Bro-Am 2010 Recap

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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!