Switchfoot and Jon Foreman Concert Reviews

Last night I was able to attend two concerts, the first being a free show from Switchfoot at Fourth Street Live in Louisville, KY, and the second being a solo performance from Switchfoot lead singer Jon Foreman at Coffee Crossing in New Albany, IN. As I have previously stated, I am something of a concert junkie, so this was quite a treat for me.

The first show, Switchfoot, was a bit of an oddity, as Switchfoot was actually the opening band, opening for Blue October, who I did not stay to see. My friend Daniel and I arrived around seven o'clock, right when sound check was starting. For those unaware, Fourth Street Live is a three-block stretch of road in downtown Louisville that is something of an entertainment center. This portion of road is not driveable, and there are restaurants, clubs, and shops lining both sides of the street, with a sort of skylight extending between the buildings. There are a lot of neon lights and big signs. The stage for the concert was erected in the middle of the road, about halfway into the compound, with a skywalk just above and behind the stage. The sides of the road were blocked off with ribbon so that the concert goers wouldn't block traffic on the sidewalk.

As Daniel and I took our places in the road/pit/designated audience standing area, we were surprised to find that the soundcheck we had heard since our arrival was being done by none other than Switchfoot! They played a few songs for us during the soundcheck, including an upbeat number from their newest album, Hello Hurricane, to be released later this year. They then left the stage for a short while before retaking the stage for their set. They played a number of their hits, including their signature tunes "Meant to Live" and "Dare You To Move," as well as a few songs from their aforementioned new album. One thing noticeable about the new songs is that they possess a decidedly darker vibe than Switchfoot's usual upbeat, laid-back surfer rock.

Switchfoot's performance was technically sound and enjoyable, albeit not nearly as energetic as they have been in previous concerts that I've seen them in. Jon Foreman's sense of humor was still intact, as was his penchant for climbing things and jumping off of them, but the performance seemed to be missing something. Perhaps it was because they were the opening act, which meant they could only play a partial set. More likely, it was the venue and the crowd, which were not the greatest.

Fourth Street Live, by its very nature, is not really suited for concerts, as the street provides a fairly uncomfortable surface to stand on, and it becomes quite hard to see the band. As well, likely because the concert was free, a number of the crowd were people just there to see the show, who were not necessarily fans of the band, and thus they were not particularly energetic. There were times when Jon would attempt to get the crowd to participate, but by and large no one was receptive. Since a large part of the success of a concert comes from the energy of the crowd, the lack of energy present here hurt the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the show. So although Switchfoot sounded great, this particular concert, as a whole, was sub par.

However, the night then took a turn for the better, as Daniel and I met up with our friend Darrell and attended a solo performance by Jon Foreman at Coffee Crossing. Coffee Crossing is a moderate-sized coffee shop located in New Albany, IN. It is very like a coffee shop, with its ornate furniture and its dim lighting from hanging lamps. About halfway into the shop there is a bookcase/hearth set up that takes up a bit of space, and in the rear of the shop is the service counter and a small open refrigerator that stores bottled drinks. The tables that I assume are ordinarily there were removed, and all the chairs were set up in auditorium fashion, facing the small stage that had been set up for Foreman near the entrance to the shop. The crowd was a fair mix of ages, though the vast majority seemed to be in their teens or early twenties.

Jonathan Foreman took the stage around ten, and informed us that he did not have a set list, and requested that we pass around a sheet of paper and write down what we wanted to hear. He began the set with "Only Hope," one of my favorite Switchfoot songs. His set list consisted of songs from his solo albums, as well as his work with Switchfoot and Fiction Family. Throughout the set he remained candid and engaging, telling a number of stories and jokes in between the songs. It was a very different concert experience for me, very quiet and low key; it felt more like hanging out than performing. Foreman did seem to be much more comfortable and energetic in this environment than he had just a few hours earlier, and it's obvious that he enjoys this kind of candid, honest, intimate performance.

After he finished performing, he hung around outside the coffee shop and was gracious enough to wait around for everyone to shake his hand, take a picture with him, chat, or in at least one case, grab him in a bearhug and swing him around. He came across as very genuine and warm, a truly nice guy. It's odd, because with his earthy vocals, diverse musical sensibilities, and socially conscious yet playfully worded lyrics, Jon Foreman could be this generation's Bob Dylan. And yet, he remains fairly obscure, while fluff sells millions. I digress.

I have long been a Switchfoot fan, but I would like to check out some of Jon Foreman's other work as well, as it seems that he is an artist with something to say, and I would like to hear what he has to say.