Concert Review: Switchfoot

Christian or not, everyone has heard of Switchfoot, if not by name then at least by way of one of their massive hits. If you have a beating heart and functional ears, you have had one of those songs stuck in your head for weeks. Given the enormity of their success, one would expect a pretty good and entertaining show from the California-based band. Let me just tell you now, I was not disappointed in the least.

If you put aside the extreme inconvenience of parking about a mile away from the actual venue in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, and the fact that the supposed “7:00 P.M.” starting time didn’t actually happen until 8:20, my overall experience was fondly memorable. I would have to venture to guess that about 2000 people, young and old, packed out the tiny venue that is the State Theater. It was very refreshing to see entire families taking up the little available space. This was a far cry from my last time at State Theater, having been filled up by masses of trendy cigarette smoking, Jack-drinking scene kids at a hardcore show years ago. This gave the entire concert a very comfortable aura.

To open the show was a band called Between the Trees. Now I had no idea who these guys were, or even the slightest clue that they would be given the honor of opening for a household name like Switchfoot. Nonetheless, this band blew my mind, and not to mention a small portion of my ear drums. These guys know how to shred. It was a breath of fresh air to hear a five piece band make so much good music. We’re talking the standard two guitars/piano, bass, drums, along with the awesome synth-filler. Every song was a different story, a different element of music, and a breath of new life to the world of Christian music, something that you don’t come by very often these days. These guys were not more of the same.

I did feel bad for them though, being as I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know who they were, or that they were the one thing coming between me and the band that I came to see. This definitely reflected in the response of the crowd. I think maybe next time the concert organizers should make a little bit more noise about who’s actually going to be playing. Too bad for Between the Trees. What an incredible group that deserves so much more.

Switchfoot came on right after. Well, kind of, if you consider 45 minutes later “right after.” My feet got a little tired from standing in anticipation for so long, but let me tell you, it was worth every aching pain in my body. My expectations were definitely exceeded by this San Diegan band. For about an hour and a half these guys blasted out old classics that everybody knew, and with incredible musicianship, I might add. Nothing gets a crowd more psyched up than a good, loud band that is tight and right on the money with each other. There was nothing sloppy about these guys. Everything was right in line, all the way down to the light show. At one point lead singer, Jon Foreman, even requested that they turn all the lights off except for the disco ball for when the song “We Are One Tonight” was performed. That was good for a little chuckle.

I do have to say though, it almost seemed as though Switchfoot seemed to be getting bored with their own songs. Songs that would typically log in at four minutes or so found themselves stretched out to about ten minutes apiece, and that is no exaggeration. But I do think I understand why. I think I would certainly get tired of people requesting the SAME songs at EVERY concert I played at. As it turns out though, the over-embellishment of these classic songs like “Meant to Live” and “Ammunition” wasn’t an attempt to escape monotony, but rather a legitimate expression of their unbelievable abilities as musicians.

Toward the end of the show Foreman spoke for a couple of minutes on how he was so encouraged by our support. “Even after six years” these songs continue to top charts and fill the hearts of thousands every day (This is where the “fond” part of my concert memory comes in). Mr. Foreman seemed very humbled and gracious for the excitement over the old songs, even more than their new stuff. In fact, I don’t think they played one I didn’t know. Seventy-five percent of their entire set was from The Beautiful Letdown, which happens to be the only Switchfoot album I actually own. The other handful was comprised of top radio hits like “Oh, Gravity” and “Stars.”

For the “dabbler” in Switchfoot affairs like myself, this made it an enjoyable night. I approached the evening thinking I was going to be lost in new stuff I had never heard before, but boy was I wrong. I was singing along louder than anyone else. What a fun night it was.

Photo: Andy Barron

• www.switchfoot.com
• www.myspace.com/switchfoot

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