There might not be a better way to spend the weekend than to soak in the sunlit glow and musically charged vibe of the beach. This was exactly what everyone was up to last Oct. 22-23 at Sanuk’s Opening Act event in San Juan, La Union, featuring surfer-musician Donavon Frankenreiter.
Escaping the hustle and bustle of the metro, Opening Act drew a crowd of music enthusiasts, surf junkies and beach fanatics alike. This group of free spirits was treated to a costume surfing competition, beasal (beach futsal), ultimate frisbee and, of course, chill-out music by Frankenreiter himself.
Hailing from San Clemente, California, Donavon got bit by the surfing bug early on and it was surfing that led him to find his desire to make music.
“I fell in love with surfing first. I started surfing at age 10,” remarks Donavon.
“Then it was on a surf trip that I saw a guitar and started to play music at the age of 16, so I’m a surfer who plays music,” he says.
Donavon met Jack Johnson while on a surf trip in Hawaii and signed on to the latter’s label in 2002. Since then, Donavon has become an accomplished artist himself, with seven albums under his belt and an eighth album due for release at the end of the year.
A surfer that plays music, he is indeed, with the more than occasional traveling that comes with the territory as an endorser for international brands Billabong and Sanuk.
After the five-day trip to the Philippines, Donavon will be off to California then Costa Rica, Brazil, New Zealand, back to Brazil again, then Australia—and on goes the sweet life.
Music and surfing
“Surfing takes you to some crazy places around the world,” he says. “I think traveling, being part of different cultures, living in different countries, doing all that sort of lifestyle, and living are what influenced my music in a way. And besides that, being married and having two kids and sort of this everyday life are kind of what influences my music. But definitely I feel like I’ve achieved everything in my life because of surfing,” he says.
It’s no surprise that Sanuk founder Jeff Kelley speaks of Donavon as the perfect ambassador for the brand.
“Donavon represents what I wanted Sanuk to be about,” Kelley says. “He’s actually been with us from the start, even before I had the name Sanuk officially registered. Most surf brands are extremely exclusive and target really competitive athletes to wear their products. Sanuk is the opposite. We want everyone to join our club,” he says.
Thai for “pursuit of happiness,” the word sanuk itself already says so much about what the brand is all about. Not only does it promote the spirit of adventure, but it also seems to encourage people to live in the moment and not take themselves too seriously—much like it’s founder and brand ambassador.
Weekend of fun
Opening Act is another testament to Sanuk’s easygoing positive vibe. The afternoon of Day One saw an amusing group of surfers, who competed dressed as their favorite childhood fictional characters. In the end, young wahine Tereze Lumdang emerged victorious, impressing judges Donavon, Kelley and Sanuk international sales head Rob Chase.
During the night, Donavon performed for his audience acoustic-style, adding to the feel-good vibe even more. And sure enough, true to adventurous form, he amused the crowd when a balut-eating session emerged as a sort of grand finale to his performance.
Kelley says they’ll try anything at least once. Guitarist Matt Grundy was a bit more skeptical of the famous Pinoy delicacy, but tried it anyway, along with Chase.
I asked if there was anything else left to accomplish for someone like Frankenreiter and the wanderlust-driven kind of Renaissance man he represents. He says he would love to paint and garden if he ever finds the time.
Giving back
But one thing he doesn’t pass up on is the chance to give back, despite an ultra-busy schedule touring. He has done benefits for Love Hope Strength (a nonprofit organization that helps
people with cancer), lifeguards, public schools and SurfAid, among others.
He’s also heading to Sendai, Japan, in May 2012 for a benefit concert, and will be working with 10-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater for another cancer benefit.
“I love doing charity work. It’s beautiful. It feels good,” said Frankenreiter. The guy just can’t stop spreading positivity. He agrees he’s pretty busy for a laid-back guy.
Taking a bit of advice from Frankenreiter and the philosophy behind some feel-good sandals surely won’t hurt. After all, living life to the fullest is the ultimate goal.
