There was frenetic energy in the air as Switchfoot’s enigmatic frontman Jon Foreman looked at the crowd. The opening riffs of the band’s hit “Dare You To Move” filled the air.
Some 15 songs later, the audience had gone through a whole spectrum of emotions.
Jon said, “It is the greatest gift to sing these songs of hope with you halfway around the world … to be reminded of how big our God is, how small this world is, how connected we are…”
Switchfoot flew to Manila to headline the Walkway Easter Concert held in Bonifacio Global City. The event was the culmination of Church Simplified’s annual exhibit, “Walkway: Reflections on the Stations of the Cross,” which ran from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
Now on its eighth year, the interactive art installations presented a modern interpretation of this Holy Week tradition. Enhancing that goal was music, which has played a big part in Church Simplified’s ministry, including producing five albums of original Christian music.
“As a community, we have always believed in the power of the arts to be a medium that opens up the heart and mind,” said the church’s spiritual director, Bebo Bharwani.
Struggles, potentials
In 2013, Church Simplified started bringing in international acts to perform for the Easter concert. Among the artists that have graced the Walkway stage are Christian artists Gungor and Kye Kye, and crossover acts Jars of Clay and Mute Math.
On a clear night last Easter, Switchfoot’s Jon and Tim Foreman, Chad Butler, Andrew Shirley and Jerome Fontanillas opened the show with “Stars.”
Throughout the night, they served up big guitar riffs, power bass lines and thundering drums through songs like “Dark Horses,” “Let It Out” and “When We Come Alive.”
It was Switchfoot’s third visit to Manila. Jon proudly said that he was thrilled to be playing in the land of Jerome’s birth—“I am so excited to join voices with everyone in the Philippines. I am honored to be part of the community tonight.”
Chad added, “We were watching a YouTube video of the first time we came here, and I was struck by how loud the crowd was singing. That kind of energy is really unique to the Philippines.”
Andrew noted, “The Philippines, for me, has that community, where it’s like friends and family are so important to people.”
All five members of the band made no secret of how their faith has played a big part in the music they make. Tim explained it best: “I think we sing a lot about things we don’t understand. Things we struggle with. I think that is something that relates to everyone. Coming from different faiths, I think we can all agree on that. And that’s a good place to start a dialogue.”
‘Incredible gift’
Performing in Manila on Easter Sunday did have a more spiritual meaning for Jon. “It’s a beautiful thing. It feels like an incredible gift to see how the community of believers spans the globe.”
From its debut album “The Legend of Chin” to its current release “Fading West,” Switchfoot has created powerful songs that have connected with their listeners at every point.
“Dare You To Move” is probably its most memorable, and has touched home for so many reasons. “A good song can change over time and mean different things,” Jon said.
These days, the band is hard at work completing its 10th studio album and marking its 20th anniversary. The guys of Switchfoot have come a long way, both as musicians and as people, but their message remains clear.
