Wednesday night, March 5th, at the City Winery in New York City, Jon Foreman took the stage in support of his solo album ‘In Bloom.’ Jon had played in this very room in April 2018. I’ve always wanted to see him live, but that time I wasn’t in my best years since I came to the U.S. Switchfoot was one of my jams back in the day; I played tracks acoustically like ‘Dare You to Move’ and ‘Meant to Live,’ and I was good at it.
Two and a half years ago, when I had just started concert photography, I had the opportunity to cover Switchfoot for ION INDIE MAGAZINE. The show was held on the rooftop at Pier 17 during the ‘Help from My Friends Tour’ with Matt Nathanson and Blue October. Oh boy, that was wild when Switchfoot took the stage with their opening track ‘Stars.’ I could hardly start photographing them because of the excitement I felt. It was amazing to see my hero in front of me; I wasn’t just there to jam but to photograph them.
Hey, let me get back to the night at the City Winery. Jordy Searcy did really well opening for Jon, who later also joined him for the entire set. Jordy was the perfect artist to set the stage, kind of like John Mayer's vibe from his album ‘Room for Squares,’ mixed with Jason Mraz and a twist of Jack Johnson. He was very good; he knows how to open and entertain a crowd.
Minutes later, Jon’s band members slowly walked onto the stage, and the crowd started clapping their hands, including me. I actually got really nervous when I saw Jon at the center of the stage. I don’t know, maybe it was because of his strong energy as a Christian, and I’ve been a born-again Christian for just a year now. He had this charisma—how he smiles, how he interacts with the crowd. There is something especially captivating about Jon for me. Then they played Switchfoot’s ‘Meant to Live,’ and I started shaking. He then came down from the stage, brought a ukulele, and asked someone to hold his microphone as he played a rendition of ‘Lean on Me,’ which the crowd sang along to, including me.
The performance unfolded through captivating storytelling and featured additional tracks from Foreman's latest album, including poignant moments like "Eulogy," which he performed alongside Searcy. Following this, Searcy remarked, "I know all the songs," to which Jon humorously replied, "You know more than I do." Foreman made it somewhat easier for the audience by including covers of songs such as Nirvana's "In Bloom" and a rendition of a Beach Boys classic, culminating in an encore that showcased two of Switchfoot's most popular hits. As "Only Hope" initiated the encore, Foreman called out, "Where's Jordy Searcy? Where you at?" Searcy quickly bounded back onto the stage, reminiscent of an eager puppy, to join the band for the evening's closing number, "Dare You to Move."
The performance concluded with a resounding standing ovation, accompanied by enthusiastic cheers and shouts from the audience as the band took two bows to mark the show's conclusion. The mutual appreciation between the band and the audience was palpable, creating an unforgettable evening for both devoted fans of Foreman and newcomers to Searcy. Foreman wrapped up the night by stating, “The rest of the guys in Switchfoot send their regards. We are currently in the process of writing a rock and roll album.
Commenti