arrived in Vegas on Tuesday, I thought I knew what I was in for.

Man, was I wrong.

I hadn’t been in my hotel but 20 minutes before I was walking through the lobby and someone shouted, “Mookie!” This was someone I hadn’t met yet, and when those moments happen, it’s always just a little surreal for a second or two. These are total strangers, but where there would otherwise be awkwardness, with 311 fans you have these chance encounters and within five minutes you feel like you’ve known them forever.

As the day went on I met up with a bunch of my friends throughout the hotel complex we have dubbed Luxcalibur Bay. Later on, about 30 of us headed off the strip for a glorious bulletin board tradition known as Taco Tuesday. This poor restaurant didn’t know what hit them. Fans were streaming in, four or five or six at a time, and each time someone new arrived, they were greeted by loud shouts, handshakes and hugs. I’ll be honest: I’ve been to some pretty massive fan gatherings, but something about this one was just so incredible. The energy was off the charts, the love was intense and genuine.

It’s that kind of experience that makes me so happy 311 smacked me across the face and became such a big part of my life. The friendships we’ve all made, the memories we’ve created, the nicknames, the pictures — it’s what makes it all worth it. People always ask me why I spend so much time and money traveling all over God’s creation just to see a band.

This is why.

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Kiss made a name for themselves by crafting big hard rock tunes accompanied by pyrotechnics, moon boots, face paint and a healthy dose of sexual suggestion. They then took that name and slapped it on just about any product you can think of. Founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have created a gigantic empire full of merchandise gobbled up by the Kiss Army. For any fan of Kiss, there are literally hundreds of ways to bring Kiss into your life, in the form of action figures, underwear, toothbrushes, lamps, air fresheners, condoms, credit cards and the legendary Kiss Kasket (which you can buy while you’re still alive and use it as a beer cooler until you have to fill it with your corpse).

Now comes the news that Stanley and Simmons have signed a deal to produce a television show for children in Canada. According to production company E1, the half-hour comedy show will introduce the band (and the group members’ individual personalities) to a new generation of Kiss Army members. “Kiss continues to be the juggernaut of licensing and merchandising, from Kiss M&M’s to Kiss Dr. Pepper,” Simmons said in a statement. “Kiss is a band, but also the only music brand. Continuing in our 35 year history of going where no band has gone before, we are proud to partner with E1. Like all things KISS, we intend to make this a very special show for our fans.”

With a new kid-themed TV show about to go under their belts, it begs the question: Is there anything left for Simmons and Stanley to brand? Here are five things that, shockingly, don’t have Kiss-themed versions (though you can bet that they’ll be available soon).

The Toyota Starchild
The Japanese automaker has taken an awful lot of heat lately (which tends to happen when you build cars with breaks that don’t work), but an association with Kiss could really bring them back into favored brand status. Who wouldn’t want to cruise around like Paul Stanley? The Kiss Starchild has a powerful engine, extra-loud stereo system and is only available in black. Of course, somebody already built a custom Gene Simmons-themed Volkswagen, though that isn’t being mass-produced, nor does it look driveable.

Kissmotherapy
The Kiss empire is so gigantic and so flush with cash that Simmons and Stanley can afford to throw a little research money into some medical science. Can you imagine if a Kiss-funded biochemical engineer cured a major disease? That would be a pretty impressive legacy for Kiss, possibly even surpassing the majesty of “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Though you would have to assume that if Simmons and Stanley did get into medical research, they’d probably make Kissagra first.

Kiss Kattle
Who wouldn’t want to buy a steak cut from cows approved by the God of Thunder?

Kiss TV
If Oprah can have her own cable station, why can’t Kiss? The network can not only air classic concerts, episodes of “Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels” and endless repeats of “Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park,” but it can also launch a whole slate of new series like “Kiss Kooking with Chef Paul Stanley,” a nature show hosted by Peter Criss called “Peter Criss’ Jungle Cats” and a talk show lead by former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent called “Vinnie Vincent’s View.”

Detroit Rock City, Michigan
Though the core members of Kiss were nice Jewish boys from Queens, New York, they’ve been associated with Detroit, Michigan since the release of “Detroit Rock City” (from the band’s 1976 masterpiece Destroyer). Since Detroit has seen better days, the band should just go ahead and buy the city, rename it and turn it back into the vital metropolis it used to be (except this time with a lot more fire breathing). If one city is too small for them, then the state of Idaho and the planet Saturn are both reasonable alternatives.

What do you think Kiss should brand next? What’s your favorite piece of Kiss merchandise? Let us know in the comments!

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“This is a tragic loss of a wonderful, beautiful, tormented soul, who will always be my brother, family, and best friend. We must all take this as a lesson in how we treat the people we share this world with while they are still here to make a difference. Please respect our families as we struggle and grieve through this difficult time.”

-Actor Corey Feldman, talking about his longtime friend and co-star Corey Haim, who passed away early Wednesday (March 10) morning at the age of 38. Feldman starred with Haim in classic teen films like “The Lost Boys,” “License to Drive” and “Dream a Little Dream.” The two Coreys were not only co-workers but also good friends, carving out a minor empire for themselves at the end of the ’80s. They remained close, starring in a reality show called “The Two Coreys” a few years back (where Haim moved in with Feldman and his wife).

Feldman was gutted to hear the news of his troubled friend’s passing. “I was awakened at 8:30 this morning by my brother and sister knocking on my bedroom door,” Feldman explained in the statement. “They informed me of the loss of my brother Corey Haim. My eyes weren’t even open all the way when the tears started streaming down my face. I am so sorry for Corey, his mother Judy, his family, my family, all of our fans, and of course my son who I will have to find a way to explain this to when he gets home from school.”

At the end of the statement, he put forth his hopes for Haim’s legacy. “I hope the art Corey has left behind will be remembered as the passion of that for which he truly lived,” he said.

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By Cristina Ramos

Fans and friends around the world celebrated the life of the Notorious B.I.G on the anniversary of his death on Tuesday (March 9), blasting his music on speakers and pouring into parties and clubs to pay tribute. This was especially true of those Biggie’s neck of the woods, which is why Biz Markie’s commandeering of the decks at New York City club Greenhouse on Tuesday night for a DJ set dedicated to the fallen legend was so special and intense.

Biz entered the DJ booth at 1:15 a.m., the same time Biggie Smalls was pronounced dead after being shot on that fateful night in Los Angeles. After taking a quick moment of silence with the anxious crowd, he jumped into his set at full speed, playing Biggie classics “Player’s Anthem,” “Juicy” and “Warning.” A chorus began, with more and more people rapping along to Biggie’s colorful lyrics with each new cut. Devoted fans in airbrushed T-shirts featuring Biggie’s face weaved their way through the crowd of about维 enthusiasts rocking their heads back and forth to beats, showing their love as if it were 1997 all over again.

Thanks to the tireless work of friend and producer Diddy, March 9 is recognized among many rap fans as the unofficial “National Hip-Hop Day.” After 13 years of celebrating hip-hop’s greatest of all time, the fans haven’t stopped their ongoing support for B.I.G. and his legendary (albeit small) body of work. They probably won’t stop any time soon, so wouldn’t it be appropriate to make it an official holiday already?

How did you remember the passing of the Notorious B.I.G. on Tuesday (March 9)? Let us know in the comments!

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Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that’s why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

A computer store hardly seems like the ideal venue for a concert, but Apple somehow makes it work. They have hosted a number of high-profile acts at their various Apple Store locations, including both in New York City. Coldplay, the Jonas Brothers and Wyclef are just a few of the groups who have brought their sounds to iPod buyers everywhere. Daniel Merriweather added his name to that illustrious list on Tuesday (March 9) when he took the stage in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood and entertained the crowd with songs from his latest album Love & War. The album has been out in the U.K. (where the singles “Change” and “Red” both ruled the charts) a year ago, but it is just making its first appearance on these shores. It’s an excellent album, full of tremendously deep and well-written tunes aided heavily by the sharp production of superstar soundsmith Mark Ronson.

He wasn’t the only star out on the town, as celebs flocked to fashion shows, parties, concerts and late night television appearances in droves (especially considering the weather is finally taking a turn for the better). Click here for these photos as well as the entire “Spotted!” archive, which features over 400 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers, Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, Katy Perry and Lady Antebellum!

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