Switchfoot: A Band That Truly Rocks

Switchfoot. Who are they? If you haven't heard of them before today then you're missing something. If you have, you're one of the lucky ones. The San Diego based rock band, together since the mid-90s, is probably the most meaningful of any band or artist I know today. Lead singer Jon Foreman doesn't just talk about the world and it's issues; he writes about them. And he shares them with the world. His lyrics convey a sentiment on social, economic or political issues and even go so far as to touch on the "dreaded" subject of religion. In a world where people concentrate on being politically correct by not mentioning their religious views or the name of their creator, Switchfoot isn't afraid to speak it's mind in it's heartfelt songs filled with beautiful melodies and heavy guitar cords. These guys are about the meaning of life and sharing their experiences with humanity through their music, not about how many gold records they can put on their wall. Refreshing in a day where music is terribly mundane and artists have to put on a visual show in order to sell a performance. It seems like most acts are out to fill their bank account by selling meaningless music to the fans, the people that keep their careers alive. When did we learn the meaning of music? If you think you don't know Switchfoot's music, I can almost guarantee you do. I was introduced to Switchfoot in 2004 by the keyboardist (Antonio) for Puerto Rican rocker Ignacio Peña who I was promoting in Los Angeles. We took a trip to Target in West Hollywood for a few things he needed and, as a gift to me for taking him, Antonio bought me the latest release by the band: "The Beautiful Letdown." The music sounded familiar but I still didn't think I'd heard them before. What I would soon discover is that many of the band's songs had been used in nationally televised shows such as "Charmed," "One Tree Hill" and "Smallville" but the most recognized song that Antonio would later play for me on his iPod was "Only Hope" from the album "New Way to Be Human." Hearing the name didn't necessarily strike me as familiar but as soon as I heard the first note, I knew exactly who the band was. "Only Hope" was featured in the teenage drama "A Walk to Remember" starring Mandy Moore. The movie is about a young girl, Jamie Sullivan, an outcast in high school who is being ostracized for her religious beliefs and her lack of interest in the typical teenage behaviors that the kids participate in. She eventually falls in love with Landon Carter, the instigator in the group that harasses Jamie but she is keeping a dark secret from him. When the secret finally comes out, Landon's world changes completely and so does his attitude about life. It's a beautiful story and the perfect backdrop for "Only Hope" and several other Switchfoot songs which can be found on the film's soundtrack. I was lucky enough to see Switchfoot live a few years ago when Antonio came out to LA from Puerto Rico to visit. We took a drive down the coast to Orange County to meet a friend for dinner. We then made our way to the Bren Events Center at UC Irvine where Switchfoot was giving a nearly sold-out performance. Luckily, we were able to get three tickets at the last minute and check out the show. I don't usually buy the "goods" at a show but I felt particularly supportive of this band so before the show started I forked out the $20 (that's cheap for a baby t) to get myself a cool Switchfoot t-shirt. When the lights finally went down, the stage was lit up with lights and the band was rocking. The performance was inspiring and we left with a feeling of hope for the future, which is the underlying theme in the band's music. Way to go, Switchfoot! What inspired me to blog about Switchfoot was a twitter post left by the band yesterday at about 6pm. They are currently touring in California and were preparing for a show in Visalia. The post read, "For twitter friends in the valley, we just put 2 tix for tonight's sold-out show under the name Chin at willcall. First come, first serve!" What band has ever done something so generous for a fan? I'm sure there have been many acts of kindness by an artist to be shared with the world but Switchfoot inspires me everyday with the things they do. Not only do they talk and sing about hope, faith and love (ha ha, that's my tattoo in Kanji on my lower back), but they back up their words with actions. This is a band deserving of your attention... and of your money. Check 'em out! http://www.switchfoot.com/ http://www.youtube.com/switchfootTV