Show Review: Switchfoot with Ben Goldsmith at Ace of Spades, 11/10/23

What’s better than a three-day weekend thanks to those who have fought to keep America safe? Getting to see a band you love on the Friday night of said three-day weekend, giving me a full weekend after a fun night out, of course! That was my good fortune this Veterans Day weekend as I drove to Sacramento to catch Switchfoot at Ace of Spades. For one reason or another, I have had to miss several Switchfoot tours, and then the next thing I knew, it’s been over a decade since I’ve caught them live. Suffice it to say I couldn’t wait to get to the venue to catch them again, finally! Continue reading “Show Review: Switchfoot with Ben Goldsmith at Ace of Spades, 11/10/23”

Show Review: Switchfoot with Paper Route at Regency Ballroom, 10/23/2012

Left to right: Switchfoot’s Chad Butler (drums), Jon Foreman (guitar & vocals), and Jerome Fontamillas (keys)

There’s something unique about Switchfoot. As a result, their fans have a different vibe than those belonging to your average rock band, and so their shows have a different feel to them than most I find myself attending. Sure, some consider Switchfoot a “Christian band,” but it’s not quite that simple. Yes, the members themselves are Christians. Yes, much of their lyrical content has spiritual undertones, and no they don’t try to hide it. But truth be told, I’m not sure I’d give them much of a second listen if they were the kind of band marketed solely to “Christian rock” radio. That just isn’t my thing. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that…) Because these guys prefer to live their lives as good, salt-of-the-earth people with a great sound and steer far clear of anything that might feel like they’re pimping their beliefs on me, I’ve been hooked for over a decade. But it’s more than that… There’s honestly a kind of “live and let live” mantra between the band and its fans: as long as you respect what I believe, I can do the same for you and we can all get along and enjoy each other. And that’s the sort of breath of fresh air that inspires me at a Switchfoot show, and what keeps me coming back. This week, they played San Francisco’s tiny Regency Ballroom Tuesday night, alongside Nashville indie rock band Paper Route, and before the night began, I was full of anticipation and excitement for a night of music by the band whose music has been something of a soundtrack for the last decade of my life. Continue reading “Show Review: Switchfoot with Paper Route at Regency Ballroom, 10/23/2012”

Show Review: Switchfoot with Anberlin and Atomic Tom at the Warfield, 10/10/2011

Jonathan Foreman with his Vice Verses guitar

It’s been almost ten years since I was first introduced to the music of Switchfoot. At the time, I was living in San Diego and they were a local band on the brink of making it. Somewhere between frontman Jon Foreman’s distinctive voice and lyrics that inspired me to live fully, (“this is your life – is it everything you dreamed that it would be when the world was younger and you had everything to lose?”) I had found a band whose music I could never play too much. Sure enough, nearly a decade later, I continue to love each album as much (or more!) than the one that preceded it. Somehow, life has managed to keep me from ever seeing this band live…until last night. Finally, finally, finally, my time had come: Switchfoot and co-headliners Anberlin graced the stage at the Warfield in San Francisco with openers Atomic Tom, and what better way to spend a beautifully rainy Monday night than warm and cozy inside with a fantastic band? Continue reading “Show Review: Switchfoot with Anberlin and Atomic Tom at the Warfield, 10/10/2011”

New Release Round Up, 11/10/09 – 31 Instant Album Reviews

This is a Christmas album, a live album, and a greatest hits album. It was probably re-released this week.
This is a Christmas album, a live album, and a greatest hits album. It was probably re-released this week.

I’m back, the weekly search for original and pithy comments continues.  The holidays are coming and it’s time to drag myself away from my new Droid phone (where’s the LaLa app guys ?) and toil through the mass of holiday music to find the true gems of the week.  There was really no huge standout for me this week.  I loved the first track on the Switchfoot album and was quite pleasantly surprised by the late day discoveries of  Dead To Me and For Against.  If I am forced to choose then I will pick The Fountain by Echo and The Bunnymen with them getting the nod based on their historical relevance to me personally. Continue reading “New Release Round Up, 11/10/09 — 31 Instant Album Reviews”