Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Chart Wednesday (Week of July 10, 2010); Switchfoot don't like iceberg lettuce

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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It's that time of the week again; it's the weekly Chart Wednesday segment! ~cue exaggerated radio voice~

"The Sound" held steady this week on Alternative Songs at No. 23, while it dropped a spot on Christian Rock, from 2-3.

"Your Love Is a Song" also holds at No. 17 on Christian CHR, and jumps to 29 from 33 on Christian Songs.

On the Hot AC front, "Your Love Is a Song' got 8 radio stations to add yesterday! Be sure to request the new single at these stations, and "The Sound" on these.

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Remember the Bidfire auction to record a song with Switchfoot? Well, the band unveiled the winner during the Bro-Am auction. Here's a video of Switchfoot playing "Your Love Is a Song" with Rudy, Bidfire winner:



^So apparently the band just re-recorded one of their songs for iTunes, featuring Rudy, who's not a shabby guitarist. At first, I thought they were going to write a new song, record it, and release it to iTunes. But this should be sweet as well.

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OrangeCounty.com has more info on the upcoming U.S. Open of Surfing, including the band lineup:

Weezer
Cold War Kids
Hot Hot Heat
Bedouin Soundclash
Iration
Switchfoot
Cobra Starship
Street Drum Corps
The Soft Pack
Timmy Curran
... and others

^Sounds like a great group of bands.

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And on a random note, according to the North County Times, Switchfoot doesn't like iceberg lettuce in their salad.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

"Your Love Is a Song" Impacts Mainstream Radio!

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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"Your Love Is a Song," the third single from "Hello Hurricane" impacts radio today on the Hot AC and Top 40 formats! I'm excited to see where this song takes Switchfoot; it's been way too long since the band made any real impact on these pop formats.

To put this all into perspective, the last Switchfoot song to even hit Hot AC charts was "This Is Home," coming in at a paltry No. 63 on the charts. "We Are One Tonight" was the last Switchfoot song to even hit the Top 30 on Hot AC, peaking at No. 29.

In other words, the time is ripe for Switchfoot to make that comeback to popular music we have all been waiting for, and I think "Your Love Is a Song" is the perfect candidate for the job. Atlantic has shown the kind of commitment to the band that could make this a runaway hit.

And if not for Maroon 5's big new single, Switchfoot would've had the second most added song of the week!



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Don't forget though that we've got a single at Alternative radio that is still climbing the charts as well. "The Sound" is by no means finished, and it is currently sitting at No. 24 on the chart. Be sure to head over to the Footsoldiers Request page and request the song!

We're working on having a "Your Love Is a Song" page ready for you soon!

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Switchfoot.com recently confirmed that the band will be playing at the US Open of Surfing on August 5th. More info here.




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Here's another Drew Shirley gear tour, posted by JHpedals.



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Switchfoot recently did an interview with TVU. Apparently there's a really huge tour coming soon in the fall that the interviewer kind of freaked out about... interesting. Anyways, watch on:



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Hurley.com posted a video recap of the Bro-Am. Interesting to watch; check it out.


View this video at Hurley.com

Monday, June 28, 2010

Bro-Am 2010 Recap

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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First of all, here's a little personal reflection I wrote about the main Bro-Am event on Saturday. If you don't care for that sort of thing, go ahead and skip down; we'll have our regular news items down there. Thanks friends!

In a wave of surfer-speak, surfers, rock music and great friends, this year's Switchfoot Bro-Am was a whirlwind of a day that passed way too quickly. I don't think I could've changed this day in any way to make it much better than it already was. The cause was brilliant, and the different organizations who had pitched tents throughout Moonlight Beach were filled with great volunteers, all happy and eager to talk to the passersby. I think it's awesome that so many people can come together for a day at the beach, while making a veritable difference for the world, with Stand Up For Kids, at the same time.

Hands down the greatest highlight of the day was that I got to meet Tim Foreman. He's just as chill as he appears in the podcasts, interviews and everywhere else. It was truly an honor to talk to him, and just walk up to him and say hello. Sorry if that seemed a little creepy at first, bro. Better yet, he thanked me and told me he checks the site all the time; a true honor, to say the least! But again, I'm telling you Tim, you're the one to be thanked!



Another great highlight was the drunk dude next to us during the Switchfoot concert. While hailing down expletives and causing an overall ruckus, when the band came on and played, he just closed his eyes and quite literally flowed with the music. Though he was plastered like crazy and quite obnoxious, he loved the music and sang along to almost every word. He was definitely a happy drunk. It never ceases to surprise and amaze me that music can have such a unifying effect on people, that people of every tongue and creed, whether atheist or religious, whether rough-around-the-edges or polite, can sing along to the same song. Love it.

Switchfoot rocked the house as usual. It was an abbreviated setlist, but the boys definitely packed punch into it and sent the crowd of maybe 8,000 people home happy. In addition to those there at the Bro-Am on Saturday, the band have certainly helped impact the lives of so many other people who weren't present that day, mainly the homeless kids who will one day be taken in and given a future thanks to Switchfoot's willingness to extend kindness to many. Jon Foreman made it a point during the show to say that it's time for we who have so much to start to spread it around to those who don't have so much. Point taken, sir.

Setlist

Needle and Haystack Life
Mess of Me
Stars
Gone
The Sound
Sabotage (Beastie Boys Cover)
Meant to Live
Dare You to Move

After the final chord, a day full of surfing and surf jousting, was complete. Thanks to Bryant, Chris, Alex, Becca, Jana, and Brittney for hangin' and being great! You guys made my day.

Here are a few photos:







More pictures I took from the day can be found on my Flickr, if you'd like to see them!

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Now, for the grand recap of Switchfoot Week in San Diego!

The Bro-Am festivities kicked off on Thursday, June 24, at the Del Mar Fair in San Diego. Here is the setlist that Switchfoot played. Looks like it was a pretty decent set:

Needle and Haystack Life
Mess of Me
Stars
Gone
Always
This Is Your Life
The Sound
Free
Yet
Your Love Is A Song
Hello Hurricane
Oh Gravity.
On Fire
American Dream
Love Is the Movement/Meant to Live

Encore:
Only Hope
Dare You To Move.


Now for some footage from the action:

Needle and Haystack



The Sound



Awakening



Yet



Hello Hurricane



On Fire



Only Hope and Dare You to Move



Miscellaneous songs



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The next day, Friday the 25, Switchfoot conducted the Bro-Am auction soiree, which featured some pretty awesome items. We heard from the SwitchfootBroAm twitter feed that there were items like a bowl made out of "Hello Hurricane" cd's, among other fantastic pieces of memorabilia. Be sure to read the Twitter feed to get a lowdown on all the action throughout this past weekend, by the way. But, here are a couple of videos from Switchfoot's private performance at the auction:

Against the Voices



^This song is going to be a hit if it is released as a single.

The Sound



^Notice the restraint Jon uses in singing the chorus at a lower octave. The guy was singing and giving 100% all weekend, so this is a refreshing and necessary change to the song.


Earlier in the day, the band played a few songs on San Diego's 94.9 (KBZT). LOBH has the scoop.

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And finally, on Saturday the 26th, the 6th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am entered full swing. Here are a few videos from the band's performance:

Needle and Haystack Life



Mess of Me



Sabotage



The Sound



Here's a video of Jon with a kid named Sean who was heading to Haiti after graduating highschool. He was one of the Stand Up kids whose life has been turned around for the better.



Meant to Live



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After the activity on the beach was all wrapped up, the whole affair was moved over to the 21-and-over-only Belly-Up, where Switchfoot played still more tunes. Man, these guys are machines!

Just Rob Me



Daisy



Against the Voices



Hello Hurricane




And with the Belly-Up afterparty thus concluded, Bro-Am 2010 is over. Hope to see you all next year!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Bro-Am Proposed Performance Times

For Bro-Am coverage and other goodies day of, be sure to follow my personal Twitter feed, as I will probably only be able to access that one. For other news, be sure to keep following the We're Awakening twitter feed.

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The Switchfoot Bro-Am Facebook page posted the proposed performance times for the event this Saturday. Here they are:

11AM — Dynamite Walls

11:35AM — Young The Giant

12:10PM — Kate Voegele

12:50 — Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants
...
1:30PM — Timmy Curran

2:10PM — The Almost

3:00PM — OK Go

3:50 — Jon Foreman & Friends

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Speaking of the Bro-Am, Chad Butler and Tim Foreman headed over to KUSI, a tv station, in San Diego to talk about the upcoming Bro-Am. Here's the tweet:

San diegans, Chad and I will be on KUSI tv at 8:45 am talking about the San Diego fair and bro-am. Go USA #worldcup What’s happening? team! -Tim

Apparently, they also ran into a Basketball legend:

What?! Bill Walton is here at the studio... Insane! -Tim http://yfrog.com/6bfssmj



^They are really short, in comparison!

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Here's a short blurb about Switchfoot's performance at the Busch Gardens, as well as a picture:



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"The Sound"

Be sure to keep up the requesting of "The Sound" on your local alternative radio stations. For a list of stations and request links, head over to the Footsoldiers HQ.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Chart Wednesday (Week of July 3, 2010); Jon Foreman on Turkeys and the Bro-Am

For Bro-Am coverage and other goodies day of, be sure to follow my personal Twitter feed, as I will probably only be able to access that one. For other news, be sure to keep following the We're Awakening twitter feed.

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It's time for a charts update, everyone! Last week saw "The Sound" take a big jump; this week, it tapered off a bit, but not before it took a two-spot jump, from 25-23.

On Christian Rock, it continued on pace to reach the top, slipping up from 3-2.

"Your Love Is a Song" jumped from 19-17 on Christian CHR, while holding steady at No. 33 on Christian Songs.

The Footsoldiers HQ has a new mission to help promote the Bro-Am and "The Sound" in San Diego this week. Make sure you join in! Be sure to continue your regular requesting as well!

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Jon Foreman has a new Huffington Post piece on the Bro-Am and... turkeys? Don't get it? Then read the piece here! Excerpt below:

Q: What is the difference between a turkey and a man imitating a turkey?

A: Only a couple of minutes: a turkey never breaks character.

I am in the Tokyo Narita airport on a nine hour layover. I should be counting sheep. But alas, I am pondering the turkey. And in my jet-lagged state, I wonder what the implications are for the turkeys, and for the rest of us.

Study the turkey, look at his movements, watch him go. A turkey doesn't try to look like a turkey. He doesn't study or practice in front of a mirror. He (assuming our turkey is a he?!) won't call his turkey buddies over and say, "Fellas! Watch my turkey impersonation. Look at the way I move my head! Watch how I walk -- It's all so turkey-like!"


Be sure to read on!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Getting psyched for Bro-Am; More touring videos

For Bro-Am coverage and other goodies day of, be sure to follow my personal Twitter feed, as I will probably only be able to access that one. For other news, be sure to keep following the We're Awakening twitter feed.

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Switchfoot's Jon Foreman and Drew Shirley were on Fox 5 this morning in San Diego to do an interview in advance of Bro-Am week. Check it:

 

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Switchfoot performed a few shows on their way back here to the states. Here are some from the gig they played at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio on June 19, 2010.

Your Love Is a Song



Free



Hello Hurricane



Yet (with Jon Foreman talking about Chad Butler)



Meant to Live



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Switchfoot also played the Busch Gardens on the 20th:

The Sound



Mess of Me
Free
Only Hope

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Time to also kick "The Sound" promotion into high gear. As we all know, Footsoldiers, this week is Bro-Am week in San Diego. So, in honor of that, let's attack the phones and request links of the Alternative stations in that area to raise awareness.

First off, request "The Sound" on 91x's Really Big Countdown by emailing christy@91x.com, subject line: Really Big Countdown Submission. If you live in the area, better yet, call in to request the song and let them know how excited you are for the Bro-Am! 570-191X

Next, use this eform to request "The Sound" on 949 KBZT. You can slo call in: 619-570-1949

Let's do this footsoldiers!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Ireland Videos, 89x Detroit Videos, and more!

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Hello everyone. Just wanted to make an extra weekend post, since updates have been scant in recent days. Switchfoot has been touring hard, rocking faces and taking names, and the footage that is available out there is proof.

First off, here are a few videos from a TV broadcast of Switchfoot's gig in Ireland.

Free



The Sound



Meant to Live



On Fire



^Amazing.

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Speaking of TV, here's some more television footage of Switchfoot, this time rockin' it in Lumen. Check out that venue!

Needle and Haystack Life



Mess of Me



Here's another video, this time, of the band playing "Only Hope" at Ichthus in Kentucky, June 17.



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And yesterday, Switchfoot played Detroit's 89x Bitches Ball. Strange name notwithstanding, here are a few clips:

Meant to Live



For more, check out this user's channel


Welp, that's it for now! We'll be back Monday. Have a great weekend!

Friday, June 18, 2010

"The Sound" of the media

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Yes yes yes, not the greatest of titles, but what can I do?

Hi everyone! Sorry the updates have been a bit on the slow side lately. Been busy working this week, and employment has its ways of draining you in every way possible on the physical, emotional, and spiritual level... but mostly physical! We got NONE of our goals, but that's okay.

So here is the latest news update, though there isn't much to report in Switchfoot land.

On the good news end of the spectrum, check out our chart update from Wednesday (if you haven't already) for news on how "The Sound" and "Your Love Is a Song" are doing on the Billboard charts. The news is good this week!

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In other news, our YouTube campaign for "The Sound" has been solid. Though we didn't accomplish any of the goals we set for this campaign, we did have some solid numbers for the video:

#44 - Most Discussed (Today))
#4 - Most Discussed (Today)) - Music
#39 - Most Discussed (This Week)) - Music
#61 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - Australia
#59 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - Canada
#80 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - India
#60 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - New Zealand
#70 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music
#22 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - South Africa
#45 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - Mexico
#62 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - Netherlands
#78 - Most Viewed (Today)) - Music - Brazil
#73 - Top Favorited (Today))
#21 - Top Favorited (Today)) - Music
#9 - Top Rated (Today)) - Music
#73 - Top Rated (This Week)) - Music


Switchfoot's channel also got:

#53 - Most Viewed (Today) - Musicians

Be sure you share this video with everyone you know. Thought our 48-hour window is over, we can still keep sharing it around!

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With the new release of this music video, there has been some new press about it:

Audioperv
Indievisionmusic.com
Buzzgrinder
gather.com

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Jon Foreman commemorated the release of the new music video with a new huffington post article about John M. Perkins. Be sure to read it here

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Welp, that's about it for now! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Chart Wednesday: "The Sound" makes it's move!

We're Awakening would like to wish to the incredible Mr. John M. Perkins a wonderful 80th birthday. He is a truly inspirational character, and is forever immortalized in a song by Switchfoot that we all know and love today called "The Sound (John M. Perkins Blues)." Let justice roll down... Love is the final fight.

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Hey everyone, it's time for Chart Wednesday! Sorry it's a bit late, but we've got some great news on the radio front this week.

"The Sound" has experienced an absolute revival on Modern Rock, catapulting from 31-25, re-entering the Top 30. It's also the third in most increased plays on the format!



And now that the music video is released, we can hope to expect even more success in the weeks ahead! "The Sound" has also reached an all-time high on Christian Rock, vaulting from 7-3 on the format. Things are looking good.

In further Christian music news, "Your Love Is a Song" has entered the Top 20 on Christian CHR, jumping from 27-19, as well as going 36-33 on the national Christian Songs chart!

A successful week, I'd say! Be sure to join the YouTube campaign for "The Sound!"

Footsoldiers: "The Sound" music video YouTube Campaign



The Sound video campaign

Footsoldiers,

"The Sound" music video has been released online. It is the time to START PROMOTING.

Within the first 48 hours, we have a pivotal role to play in making this video huge on Youtube. We've done it with "Mess of Me." We can definitely improve on that and do even better with "The Sound!" We are the buzz makers; the fire starters. The video will speak for itself in the end, but we need to get it out there.

So here is what we need to do; these goals are based on the "Mess of Me" video campaign, but we may want to surpass these!

1. GOALS (48 hours)

1,500+ Ratings
1,500+ Favorites
5,000+ Comments
75,000+ Views

Note: Ratings are incredibly important on Youtube. The more ratings, the higher on search rankings videos get. This is the most important statistic on videos, so PLEASE RATE THE VIDEO.

2. FRONT PAGE

The ultimate result we're going for is to get the video featured regularly on Youtube's front page. Once you start seeing "The Sound" on Youtube's front page, we need you to CLICK into the video from the front page; what this will tell Youtube is that the video is being watched from the front page, prompting them to continue posting it there.



So that's it friends! We really need to band together to make this video a success, so let's get cracking!
We'll see you on "The Sound YouTube Comments!
- Jeanna (http://www.landofbrokenhearts.org) and Job (http://www.wereawakening.blogspot.com)

Monday, June 14, 2010

FootColumn: "The Sound" music video analysis



"The Sound" music video: it is powerful, abrasive, and most importantly, needed. From a Switchfoot fan's standpoint, this is definitely a welcome change from all the live montages the past few times around. But as a true concept video, "The Sound" portrays Jon Foreman's vision for the song perfectly, interspersed with black-and-white clips from the civil rights movement, as well as footage of John M. Perkins himself.

I feel like I always knew Mr. Perkins would sound like that; a wise, frail-yet-strong voice. It exudes a quiet confidence, one that is laced with experience yet covered in humility. I was afraid at first that they would cram too much spoken word into the video and take away from the music, but the balance is just right. In fact, it leaves one wanting to hear more about his story. Perhaps that was the intended purpose.

I must also say that I love the clip of Mr. Perkins actually saying the words, "Love is the final fight" during the song. It is an excellent way to tie the video and song all the more to him.

There is also a perfect moment during the quiet interlude before Drew Shirley's explosive guitar solo, where Perkins quotes the timeless scripture, "Though I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, it profits me nothing." It is perfect, correlating the band and the social activist's deep and personal faiths with the weighty themes they are trying to convey.

Switchfoot delivers a spirited performance in the band footage, and we can see some of that slow-motion half-time footage they shot sped into action here. The song itself is chaotic, and the video is edited in a way that lends itself to that chaos, making for a frustrating, but nonetheless appropriate view. The bead beads of sweat pouring down Jon's face and Tim Foreman's bass guitar are intriguing; it is as if they are sweating out the fight right alongside the John Perkinses and Martin Luther King Jr.'s of the world. The water that seems to pervade the scene throughout the band footage might be symbolizing the hoses that were used to beat back the protesters in the vintage shots, or they might represent the contrast to the flames we can see burning down the buildings -- the sound of love can douse the fires of hatred? Perhaps.

Whatever the interpretation, this is an important video. It might not be the kind of feel-good video that sells records, but it conveys exactly what Switchfoot wants to convey, and that may very well be it's strength. Jon Forman holding up the cardboard at the beginning of the video is a nice tough and appears to pay homage to another legend: Bob Dylan.

The thrust of the video might feel a bit vague and confusing for the casual viewer, but upon repeat views, the point of it all becomes clear: Love is the loudest sound.

John Perkins said it right...

Switchfoot wraps up the Europe tour 2010

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

Be sure to catch the new music video for "The Sound" here!

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It's been a great tour in Europe for Switchfoot, who concluded the European leg by playing two contrasting but pretty large festivals in the UK the past couple days. On Saturday, the boys played the Frenzy Festival in Scotland. The Scottish are insane! International fans truly put us Americans to shame, I'm telling you! Here are some videos:

Stars/Oh! Gravity.



Your Love Is a Song



Hello Hurricane



Needle
On Fire
Awakening
Only Hope

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Yesterday, the band played Download Fest, which featured a whose who of rock 'n' roll within the last few decades, including Slash, Billy Idol, Motorhead, Stone Temple Pilots, Aerosmith and more. Here are some of the tweets coming out of that raucous event:

@switchfoot:
- Played Download Fest today, with Slash, Billy Idol, Motorhead, STP, Aerosmith & others. We opened for Napalm Death. Wild, muddy insanity.

@jonathanforeman:
- Motörhead just played "Ace of Spades." Slash, B. Idol, Napalm Death, Dillenger Escape Plan, & Switchfoot already played. Typical day. ?
- wow. what a day. I'm amped to have be here- amped to be heading back to the states. California, here we come!

Jon and Chad even cracked out the old Myspace blog with some insight on how their day at the Download Festival went. Here it is reproduced below:

from chad:

Climbing into the Switchfoot tourbus I strip down to my boxers and throw my mud-soaked shoes and brown splattered jeans in a trash bag. We are enroute to London Heathrow after our first time playing at the Download Festival in Donington... and it was amazing!! There is nothing humanly possible that will wash the mud from my shoes or the smile from my face after such an epic day of Rock n Roll. We threw 30 minutes of heartfelt songs out to the Donington crowd who threw them right back, singing along while throwing fists in the air. Music is such a magical way to connect with thousands of strangers, at the end of it we were all singing the same song. Our dressing room was next to The Damned Things and we got to talking with Scott Ian from Anthrax and Andy and Joe from Fall Out Boy. After our set I stuck around to see our new friends play and I was glad I did. They played such epic guitar riffs and furious beats that everyone watching became honorary graduates of the school of Rock. I thoroughly enjoyed my education today and can't wait to return to Donington!

from jon:

Before I dropped out of college I used to work as a stage hand for the rock shows coming through. That was the first time I ever saw STP play live. Back then, pushing gear into the venue meant that I could see the show for free, (even get paid!). In some ways, very little has changed: at a festival like this I get paid to hang out, watch rock and roll, and even play a few tunes of our own.

But in other ways, it's a very different situation. Dreams I never even thought to dream have come to fruition. Playing rock and roll around the world has given us the chance to hang out with some of our heroes. Earlier this year Meatloaf put one of my songs on his record- Crazy! Today alone marked some pretty great memories: Shaking hands with Slash. Chatting with Dean DeLeo about the English weather. Playing immediately before Napalm Death. Standing next to Lemmy Kilmister on main-stage. These are surreal moments for me.

However, my favorite moment of the day came right before we left for the airport. Since I'm about to jump on a 12 hour flight home I decided that a shower would be appropriate. The portable showers were located across from our dressing room and right behind from main-stage. With all the other "firsts" that had occurred throughout the day, a "first" wash in a portable shower seemed fitting activity. As I washed the Donington mud off my body and shoes, Aerosmith burst into "Walk this way." Quite the serenade!

No, nothing has changed: I'm still singing rock and roll in the shower. Except now I'm backstage.



For a few more pictures, head over and check out the blog itself!

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Jon and Tim Foreman were interviewed on the UK alternative rock magazine Kerrang's Podcast:



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Footsoldiers

As you all know, "The Sound" music video was released yesterday. Be sure to share it around with as many people as you know!

We're working on getting the video onto YouTube. As soon as we have details on that, be sure to be follow this space as well as the Footsoldiers twitter feed for instructions. We're going to rock this thing, and since Switchfoot just recently hit over 50,000 subscribers on Youtube, the fields are ripe for the picking, so to speak!

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Speaking of "The Sound" video, be watching for a new FootColumn that I wrote up analyzing and picking it apart the best I can. If you're not into that sort of thing, no worries. I won't hold it against ya. :)

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Saturday, June 12, 2010

"The Sound" music video scheduled for release on Yahoo Music MONDAY, June 14!

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Remember the exciting news we were talking about the other day? Well, here it is! Just got clearance from Management and Atlantic to roll this out:

"The Sound" music video is set to premiere on Yahoo Music this coming Monday, June 14, 2010!

Yupp! Atlantic is ready to roll this baby out, just in time for "The Sound" making it's revival push up the Alternative radio charts! It's all very exciting really. So be ready! This will be amazing!

Friday, June 11, 2010

NEW Switchfoot songs soundchecked!

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Switchfoot played a show at Melkweg in Amsterdam last night. A couple of new songs emerged from the soundcheck! Thanks Deborah for posting these videos:

Dark Horses



A few snippets of songs that we don't know the title of:





ALSO, Before we see some more footage from the event, LOBH also has an exclusive NEW live MP3 of another soundcheck song from a different show, called "Against the Voices!" Head over to their site now to download it!

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Needle and Haystack Life



Mess of Me



Oh! Gravity.



Your Love Is a Song



^"the songs I hear on the radio, I'm glad I didn't write because they don't seem real..." Gotta love it. Also, listen for the tie-in to "Let Your Love Be Strong" during the chorus before the bridge. Awesome.

Only Hope and a portion of Dare You to Move



^Jon Foreman sounds particularly wistful during "Only Hope," from his description of San Diego to his compliment to the audience that "you sound beautiful."

Some more:

Bullet Soul
Enough
Free
Yet
On Fire
Hello Hurricane
This Is Your Life
Awakening
Meant to Live

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Footsoldiers

"The Sound" was No. 4 on KPNT last night! Let's keep it up and get the song onto the other three countdowns we've been targeting!

Q101's Top 9 at 9 (Chicago)
KPNT's 5 Songs That Don't Suck (St. Louis)
91x Christy Taylor's Really Big Countdown (San Diego) (email christy@91x.com, subject line: Really Big Countdown Submission)

One more day, let's do this!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Potential Switchfoot/Paper Route Tour

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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According to Concert Ideas, Switchfoot is working on getting a tour together with Paper Route and The Almost. Here's the source Tweet:

- Switchfoot will be going on tour with The Almost and Paper Route in October and November and are looking for dates.

Management says that it's definitely in the works, but nothing concrete is happening yet. Sit tight Paper Route and The Almost fans!

I think it's a good mix; Aaron Gillespie recently left his old group, Underoath, and is now focused primarily on The Almost, which should make for a good show. Paper Route is definitely one of the bigger indie bands out there, and I know many a Switchfoot fan (LOBHers, we're lookin' at ya! ;) ) will be STOKED for this tour. We'll keep you all posted.

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Stay tuned tomorrow, because we've got some pretty exciting news in store... that's all I can say for now, though I'm DYING to break it to you all. :)

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Here's a video of Jon Foreman and Drew Shirley performing an acoustic rendition of "Mess of Me" at Fritz Club Beach, Berlin.



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CHARTS

"The Sound" continues its rise on the Mediabase. Today, it is back at No. 31, on the verge of re-entering the Top 30! We need to keep this going, so make sure you're requesting the single at your local alternative station! Also, thanks to your efforts, the latest Footsoldiers campaign has been successful so far!

Let's keep it up! We MISSED all the countdowns AGAIN last night. So, here are the voting links/instructions to get that going again:

Q101's Top 9 at 9 (Chicago)
KPNT's 5 Songs That Don't Suck (St. Louis)
91x Christy Taylor's Really Big Countdown (San Diego) (email christy@91x.com, subject line: Really Big Countdown Submission)

Let's do it!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

"The Sound" is the Most Added song on Modern Rock; Switchfoot EF Interview; some old Jon Foreman/Fiction Family videos; Switzerland videos

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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In what can be considered a miraculous resurrection, "The Sound" is the most added song at Modern Rock/Alternative radio this week!



"The Sound" also vaults a spot to No. 31 on Alternative songs and is experiencing a resurgence. It falls a spot on Christian Rock.

"Your Love Is a Song" also continues to do well, making it's debut on Christian CHR, entering at No. 27. On Christian Songs overall, the song takes a one-spot jump to No. 36.

Great work with the requesting! See the bottom of today's post for instructions on how to help out!

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EntertainmentFocus on Youtube did a two-part interview with three of the guys from Switchfoot. Check it out:

Part 1



Part 2



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Keith Tutt, the esteemed cellist who has played in many a Switchfoot, Jon Foreman, and Fiction Family record and show, has uploaded a few new videos to Youtube. Here they are:

Southbound Train (Live from the Stageful of Awesome tour)



Learning How to Die



War In My Blood (Fiction Family tour)



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And, a couple of Switchfoot videos from Switzerland:

Needle and Haystack Life



Your Love Is a Song



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"The Sound" is re-surging on U.S. Modern Rock radio. To keep it going, make sure you're requesting the single at your local alternative station! Also, thanks to your efforts, the latest Footsoldiers campaign has been successful so far!

Let's keep it up! We MISSED all the countdowns last night. So, here are the voting links/instructions to get that going again:

Q101's Top 9 at 9 (Chicago)
KPNT's 5 Songs That Don't Suck (St. Louis)
91x Christy Taylor's Really Big Countdown (San Diego) (email christy@91x.com, subject line: Really Big Countdown Submission)

^If we can keep these up until the guys get back from Europe two weeks from now, we will have done an excellent job!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

BREAKING: "Your Love Is a Song" scheduled for a Top 40 Mainstream release June 29, 2010!

Allaccess:



(Thanks David!)

Looks like Atlantic will be going with the double single; pushing "The Sound" and "Your Love Is a Song" at different formats simultaneously. Could be a good idea! Thoughts?

Monday, June 7, 2010

Switchfoot Bro-Am Lineup announed; Switchfoot plays Slovakia

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Thanks to several sources, we have the band lineup for the upcoming Switchfoot Bro-Am. Who's going?


Timmy Curran, Dynamite Walls, Jon Foreman and Friends, OK Go, Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants, The Almost, Kate Voegele and Young the Giant. The concert/surf contest will take place on Saturday, June 26th, at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas.


Some pretty good names in the lineup this year. Tell your friends, and try to make it out yourself! For even more info on this year's Bro-Am, check out switchfoot.com.

Here is the promo video for this year's event, as well as a recap video from last year.



2009 Switchfoot Bro Am from Jedidiah Clothing on Vimeo.



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Next, here are videos from Switchfoot's Slovakian show!

Opening + Needle and Haystack Life



Stars and Oh! Gravity.



Mess of Me



Your Love Is a Song



On Fire



Awakening



Only Hope



The Sound



Meant to Live



Hello Hurricane



Dare You to Move



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"The Sound" is re-surging on U.S. Modern Rock radio. To keep it going, make sure you're requesting the single at your local alternative station! Also, thanks to your efforts, the latest Footsoldiers campaign has been successful so far!

"The Sound" has made it onto two of the countdowns we're targeting. Last Friday, we got to No. 3 on KPNT in St. Louis and No. 2 on 91x in San Diego!

Let's keep it up! Here are the voting links/instructions!

Q101's Top 9 at 9 (Chicago)
KPNT's 5 Songs That Don't Suck (St. Louis)
91x Christy Taylor's Really Big Countdown (San Diego) (email christy@91x.com, subject line: Really Big Countdown Submission)

^If we can keep these up until the guys get back from Europe two weeks from now, we will have done an excellent job!

Friday, June 4, 2010

PRESS RELEASE: Switchfoot Presents Sixth Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am presented by Hurley

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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June 4, 2010
PRESS RELEASE

Multi-platinum rock act Switchfoot presents sixth annual Switchfoot Bro-Am presented by Hurley featuring a pre-event auction night, charity surf contest and concert, and Belly Up after-party hosted by Teva & Switchfoot -- all to benefit local chapters of StandUp For Kids.

Switchfoot Bro-Am Auction Night Soiree
When: Friday, June 25, 2010, 6pm
Where: Private La Jolla Farms Home
Tickets: $100, www.switchfoot.com/p/broam

6th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am presented by Hurley
When: Saturday, June 26, 2010
Where: Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, CA
Surf contest: 7am-3:30pm
Concert: 11am-5pm
*Performers to be announced June 7!
*A free event featuring a surf contest, concert, beach vendors, and more!

Switchfoot Bro-Am After-Party at the Belly Up Hosted by Teva & Switchfoot featuring Silent Comedy, The Howls, and Special Guests
When: Saturday, June 26, 2010, doors 8pm/show 9pm
Where: The Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach
Tickets: $17 advance/$19 day-of, 858/481-8140, www.bellyup.com



(Encinitas, CA) -- The Switchfoot Bro-Am surf contest and concert returns to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas on Saturday, June 26, 2010. An annual event near and dear to Switchfoot's hearts, the Bro-Am was created to give back to the San Diego community while benefiting a local children's charity through funds raised at a pre-event auction night set for Friday, June 25, as well as from vendors on the beach day-of, sponsorships, and an after-party at the Belly Up Tavern.

The 6th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am presented by Hurley will benefit the San Diego and Oceanside chapters of StandUp For Kids, a national nonprofit volunteer outreach organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk, homeless, and street kids. (www.standupforkids.org)

"The Bro-Am has been my favorite day of the year ever since we started it back in '05," notes Switchfoots's Jon Foreman. "To see our hometown come together to help out a deserving group of kids is an incredible experience -- surfing, music, and the San Diego scene at its best. We feel truly honored to again partner with StandUp For Kids, an incredible organization serving at-risk youth here in San Diego and across the country. Last year was our biggest year ever, and we hope to top it again this year."

"StandUp For Kids is extremely proud that Switchfoot has chosen our Southern California programs as the beneficiary of their Bro-Am again this year," notes Rick Koca, founder and CEO of StandUp For Kids. "Their dedication, support, and commitment to the homeless and street kids of Southern California is unequaled. For Jon and the band it isn't just about raising funds, but getting to know the kids and the volunteers. Their impact in Southern California is felt long after the last surfboard is put away, the last song has been played, and the last fan has left the beach."

The Switchfoot Bro-Am will again work with San Diego-based Sustainable Waves to offer cutting-edge solar-powered sound and staging. Sustainable Waves utilizes the renewable energy sources of the sun to deliver 100% pollution-free concerts. By using solar power rather than a diesel generator or grid power, the Bro-Am will avoid emitting approximately 1,000 lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere (the equivalent of not driving your car approximately 1,100 miles or the annual sequestration of 66 trees).

In addition to the surf contest and live music performances, the beach day will also feature a nerf surf jousting exposition between surf contest heats and an expression session.

This year's surf contest participants so far include riders representing Hurley, Billabong, Surfer Magazine, Jedidiah, Surf Ride, Macbeth, Jet Pilot, AKA, and Surfline.com, as well as professional surfers Rob Machado, Tom Curren, and Timmy Curran, and members of Switchfoot.

A free concert on the beach will feature performances by a number of well known local as well as national bands. The lineup will be announced June 7. Past performers have included Jason Mraz, Tristan Prettyman, Timmy Curran, Tom Curren, The New Archaic, Jane Carrey Band, Switchfoot, and many more.

This year's beach vendors include the Surfrider Foundation, Pizza Port, Nika Water, Harney Sushi, Surf Ride, Keep A Breast, Quiver Boardworks, California Quivers, Love Nail Tree, INT, Surf Aid, Jedidiah, So Cal Kettle Corn, Walking On Water, the Belly Up, 91X, To Write Love On Her Arms, Life's Rad, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Outside The Bowl, Le Grand Cru, Hurricane Olympics, Project7, Zinka, Water For Christmas, We Minus Me, Vitamin Water, GenerateHope, Tonic, Give Clothing, Green Cruiser, Inc., Clif Bar, Nature's Agave, and more. Clothing brand Hurley will also have its "Phantom Truck" on location, allowing beachgoers to customize boardshorts, win prizes, and potentially win an all-expense-paid trip to Indonesia with Rob Machado and the Hurley Team.

"The Bro-Am has always been about good times and good causes and I'm proud Hurley is a part of it," says surfing icon Rob Machado. "Plus, it's always interesting to surf with my left foot forward. I can't wait."

An after-party hosted by Teva and Switchfoot featuring the Bro-Am All-Stars, Silent Comedy, and The Howls will take place that night at The Belly Up Tavern to help raise additional funds for StandUp For Kids.

"This is the event of the year," Koca concludes. "Switchfoot comes home to tell these kids that they care about them, that the kids count, and they'll keep talking about America's homeless and street kids for as long as it takes."

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Drew Shirley gives a gear tour; Koln show video recap

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Check out this video of Drew Shirley showing and describing his gear rig. It is quite insightful.



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Switchfoot played their first show in Germany last night (in Köln to be exact). Here are some videos that have emerged from that time.

Needle and Haystack Life



Your Love Is a Song



On Fire



Meant to Live



And Jon Foreman even played an after show. Here's "Rob Me"



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Here are some more videos from the great London show a couple nights back.

Oh! Gravity.



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Oh, and Your Love Is a Song at the Big Church Day Out, with a great monologue at the beginning:



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In other news, the new Footsoldiers campaign has been successful so far!

Thanks to your efforts, "The Sound" has made it onto two of the countdowns we're targeting, getting to No. 3 on 91x two nights in a row and No. 5 on KPNT's 5 Songs That Don't Suck countdown. It has yet to get onto Q101's Top 9 at 9.

Let's keep it up!

Q101's Top 9 at 9 (Chicago)
KPNT's 5 Songs That Don't Suck (St. Louis)
91x Christy Taylor's Really Big Countdown (San Diego) (email christy@91x.com, subject line: Really Big Countdown Submission)

^If we can keep these up until the guys get back from Europe two weeks from now, we will have done an excellent job!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Switchfoot's "Always" on The Hills; Switchfoot's London show

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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As reported last night, Switchfoot's "Always" was featured on the Californian-tween-angst television show, "The Hills." Whatever your views on this show are, it's still sweet Switchfoot got placement on a show that has close to 2 million viewers. Click the link below the picture to watch:



The Hills (Season 6) | Ep. 6 | 'Ghost From The Past'

go to 13:23 to hear "Always."

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It's interesting to note that "Always" has now gotten placement in two major TV shows now (the other being Grey's Anatomy back in February). It's also gotten the expected sales spike on iTunes, now sitting just behind "Dare You to Move" as the top-selling Switchfoot song.

Does this put the song in line for potential single status; a possible follow-up to "Your Love Is a Song" at mainstream AC radio? Only time will tell, and we are only on single #2 with "The Sound" after all, but it's interesting to think about. What do you all think?

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Now, to the ongoing Switchfoot tour out in the UK. The guys played a memorable show in London last night, one that Jon Foreman called their "first proper Switchfoot show" in the Great Britain.

"london, thank you for a night I will not soon forget. some of my favorite moments in life and music have been here in your town- thank you" - @jonathanforeman

"London = Amazing. Off" - switchfoot

Here are a few videos from the evening:

Needle and Haystack Life



Your Love Is a Song (with bits of Gone and Bullet Soul)



Sabotage



Happy Is a Yuppie Word/Free



Yet



On Fire



Meant to Live



Dare You to Move



^Looked like a great show. Germany tonight!

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CHARTS WEDNESDAY

It's time for the Billboard charts update for this week!

"Your Love Is a Song" stays strong, vaulting 6 spots from 43-37 on Christian Songs.

With even more good news on the Christian scene, "The Sound" jumps back up to No. 6 on Christian Rock, up three spots from No. 9 last week.

On the Alternative Songs chart, "The Sound" holds at No. 32. This is pretty impressive, considering the long weekend and the typical holiday slump for radio songs. Let's hope it gets a resurrection in the upcoming week!

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Head over to Footsoldiers HQ for more details on the latest campaign. We got to No. 5 on 91x last night! Let's keep it going!