#switchfootforever

Yesterday I went to my first Switchfoot concert. I’ve waited a very long time for that to happen. Here’s what happened. 

At around 2:15 we decided to walk to the venue, just on the off chance that we might get a chance to meet them before the VIP experience. As I turned the corner, their tour bus was pulling into it’s parking space - hey presto! This is it. 

I stood about ten yards down from the bus, and five minutes later Drew walked out and headed straight towards me. I literally couldn’t believe what was happening! We talked for ages about the music, and he had a good long look at my tattoo, asking why I chose those songs. It was like we’d known each other for years. He was the most genuine, kind, friendly guy I’ve ever met. We got a quick picture and autograph, then he went inside to help move some of the equipment in. 

Five minutes later Romey came out, and stood on his own near the bus looking shy and tired - lol! I went over to him and had a quick chat, pointing him in the direction of a nice little coffee shop. 

Ten minutes after that, Jon came out. My jaw dropped. The guy who I’d waited so long to meet, my idol, my hero, headed straight for me. It was like he knew I would be there waiting. We talked about his new EP, and he was so stoked at my tattoo that he took a picture of it! It was a real “pinch yourself” moment - i was just staring at him in disbelief. He was so kind, and we talked about all sorts, from Bon Jovi, to Fading West and him being the inspiration for me to start playing music. I think it genuinely hit home with him just how big the impact was that he’d had on my life. 

A couple of hours later we went in for the VIP experience. I got a group photo with the guys, meeting Chad and Tim for the first time too. Jon got his acoustic guitar out to play a few tunes, and as everybody else gathered around him to listen, I took a step back and watched from a distance as I settled in for a long chat with Romey and Tim. As a group of three we watched Jon play “Only Hope” and “Terminal”, the latter being very impressive. I talked to Romey about his musical talents, asking him how he plays guitar and keys at the same time. He said it was a very complex mathematic equation that whizzed around in his head all the time. We talked about Bali and the Gamelon Bells that he used to construct so much of the amazing music with. I then asked Tim to take a photo of all three of us, about halfway through “Terminal” - resulting in the most epic selfie of all time! Tim told me about having his family over in the UK, opening up about how he wanted them there to support each other. I couldn’t actually believe we were having an emotional chat about his family. When Jon finished his song, I got the guys to sign my copy of Nothing Is Sound. Tim turned to me and said “Hey Davey, it’s been really really awesome hanging with you man, I appreciate the time spent with you.” I was lost for words and returned the compliment as best as possible. We joked about him still playing with those picks with Drew’s face on, and he went back inside. I managed to sneak a quick picture with Jon before he went inside too. 

When the came out on stage i was front row, directly in line with Drew. They kicked off with Say it, and absolutely smashed it. As they moved onto “The Sound: John M. Perkins Blues”, Jon moved over to our side of the stage. He leaned forwards with an outstretched arm, aiming for my hand directly. He put one foot forwards onto the railing, holding on to me for balance, switching the mic between himself and I. Literally, I couldn’t believe what was happening. Two minutes later he did the exact same thing, and the girl next to me just turned around and said “oh my god, what just happened!!” I just shook my head and closed my eyes in complete disbelief. 

As the show went on, the guys surprised me. I thought I was ready for an incredible performance, but they surpassed all of my expectations. Drew’s guitar work was so solid, and I watched him so closely in pure admiration. They did a completely acoustic performance of “Hello Hurricane” which was just lovely. 

“Learning To Breathe” made a sudden unexpected appearance. Jon didn’t play his acoustic because sadly the pick-up inside it broke during soundcheck, so Drew just bossed it! No, really. He cracked out this amazing solo, lasting for a minute or so. The mid-song applause was just incredible, the song paused completely, the guys just stood there smiling at Drew and he started tearing up. The audience just went from strength to strength, clapping and hollering for ages. I think it’s safe to say that he was truly moved by what happened!

For the encore they came out and played “Caroline” “Dare” and “Where I belong”. The rest of the guys surprised Jon by learning “Caroline” in their own time, and they played it perfectly as a full band. Jon used Gungor’s acoustic to play Dare, and I nearly cried with joy at what I was watching. I brought out my Where I Belong flag for the last song, and Jon held it up for everyone to see. He then wrapped it around his neck and played the rest of the song with it acting as a makeshift scarf. 

We are looking for the Blinding Light. We are the Dark Horses. We are living in the land of broken hearts. We are More Than Fine. We are Golden. We are The War Inside. We are Learning To Breath. We are singing a song to the Paparazzi. We are Playing For Keeps. We are Daring You To Move. We are Awakening. We are Rising Above It. We are Head Over Heels. We are The Original. We are Restless. We are Selling The News. We are Amateur Lovers. We are On Fire.

We are the Switchfoot Nation.