"the sound (john m perkins blues)" means so much to us, amped to hear it on the radio- top 10 on alt today! Thanks for singing along...
It's official, footsoldiers! We have reached our goal of the Top 10! We will find out later this week what position exactly the single is in (I'm guessing No. 10), but for now, this is a HUGE victory for the band!
This is now the band's third Alternative/Modern Rock Top 10 hit, along with the 2003 smash "Meant to Live" and the 2004 smash "Dare You to Move." It's the band's biggest alternative single since "Dare," and has officially surpassed the success of "Mess of Me" and "Stars" on this format.
Thanks to all of you who have been requesting the song tirelessly and making this the band's biggest single in years. But we've still got work to do! How about aiming for Top 5? Let's make this happen, shall we?
Yupp. It was seven years ago today that this seminal Switchfoot work was released. I remember the first time I heard "Meant to Live," I was floored. But it wasn't until "Dare You to Move" graced the airwaves a little while later that I was hooked on this sunny San Diego surfer band. As we all know, this album became Switchfoot's biggest and most well-recognized work to date. The rest, as they like to say, is history. What are your favorite memories of this album? I'm really interested to know.
Oh, by the way, a rarely-seen video of the CD release party, seven years ago:
I know this post is late, but at least it's still Tuesday in America. Apologies. :P Regular updates will resume tomorrow.
2009. Gone too soon? Perhaps. What isn't going away anytime soon is Switchfoot. One of the most eventful years in Switchfoot's recent history, 2009 saw the arrival of "Hello Hurricane," a triumphant declaration by a band in transition and a record that marked Switchfoot's spirited return to the music industry.
But it's also important to remember that 2009 saw the release of Jon Foreman's side project with Sean Watkins called Fiction Family. Their debut record, also titled "Fiction Family," wowed casual fans and diehards alike by showcasing Foreman's lyrical and musical versatility - it's not often you see a singer of a multi-platinum rock and roll band put down the electric guitar and pluck through some folksy, bluegrass-tinged soul tunes. And yet, here it was.
2009 also saw Switchfoot return to mainstream rock radio with "Mess of Me," which on the very last day of the year, entered the Top 20 of Billboard's Modern Rock/Alternative Songs chart. A harbinger of things to come? A forecast of an even brighter future for the band in 2010? Only time will tell, but before we move forward into 2010 (which I will call "The Year of the Foot," a borrowed reference), here is a retrospective look into what's happened in the past year. And boy, it was a great one!
January
7th: *Switchfoot first tweets on Twitter
20th: *Fiction Family releases their debut album “Fiction Family.”
February
*Fiction Family’s record debuts at No. 71 on the Billboard 200, and charts well on several other charts. 1
7th: *Fiction Family tour ends in West Hollywood.
13th: *Switchfoot plays a show in Guatemala for the first time.
5th: *Switchfoot reports they are “rounding 3rd base” on the new record. 3
30th: *Switchfoot heads to Los Angeles to begin mixing the new record. 4
April
7th: *Switchfoot mixes first song, “Hello Hurricane.” 5
23rd: *Switchfoot announces that they had actually been recording 4 studio albums in their time in the studio. 6
24th: *Switchfoot releases the album names for their next two studio records: “Hello Hurricane” in 2009. “Vice Verses” in 2010. 7
25th: *Switchfoot plays Kansas City and participates in The Invisible Children Rescue there. 8
27th: *It is released on LOBH that Switchfoot plans on releasing an EP of unreleased material, titled “Eastern Hymns for Western Shores.” 9
28th: *Jon Foreman plays the new Switchfoot song, “Yet” for the first time while at UCSD
May
4th and 5th: *Switchfoot and Andy Barron go into the desert in Niland County for “Hello Hurricane” photo shoot. 1011
8th: *Switchfoot debut the song “Hello Hurricane” over the PA system after a concert in Visalia, California 12
26th: *Switchfoot announces tour with Blue Ocobter
28th: *Switchfoot/Blue October “Crazy Making Tour” dates are announced
June
16th: *Switchfoot announces the official tracklisting for “Hello Hurricane” on their Twitter account 13
18th: *Switchfoot debuts “Mess of Me” live at the Big Ticket Festival in Michigan. “Hello Hurricane” also makes its live performance debut, with Jon Foreman playing it solo acoustic on his Mandolin. 1415
21st: “Bullet Soul” is debuted live in Lancaster, PA at the American Music Theater 16
July
9th: * “Needle and Haystack Life” is debuted live at Spirit Song in King’s Land, Ohio. 17
13th: * “Mess of Me” is announced officially as the lead single for “Hello Hurricane.”
16th: * Switchfoot plays “The Sound” live for the first time in Memphis, Tennessee. 18
26th: * Switchfoot embarks on the Crazy Making Tour with Blue October, Ours, and Longwave in Council Bluffs, IA
August
7th: * Switchfoot announces that lowercase people records have decided to partner with Atlantic Records and EMI CMG for the world-wide release of “Hello Hurricane” 19
26th: * “Mess of Me” debuts on the radio, playing on Atlanta’s 99x Modern Rock/Alternative station. 20
29th: * The Crazy Making Tour concludes at Hampton Beach, NH.
September
1st: *Switchfoot commences the “Mess of Me” hunt, a worldwide “scavenger hunt” in which the band and fans hid copies of the single in locations across the globe.
8th: *Switchfoot unleashes the first music video for “Mess of Me,” a live montage-styled offering set to clips from the Crazy Making Tour
12th: *First of two shows in which Switchfoot opens for Dave Matthews Band in Chula Vista, CA
13th: *Second show Switchfoot plays opening for Dave Matthews Band in Irvine, CA
16th: *Pre-sale for “Hello Hurricane” begins.
23rd: *Switchfoot announces dates for the Fall 2009 leg of the Hello Hurricane Tour. 21
November
3rd: *The official "Mess of Me" video releases on Youtube, garnering multiple honors
8th: *Switchfoot’s “Hello Hurricane” tour begins in El Cajon, CA.
photo credit: RCamWhite photo credit: Max Roper photo credit: Andy Barron
10th: *“Hello Hurricane” releases; the #hellohurricane hashtag reaches the No. 6 slot in Twitter’s Trending Topics
12th: *Switchfoot performs on Jimmy Kimmel Live
19th: *“Hello Hurricane” debuts at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, selling 39,000 copies in its first week.
*“Your Love Is a Song” features prominently at the end of an episode of “One Tree Hill.” The song lasts almost six minutes during that segment 23
December
2nd: *Switchfoot performs on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
31st: *"Mess of Me" hits the Top 20 on Billboard's Alternative Songs Chart
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We're Awakening's Hello Hurricane collaborative review with LOBH
The arrival of "Hello Hurricane" was obviously the highlight of 2009. My friend Jeanna from LOBH and I got our copies two weeks in advance, and we were so thrilled that we decided to share our thoughts with you all. Here is the review collab.
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Charts Summary
Albums “Hello Hurricane”
Billboard 200: 13 Billboard Alternative Albums: 3 Billboard Christian Albums: 2 Billboard Rock Albums: 4
Singles "Mess of Me"
Billboard Alternative Songs: 20 Billboard Rock Songs: 37 Billboard Christian Songs: 42
"Always" Billboard Christian Songs: 20
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Switchfoot's 2010 Tour Dates
04/25/09 Kansas City, MS
05/08/09 Visalia, CA Fox Theatre
05/09/09 Santa Clara, CA Great America
06/18/09 Gaylord, MI The Big Ticket Festival
06/19/09 North Lawrence Ohio Clay's Park Resort
06/20/09 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
06/21/09 Lancaster, PA American Music Theatre
06/26/09 Del Mar, Ca Del Mar Fairgrounds
06/27/09 San Diego, CA Switchfoot Bro-Am
07/09/09 Kings Island, OH Kings Island: Timberwolf
07/10/09 Doswell, VA King's Dominion
07/11/09 Kent, WA ShoWare Center (CANCELLED)
07/15/09 Willmar, MN Willmar Civic Center
07/16/09 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
07/17/09 Little Rock, AR Riverfest Amphitheater
07/18/09 Baton Rouge, LA Blue Bayou Water Park
07/24/09 Valparaiso, IN Porter County Fair
07/25/09 Des Moines, IA
08/07/09 Midland, TX Rock the Desert
08/12/09 Amarillo, TX John Stiff Memorial Park
Crazy Making Tour (W/ Blue October)
07/26/09 Council Bluffs, IA Stir Cove
07/27/09 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
07/28/09 Salt Lake City, UT The Salt Air
07/31/09 Portland, OR The Crystal Ballroom
08/01/09 San Jose, CA San Jose Civic Auditorium
08/05/09 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
08/06/09 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
08/08/09 Phoenix, AZ Marquee Theater
08/09/09 El Paso, TX Abraham Chavez Theater
08/13/09 Charles, LA L’Auberge Casino Lake
08/14/09 Houston, TX Verizon Theater
08/15/09 Dallas, TX House of Blues
08/16/09 Dallas, TX House of Blues
08/20/09 Louisville, KY 4th St. Live
08/21/09 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
08/22/09 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
08/23/09 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
08/27/09 Atlantic City, NJ House of Blues
08/28/09 New York, NY Terminal 5
08/29/09 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino
Other Tour Dates
09/04/09 Syracuse, NY New York State Fair
09/05/09 French Town, NJ RevGen Festival
09/10/09 Florida
09/11/09 Orlando, FL Universal Studios
Dave Matthews' Tour
09/12/09 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless w/Dave Matthews Band
09/13/09 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless w/Dave Matthews Band
Other Tour Dates
09/18/09 Son Fest Mount Vernon, OH Mount Vernon Nazarene University
10/30/09 St. Petersburg, FL Tropicana Field-UFL Game
Hello Hurricane Tour
11.8.09 El Cajon, CA - East County Performing Arts Center 11.11.09 West Hollywood, CA – The Roxy Theatre 11.13.09 Scottsdale, AZ – Martini Ranch 11.14.09 Tucson, AZ – The Rock 11.16.09 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom 11.17.09 Dallas, TX – House of Blues - Dallas 11.18.09 Austin, TX – The Parish 11.20.09 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live 11.21.09 New Orleans, LA – Parish @ House of Blues 11.22.09 Nashville, TN – Exit In 11.23.09 Nashville, TN – Exit In 11.24.09 Atlanta, GA – The Loft @ Center Stage 11.27.09 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues - Anaheim 11.28.09 Ventura, CA – Majestic Ventura Theater 12.03.09 Charlotte, NC - Amos' Southend 12.05.09 Richmond, VA - WDYL Snowball @ The National 12.07.09 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live 12.08.09 New York, NY - The Fillmore Irving Plaza 12.09.09 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club 12.19.09 Providence, RI Lupo's (WBRU Presents) [Non-HH Tour date] 12.11.09 Philadelphia, PA TLA (WRFF Presents) [Non-HH Tour date] 12.12.09 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre 12.13.09 Washington, DC 930 Club 12.14.09 Burlington, VT Higher Ground (WBTZ Presents) [Non-HH Tour date]
Other Tour Dates
2009-12-19 San Bernardino, CA X103.9's Very Merry Christmas Party @ Cal State -----
So that's just about everything! Thanks for reading... this year saw us complete 2 full years of We're Awakening. And i've enjoyed just about every step of the way. Hope you've all enjoyed reading along as much as I've enjoyed writing. Here's to 2010!
Be sure to check out LOBH's far superior recap of 2009. :)
Yes friends. First off, for the most tangible news, Switchfoot's "Hello Hurricane" started off at No. 4 overall on iTunes, and No. 1 (Deluxe Edition) and No. 4 (Regular) on the Alternative Albums chart. Notable is the fact that it is behind some small names such as 50 Cent and Bon Jovi.
Also notable, is that Switchfoot is ahead of other notables, Dashboard Confessional and Flyleaf. Very very good opening day for the boys from San Diego.
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Also, in other opening day news, #HelloHurricane was a trending topic on Twitter for 4 1/2 hours yesterday, beginning at approximately 2 pm PST and ending at approximately 6:30 pm PST. It reached as high as No. 6 on the trending topics! Here is proof:
And here is a clip of the making of "Hello Hurricane" video
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MSN Music also featured Switchfoot on their Listening Booth, an excerpt of which can be read below:
Like Flyleaf, Switchfoot has enjoyed terrific success in the contemporary Christian market. But please don't pigeonhole the San Diego five-piece. New tunes like "Needle and Haystack Life" and "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" are polished, radio-friendly alt-rock comparable to U2 and Jane's Addiction, respectively. Those are just two highlights from "Hello Hurricane," their seventh full-length. Even if this collection of new tunes, produced by Dr. Dre and Eminem affiliate Mike Elizondo, isn't your cup of tea, you still have to admire Switchfoot's good intentions: Throughout their current North American tour, which concludes Dec. 9 in Boston, the band is conducting a canned food drive.
^You can also listen to the album, if for some strange reason you don't already have it. :P Just kidding.
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Here's a video of the guys playing "Mess of Me" at the Sam Goody Show in San Diego to celebrate their cd release.
And "Yet"
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Relevant Magazine did an extended feature on Switchfoot, their cover story for their latest issue, on their latest podcast. Download it here.
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AbsolutePunk.net did a harsh, yet complementary review of "Hello Hurricane." It may anger some, so you can read it here if you'd like.
BUT, they do have their entire site skinned out to "Hello Hurricane." Very nice.
As you all know, Switchfoot was featured prominently in the latest Relevant Magazine issue, and now, thanks to Matt, we have screen caps! It's a very good article... Hope you enjoy it:
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Indievisionmusic.com did an interview with Drew Shirley and Jerome Fontamillas from Switchfoot. Check it out:
1. You guys always seem to be pushing yourselves musically with every album and it’s refreshing to see. Now you’ve mentioned having 4 albums coming out within the next 4 years (a tentative time frame I take it). How are you guys going to do this while still having a fresh sound with every album?
Jerome: We always challenge ourselves to push the envelope of creativity on each album we do. We leave the songs in the cutting floor for each band member to dissect and come up with ideas we believe will make the song the best it can be. We hope the fresh sound of an album will come by us constantly trying to make the songs better and by really pushing ourselves to make the best albums we can.
2. Have you guys ever given thought to doing a concept album of some sort, especially now that you have full creative freedom?
Drew: Well, as far as doing a concept album goes, we have talked about it, but the timing has never been right. We tend to have an abundance of songs written and then look for a “thread” that will tie an album full of them together. Sometimes it is musical in nature, sometimes, style or lyrical. On this current album Hello Hurricane, we asked ourselves which songs would you want to die singing? As in, which songs do we believe have the most soul and honestly.
- We need to get "Mess of Me" on to KROQ, in order to get this single off the ground. Go HERE to request it! Keep it up friends! Don't slow down, WE NEED THIS.
-
Go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!
UPDATE (9:26 PM PST): Moved up a spot overnight. "Mess of Me" is now No. 39 on the Alternative charts.
GREAT NEWS. Over the weekend, "Mess of Me" cracked the Top 40 of the Alternative rock charts.
^That is some excellent news. This, following the fact that a clip of "Free" made its way onto a nationally televised broadcast of the ALCS Game 1 baseball playoffs. Atlantic Records is giving it their all, and it's beginning to show with the exposure and success Switchfoot is finally receiving, and well-deservedly so. If you haven't seen the "Free" clip, be sure to check it out HERE.
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UPDATE (9:42 AM PST): Amazon.com has it up on their mp3 store. But it's going up for sale on October 27. Hmm...
So apparently, there is going to be a digital single release of "The Sound (John M. Perkins Blues)" –– at least on Walmart's online music store. Check it out here. Thanks LOBH for the tip.
Below is the the single art:
I'm wondering if this is similar to what the band did in the past, releasing "Dirty Second Hands" as a non-radio single. We'll see.
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VOTING
Exercise those fingers, and keep voting for Switchfoot! We need to keep this ball rolling.
- Go vote for "Mess of Me" on RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted here. It is currently at 39.9%, still the majority of the votes. But we can't let that momentum slide. Make sure you vote every day.
- KROQ (Los Angeles) is one of the most influential rock stations in the country. When they add a song, several other stations across the country take notice and follow suit. We need to get "Mess of Me" on there, in order to get this single off the ground. Go HERE to request it! Keep it up friends! Don't slow down, WE NEED THIS.
-
Go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!
We'll post more voting opportunities as they come up, so keep checking back every day.
6:41 PM PST. September 22, 2009 Congrats to Switchfoot for garnering their 10,000th subscriber on Youtube! I'm personally really excited about this milestone because my good friend, Corey Vidal, really has done an excellent job for Switchfoot's youtube presence. Since he's been brought on to help out, the subscribership has been steadily increasing and the "Mess of Me" has had the most successful opening week of any Switchfoot video ever.
A big round of applause for Switchfoot and Corey Vidal! Keep rockin' friends.
And if you haven't subscribed on Youtube yet, PLEASE go here now and subscribe by pressing the yellow subscribe button. It'd be greatly appreciated!
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AllAccess is giving the song a lot of attention. Check out the "Impacting Songs" sections for both Alternative and Active Rock radio formats:
Alternative
Active Rock
^So the official impact date really is September 29, 2009. Regardless, stations are starting to play the song more and more!
Anna Troy - Wait Another Day Fiction Family - s/t Gayle Skidmore - Cowley Road Get Back Loretta -Where Did You Go Joey Harris & the Mentals - s/t Silverleaf – s/t The Modlins - Where Does it End? The Predicates - Let Me Carry Your Books
How does "The Sound" sound when opening a set? Well, here in this video from the show last Friday in Valparaiso, IN at the Porter County Fair, we find out:
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The DrewCast has a new episode, featuring Jerome Fontamillas
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Well, the Crazy Making tour with Blue October kicks off tonight at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, Colorado. We'll have updates as they come in, and if you are going to the show, be sure to let us know how it all went!
Yupp! As we mentioned, LOBH has been running the twitter account SwitchfootBroAm in order to keep us all updated on the weekend goings-on in San Diego related to the Switchfoot Bro-Am. As we also mentioned, the album artwork was revealed this past Thursday during the Bro-Am auction. Here, again courtesy of the GREAT, MAGNIFICENCE that is LOBH, we have a picture of the album artwork for "Hello Hurricane."
What do you say, friends? I think it's near-epic.
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BE SURE TO KEEP CHECKING http://twitter.com/switchfootbroam today to get live, almost-instant updates on what's happening at the Switchfoot Bro-Am.
Here's what the Switchfoot boys posted on their official twitter:
- Switchfoot Bro-am surf contest/concert today at moonlight beach, Encinitas CA. The sun just came out, gonna be a great day!
Have an amazing day, and hope it goes swimmingly for you all. :)
^(official official Tracklisting for "Hello Hurricane." Thanks LOBH!)
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEROME FONTAMILLAS!!! Our favorite "he-plays-everything-else" dude is turning 42 today. WOOT! Thanks for rockin' with Switchfoot all these years, Romey. :)
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Rapid-fire news Saturday... hehe. ^^
Switchfoot uploaded a promo video for the Bro-Am next week:
Speaking of which, Luke gave LOBH the set list from last night's show in Ohio.
Switchfoot Set: Oh Gravity! Crazy Love/Gone/Umbrella/Gone This is Home American Dream Won't Back Down This is Home We are One/Shadow Proves the Sunshine/We are One Mess of Me On Fire Awakening Meant to Live *Encore* Only Hope (Jon solo) Dare You to Move
Jon Solo Set: Happy Birthday War in My Blood Resurrect Me 24 Learning How to Die Company Car Southbound Train Let Your Love Be Strong Your Love is Strong
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Toronto's National Post interviewed Chad Butler ahead of their show tonight:
Q: Has being independent changed Switchfoot's musical direction at all? A: We worked for many months without a producer, or even an engineer sometimes. It was just us experimenting in the studio. There's a lot of happy accidents when you don't know what you're doing (laughs). We were trying to find new ways of capturing the live energy we have on stage. We did bring in Mike Elizondo in the last few months of recording. That was incredible to have someone like that to bring a new synergy. He comes from a completely different background - he came from producing and writing with Dr. Dre and Eminem. And more recently with Rilo Kiley and Fiona Apple. Recording with him was a challenge for us - his approach was really refreshing. Someone who's got such a rhythmic sensibility. I think it's going to be really surprising when people hear this.
Q: What is the set-list going to look like at the NXNE show? A: We have been bringing out a couple Legend of Chin [the band's first record] songs in the last year from time to time. I think for us right now the urgency and excitement is to start playing a few of these new songs from Hello Hurricane. We will be debuting some - I think Toronto will be one of the very first show we get to play these new songs at. Now that the record is finished - it'll be fresh for us.
Today is the big day for the infectiously hilarious Drew Shirley, of Switchfoot fame. The guitarist has been touring with the band since 2003, and the move to make him an official shredder has been one of the greatest moves they have made.
Here's a video commemorating some of his more hilarious escapades on many a Switchfoot podcast. May your day be brightened!
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Speaking of Drew, much Switchfoot's recent twitterful moments have been filled with his awesomeness! Here's what's been tweeted recently:
April 2nd, 2009:
- Jon's journal, penning some new thoughts/lyrics. Good stuff. Check out John Perkins for a challenging read. http://twitpic.com/2qqhu
- Tim bringing out the old t-bird. A thunderbird played through a thunderbolt amp... Wow that's a lot of thunder. http://twitpic.com/2r0a0
And to close it off, the band sent out a new email. Here's a portion of it:
Dear Amigos -
NEW ALBUM We are very excited to let you know that we are close to finishing our new record and it will be released later this Summer. Get ready for new Switchfoot music in the Summer of 2009!
MERCH SALE FOR OUR FANS Starting today, ALL merchandise will be 15% off in our online store. This sale will last until Friday April 10th. We hope you enjoy the sale and gear up with new Switchfoot merchandise Click here for the online store
SPRING AND SUMMER TOUR DATES, FESTIVALS, BRO-AM 2009 We love when the weather starts to get warmer, because it means more tour dates, and that means we get to see you on the road!
We are playing a very special hometown show on Friday June 26th at the Del Mar Fair in Del Mar, California.
And, the 5th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am has been set for Saturday June 27th, 2009. This is a FREE beach event open to the public with a surf contest, concert, and vendors. The Bro-Am was created to give back to the San Diego community while also benefiting a local children's charity through funds raised at an auction night event, as well as from vendors on the beach day-of, sponsorships, and an after-party at the Belly Up Tavern.
We are delighted to announce that this year's event will again benefit the San Diego and Oceanside branches of StandUp For Kids, a national nonprofit volunteer outreach organization that started right here in San Diego and is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk, homeless, and street kids. (www.standupforkids.org)
Stay tuned for more info on this exciting event. http://www.switchfoot.com/bro-am
Also, we are playing 2 shows with Dave Matthews Band on September 12 in Chula Vista, CA and September 13 in Irvine, CA. Both of these are ON SALE now. Complete show and ticketing info is listed below.
TWITTER, FACEBOOK, MYSPACE As we gear up to hit the road, as well as release the record, the best way to stay in touch with the band is through our website, as well as TWITTER, FACEBOOK and MYSPACE. Click on the following links to make sure you are connected to us!
Click here for Twitter feed Click here for Facebook page Click here for Myspace page
JON FOREMAN - VINYL Due to overwhelming demand, Jon has printed an additional 500 more copies of his vinyl box set. It contains four 12" black high quality vinyl records (fall, winter, spring, summer) and a beautiful four page book-style cover featuring a few of Andy Barron's best shots of Jon over the years. Each box set is numbered 501-1000 (we're only making 500 more of these guys!). Click here to buy.
FRIENDS OF THE FOOT Right now is the best time to join if you are not already a member. The band has been incredibly active in posting exclusive content about the new album, and will continue to offer special access to the band as they gear up to release the album. In addition to the exclusive content and downloads, you receive:
1. Tour laminate good for meet/greet 2. Limited edition t-shirt 3. Discount on merchandise in online store 4. Access to Pre-Sale tickets on future tour dates 5. More Surprises to come!
Today is Switchfoot drummer extraordinaire Chad Butler's birthday! The animal turns 35 today! Also going on today are some twitter updates from the band:
March 24:
- Oh yeah, the new video podcast is up today, at switchfoot.com and iTunes. Enjoy, and sleep well amigos. Time to rest my ears, -tim
- Sun is out, feet are sandy. I can already tell it's gonna be a pretty good day.
^plus, it was the day Chad was born, so it already IS a good day.
Happy birthday Chad Butler! Hope you have a great one. Keep rockin'!
*“Cinderella”; This Moment – Cinderella Edition; Steven Curtis Chapman; Steven Curtis Chapman; Sparrow Records *“Give Me Your Eyes”; What If We; Brandon Heath; Brandon Heath, Jason Ingram; Reunion Records *“I Will Not Be Moved”; Relentless; Natalie Grant; Natalie Grant; Curb Records *“I’m Letting Go”; My Paper Heart; Francesca Battistelli; Francesca Battistelli, Ian Eskelin, Tony Wood; Fervent Records *“This Is Home”; Chronicles Of Narnia:Prince Caspian ; Switchfoot; Jonathan Foreman, Andy Dodd, Adam Watts; Walt Disney Records
Category 4: Male Vocalist of the Year Jon Foreman Ernie Haase Brandon Heath David Phelps Chris Tomlin Jeremy Camp Marvin Sapp
Category 23: Pop/Contemporary Album Bebo Norman; Bebo Norman; Bebo Norman, Jason Ingram, Rusty Varenkamp; Bec Fall And Winter; Jon Foreman; Jon Foreman; Credential Recordings, Lowercase People Records My Paper Heart; Francesca Battistelli; Ian Eskelin; Fervent Records Relentless; Natalie Grant; Bernie Herms, Shaun Shankel; Curb Records Revelation; Third Day; Howard Benson; Essential Records
(Random Side Note: This is probably the longest post in A LONG TIME. Bear with me... hehe)
Sirius Satellite Radio (AAA Rock format) is the first officially recorded radio station to spin Fiction Family's debut single, "When She's Near," coming in at No. 7 on that stations playlist!
Woot! it looks like they're giving "When She's Near" a lot of spins. 32 plays within one week isn't too shabby at all! This is interesting, as it is an advance add, about a week before the song officially impacts to Triple A radio.
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Hearitfirst.com Post Exclusive Fiction Family Interview Videos
Today's post is almost all about Fiction Family! Here's some more stuff. Hearitfirst has got some videos that ask Sean Watkins and Jon Foreman about the project. There will be two new videos each Tuesday until release day! Awesome! Watch it now:
Jon Foreman Song To Be Featured on "One Tree Hill"
The WB’s ONE TREE HILL will use Jon Foreman's "Behind the Eyes" in the Jan. 12th episode. Check out http://www.thewb.com/shows/one-tree-hill/ for more details on the show.
This should be awesome. Jon's songs have been in other popular tv shows. Remember "The Cure For Pain" showing up on Grey's Anatomy last year?
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New Jon Foreman Blog
Last but not least, Jon posted a terrific new myspace blog about the To Write Love On Her Arms benefit coming up, as well as yes, Fiction Family:
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
heavy and light, light and heavy
happy new year all!
and I know that it's about a week late but better late than never. And besides, in spite of the crazy times we're in, there's a lot to be thankful for. second chances. third chances. 734th chances. sunsets. sunrises. sunsets. And the passing of time begins to make a lot more sense to me in the context of grace instead of karma. Under a rule where love triumphs over justice...
Speaking of love, I have the honor of playing the heavy and light event presented by TWLOHA alongside of some of my favorite folks. If you live near florida (or if all that snow is making you think about moving to a warmer clime) you should hang out with all of us. It's a great community- check out more here...
What's after that you ask? well, I'll tell you: I'm setting out with a merry band of men called Fiction Family to traverse this democracy with songs of good cheer!
Jan 13 - The Ark -Ann Arbor, Michigan Jan 14 - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, Michigan Jan 15 - Abbey Pub - Chicago, Illinois Jan 16 - The Union @ N Central College - Naperville, Illinois Jan 17 - Ransburg Auditorium - Indianapolis, Indiana Jan 18 - Mountain Stage - Morgantown, West Virginia Jan 20 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, New York Jan 21 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, Massachusetts Jan 22 - World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Jan 23 - Crawford Auditorium - Grove City, Pennsylvania Jan 24 - Jammin Java - Vienna, Virginia Jan 25 - Brubaker Auditorium - Grantham, Pennsylvania Jan 27 - Gravity Lounge - Charlottesville, Virginia Jan 29 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, Georgia Jan 30 - Belcourt Theatre - Nashville, Tennessee Feb 3 - Neumos Crystal Ball -Seattle, Washington Feb 4 - Aladdin Theatre - Portland, Oregon Feb 5 - The Independent - San Francisco, California Feb 6 - Anthology Live - San Diego, California Feb 7 - Largo @ Coronet Theatre - West Hollywood, California
peace in the mideast, literally and figuratively, my brothers.
I had no idea "This Is Home" was getting so much play in the international music scene, but check this out!:
Australia's national Christian music charts, The Rock Across Australia (TRAA), today announced Switchfoot's This Is Home as 2008 Song of the Year, and honored 24 year old American singer Britt Nicole as the 2008 Artist of the Year.
This is first time Switchfoot and Britt Nicole have earned TRAA honors.
The internationally acclaimed pop-rock quintet spent eight weeks atop TRAA with This Is Home, a song featured on The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian Soundtrack, and Switchfoot's The Best Yet compilation.
Best known for its 2003 CD The Beautiful Letdown and singles Meant to Live and Dare You to Move, Switchfoot regards itself as a mainstream act but is included in TRAA because of its parallel distribution in the Christian sector.
Well folks, there's another great year in the books! 2008 promised to be eventful, despite the fact that no new Switchfoot material was on the horizon. The touring cycle for "Oh! Gravity." had drawn to a close and the band's new material had not begun to take shape yet.
What was taking shape was Jon Foreman's solo project of EP's, which was slated for completion by the middle of 2008. And it didn't disappoint. The "Spring" EP was quickly embraced by us all, and by new fans of Jon's previous work in "Fall and Winter." But before the final installment, "Summer," could arrive, Switchfoot threw another surprise at the fams. They had written and recorded a song to be used as the lead single and in the credits of the brand new "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" film.
Before the year was out, the band had also released their first ever greatest hits collection, "The Best Yet." 2008 also saw the beginnings of Switchfoot's next studio album, which will be released in the New Year. Oh, and 2009 will aslo herald the arrival of the first Fiction Family record. Exciting times behind, exciting times ahead!
Here's a comprehensive list/chart of what else happened this year! Hope you enjoy it. =)
January
15th: *Jon Foreman releases the second in his four ep-set, “Winter.”
*Winter debuts at No. 9 overall on the iTunes top album chart, and No. 2 on the iTunes Top Rock Albums chart. 1
24th: *The “Fall & Winter” EP’s physical cd combo debuts at No. 24 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. 2
22nd - February 2nd: *Switchfoot tours the Asian Pacific, with stops in Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Malaysia. 345
February
*Switchfoot/Jon Foreman is nominated for four Dove Awards on the heels of a highly successful year in 2007 in the CCM. They are nominated for:
-Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year – “Awakening” -Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year – “Oh! Gravity.” -Short Form Music Video of the Year – “Awakening” -Male Vocalist of the Year – “Jon Foreman” 6
*Switchfoot announces the “Up In Arms Tour,” partnering with To Write Love on Her Arms. They bring UK rockers, “Athlete” along. 7
March
5th: “Awakening” video reaches 2 million views on youtube!
12th and 14th: Jon Foreman plays three shows at the prestigious SXSW Music Festival
25th: *Jon Foreman releases the third in his 4-ep set, “Spring” *”Spring” peaks at No. 12 on the iTunes top overall albums 8
April
2nd: *It is announced that Switchfoot will record a song called “This Is Home” and shoot a video for the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie. 9
12th: * “Spring” hits No. 14 on the Billboard Top Digital Albums and No. 179 on the Billboard Comprehensive Albums charts. 10
13th: *Chad Butler posts a forum topic announcing the “Music Builds Tour” 11 *Switchfoot shoots the video for “This Is Home” 12
16th: *”This Is Home” is performed for the first time in Iowa. 13
18th: *The Music Builds Tour is officially announced 14
23th: *Switchfoot performs “This Is Home” for the first time on National TV, at the 39th GMA Dove Awards. The band comes away without any of the awards they were nominated for. 15
25th: *”This Is Home” impacts to radio. It enters the Hot AC charts at No. 391, with one spin. 16
May
2nd: *The music video for “This Is Home” world premieres on Disney.com
12th: *Switchfoot moves into their newly completed studio to set up Switchfoot Headquarters 17
13th: *David Cook performs “Dare You to Move” on American Idol 18 *Switchfoot performs “This Is Home” on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno later that night
*"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" Soundtrack debuts at No. 26 on Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, with 16,000 units sold in its first week. 19
June
7th: The Fourth Annual Bro-Am raises approximately $60,000 for Stand-Up For Kids. 20
10th: *Jon Foreman releases the final ep of his seasonal series, “Summer” on iTunes. *It debuts at No. 10 on the top iTunes Albums overall and No. 2 on the Rock albums chart.
12th: *”Summer” peaks at No. 9 on the top iTunes Albums overall.
July
1st: *Switchfoot relaunches a “new and improved” version of their studio webcam.
August
21st: *Switchfoot embarks on the Music Builds Tour with Third Day, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and Jars of Clay. The tour is to benefit Habitat For Humanity, and takes on the look of a traveling festival.
September
12th: *Fiction Family announces release date for their debut album to be January 20, 2009 21
16th: Fiction Family releases album art and announces their release will be handled by ATO Records 22
October
3rd: Fiction Family announces tracklisting for their self-titled debut 23
12th: *The Music Builds Tour ends. *Switchfoot performance on Battleground Earth finale plays on Discovery Channel’s Planet Green. They play “Meant to Live” and “This Is Home.”
28th: *Jon Foreman releases the compilation studio record, “Limbs and Branches,” which features the best of his EP’s, as well as two new songs.
November
4th: *Columbia/SonyBMG/Legacy releases Switchfoot’s “greatest hits” album called “The Best Yet”
December
2nd: *Fiction Family announces first tour dates 24
3rd: *Fiction Family's first single, "When She's Near," is made available for free download 25
4th: *Switchfoot embarks on a short tour with 3 Doors Down 26
15th: *Fiction Family's music video for "When She's Near" is premiered on Vimeo. 27
22nd: *Switchfoot’s song “We Are One Tonight” is featured on the OneCampain’s TV Ad 28
Switchfoot has come a long way. Today, we finally formally (I suppose) close the door on an era. The Sony years have come and gone, and "The Best Yet" is a closing of that chapter in the band's career. Here's to many more years, and many more great hits from the band. Can't wait 'til the new album hits stores, and we'll be raving about them, best-case-scenario, a few months from now. For now, lets take the time to remember the past 11 years of the band's existence, and look to the future, with Jerome's sunglasses on. "The future looks so bright you needa wear shades..." ;)
The writer makes a good point about how other less-deserving bands have gotten better treatment for their "greatest hits." (THIRD DAY?!?!)
Ok.
Also, a new "Limbs and Branches" review:
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On myspace, there's a new celebrity playlist posted last Friday, of Switchfoot's "Memories of Home While Touring" playlist, featuring songs by Feist, Mute-math, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Cure, penelope, Death Cab for Cutie, silversun pickups, Delta Spirit, PHOENIX, and My Morning Jacket. Check it out. Pretty sweet!
