As if to avoid being tabbed a sell-out, Omaha natives 311 played a homecoming show Sunday in Council Bluffs that included only four songs from the band’s recently released “Transistor.”

In the night’s most somber moment, frontman Nick Hexum thanked his hometown fans for their support and treated the 18,000-plus crowd to a five-song conclusion of “old school” 311.

At the relatively new outdoor venue, the Westfair Amphitheater, the California improv hard-rock act Fishbone opened the evening. In a rather dull set, the band expanded its usual “fuck, shit” vocabulary to include phrases such as “pot smokers … let me see your hands.”

After a 45-minute set that was 45 minutes too long, Fishbone left the stage and the crowd began showing signs of excitement to see their hometown heroes.

A lengthy set-change later, 311 opened its show behind the dance-friendly blue album track “Hive.” Vocalists Hexum and SA Martinez made it known from the start that the upcoming performance would be packed with energy.

Guitarist Tim Mahoney then took opening solo duties as he led his bandmates into the “Music” tune “Freak Out.” The Hexum, Martinez tag-team duo were especially entertaining as they took turns rapping and dancing.

311 looked to “Grassroots” for its third song — the guitar-heavy “Lucky.” Martinez took the sound to another dimension behind his mega-sharp rap work to begin the tune.

Hexum then took over, along with most of the crowd, in singing the mega-catchy chorus “It’s like this, that, swingin’ on my bat, mix a melody with some back chat.”

311’s signature reggae rap vocals spread over heavy guitar trickery dominated the opening half of the show, as the band continued through “Misdirected Hostility,” and “All Mixed Up.”

Six songs into the set, 311 played its first “Transistor” tune, the bass- heavy “What Was I Thinking.” While bassist P-Nut opened the tune, Hexum carried most of it with heavy doses of mic effects warping his voice to match the sound on the record.

The mirrorballs went into effect soon after as 311 jammed through a couple of its mellower tunes. Songs such as “Beautiful Disaster” and “Who’s Got The Herb” kept the crowd both dancing and singing.

One highlight included Martinez on the turntables during the “Transistor” track “Light Years.” Hexum’s vocals were again altered, only this time using an entourage of echo.

Phenomenal versions of “Down” and “Homebrew” picked up the pace as 311 began preparing the crowd for its amazing conclusion. But before the “old school” mode was put into effect, the band played a faster version of its current single “Prisoner.”

Hexum then gave his thanks to the crowd and entered into the “Music” tune “Unity.”

311 kept with its debut record and played both “Nix Hex” and “Feels So Good,” the latter including an awesome P-Nut solo in which Hexum asked the crowd if they wanted P-Nut to “beat that thing.”

As curious fans looked for a “Transistor”-included encore, the band relied solely on its signature “happy mosh song” “Do You Right” followed by “Fat Chance” (a.k.a. “Fuck The Bullshit”), leaving the recently radio-raped tune out of its set.

Also yanked from the song list was “Don’t Stay Home,” “8:16 A.M.” and all four songs from “Enlarged To Show Detail.”

Added surprises to the set were an early drum solo by Chad Sexton and six songs from “Music.” (311’s show in Des Moines last summer included only a couple “Music” tracks.)

But it wasn’t only the song selection that made 311’s concert one of its best. Each of the musicians sounded tight as ever, with Martinez’s and Hexum’s raps perfectly in sync.

The venue, the sound and the lights were all perfect for the occasion, although these elements were easily overshadowed by the amazing amount of energy 311 brings out in its fans.

311 has always been a touring band rather than a recording band and this show was proof of that.

Local fans who may have been losing hope with 311 were reassured Sunday night of 311’s talent and its ability to keep a crowd moving.