Switchfoot on music as scaffolding for the soul

CEBU, Philippines - Over the years, the Philippines has become a regular stop for a growing number of international acts. As if the country has transformed into some sort of musical shangri-la over the past five years, Filipinos are in the throes of getting passes to events, one after the other, to catch that elusive experience. After all, their favorite artist might not be coming back until after the next blood moon.

But it seems that these acts only know of one place out of seven thousand others in the archipelago: the Imperial Manila.

Much to the dismay of fans who have no extra cash to book a flight, let alone concert tickets for general admission, the rest of the population have to console themselves with “next times” and glean whatever they can from social media; and are made honorary members of the highly revered #TeamBahay club of fund-unfortunate fans.

Switchfoot however, has a much more updated map.

For the first time, the Grammy award-winning band ended the drought and played live for Cebuanos at The Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu last April 19.

The South California-based band, comprised of Jon Foreman (lead vocals), Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (keyboards), and Drew Shirley (guitar), revealed that they were excited to finally be in Cebu after performing four times in Manila.

“It’s about time!” Tim Foreman exclaimed during a press huddle at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

Switchfoot revealed they can’t help but come back to the country, given that one-fourth of the band is Filipino. The band’s keyboardist, Fontamillas, was born in Pasay and hails from the northern part of the archipelago in the chilly areas of Baguio.

“Well that’s because 20 percent of the band is Filipino,” Jon jested. “We’re very excited to be here in Cebu for the first time. The Philippines has always been very close to our hearts—as you know, Jerome Fontamillas happens to be from here and he’s one of the finest people on the planet.”

Jerome said that he has been the catalyst in bringing the rest of the band to the country.

“The first time, it was an amazing trip and we thought that we’ve always got to come back,” he says. “It always feels like home to us. For me, when I play in front of Filipinos, I feel like I’m in this big family reunion. This is my family and this is my people. We always try to come out here any chance we get.”

The band released their latest album, “Where the Light Shines Through,” last July after being inspired by a short trip to the Philippines.

“We had the chance to go out to Tondo last year and to see first-hand all of these kids, especially the kids who are living in these difficult situations,” Jerome said, as he recalled creating the music video for their song “Float” in Tondo’s streets.

 “I feel like that was a pivotal point for us when making the track and I feel like that moment was the epiphany when we thought, ‘Okay this is what the record needs to be and this is why we’re making it.’ To be back so quickly and to be playing these songs is incredible,” Jon shared

“A wound is a place where you run away from it or face it head on,” Jon explains of the song’s full line which is “the wound is where the light shines through.”

“We all have these parts of us and this is an album that’s facing the wounded areas, the darkness, and seeing the light shine through from these spots, and seeing beauty come from the ashes. It’s been a beautiful record to travel around with,” he adds.

Fans also had the chance to chat with their idols during the press conference. In a touching moment, a fan who came all the way from Butuan, got to meet her “brothers at heart.” The fan, who works as a teacher, had promised herself to attend to any of the band’s events she can get to, and had asked the band and the huddled crowd to pray for her mother’s recovery from stage 3 cancer.

When asked about why they write about the songs that they perform despite having other much more relatable and profitable themes to discuss, Jon says that it would be a waste of time to sing about something you aren’t fully committed to.

“Music is this chance to dive into conversations we don’t have very often. We live our lives, talk about weather and the surface things, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” the frontman began.

“Things that terrify me, hopes, doubts, fears, love, sex, God—all these things that are difficult to talk about even with your closest friends but you can put them in a song and sing it to a stranger. I take full advantage of that. This has been a lifelong journey and as you grow up, the questions change. It’s a gift. It’s an absolute gift,” Jon said, remembering the tough patch he had in junior high where he realized that he could sing about things he couldn’t talk about.

The band also quoted country singer Dolly Parton who said: “If you ain’t crying [while performing] it, why are you singing it?”

In their short stay in Cebu, it seemed quite early to ask the Grammy award-winning band about what they’ve enjoyed most about the city—but members however offered what they loved about the Philippines in general.

“The people here know how to eat. I mean really know how to eat,” guitarist Drew Shirley shared after recounting the details of his very first encounter with the local delicacy buwad (dried fish). “We’ve been fed so much and so well and I guess that speaks to the family atmosphere. The people just love to gather around.”

Tim Foreman however, dwelled on the less tangible but just as satisfying concepts. “I like the laughter,” the bassist simply said, leaning back into his seat. “There’s more laughter in the Philippines than anywhere else in the world. I love that.”

Jerome said he is always reminded of home saying, “I love the people because they remind me of the people back home. How I interact with them is how I interact with you. They’re just like you guys, they’re fun, and they remind me of who I am. The kids that run around, remind me of my kids.”

“To be halfway around the world and to be so comfortable, to feel like you’ve made so many friends is amazing,” Chad Butler shared. “Thank you for the hospitality.”

Switchfoot has been trying its best to champion positivity and hope. And as the US has been suffering from divisiveness, the band is doing their best to shed some light to Donald Trump’s America, and to the world in general.

“We made a song called ‘Looking for America’ which kind of tackles all of that turmoil head-on. In this democracy, there’s an incredible concept that we, the people, define who we are,” Jon said of the record, which was written and released before the recent US presidential elections.

 “I think there’s so many divisive instruments available to us online. People often very quickly resort to sharp words used for cutting and they don’t have very much value in putting people together. You would say something that you would never say to someone face to face.”

The band stressed however that despite the divisiveness going on, there are still many things that brings us all together.

“As a musician, it’s my chance to say what I want through a song in a way that can bridge people together. We all look differently, we have different beliefs and opinions about the way politics should happen but there are so many things that hold us together, and there are so many things that we have in common,” Jon explained.

Switchfoot, which loves playing in back alleys and coffee shops after shows to sing the songs that didn’t make it to the set list, has a message to fans who feel uplifted and inspired by their music.

“Rock and roll can be guilty of being superficial and shallow. It can be that, but music can also dive deep and talk about these issues of hope, pain, fear and all these things. Sometime music can be the scaffolding for the soul where you can reach higher than you would,” Tim shared. “The song gives you the ability to go to places you wouldn’t go to otherwise.  It’s been that for me, and I’m so honored when somebody else says that our songs have been that for them, that’s incredible.”

The alternative rock band has performed in the country for two consecutive Easter Sundays. Up next for them are major tours throughout Europe and the US. Plans for a new album, are not on top of the list just yet.

“We’re very fortunate to have a studio to work on in our hometown in San Diego that allows us to be home more, and spend time with our families,” Chad said. “Spontaneous things happen but the majority are being written on the road.”

Chad shared how Jon can be found at the back of planes, vans, and hotel rooms writing music. The frontman even revealed to writing one during their arrival in Cebu.

“I don’t know if it’s about Cebu but it sure sounds like Cebu,” Jon’s brother, and band bassist, Tim, teased.

Jon said that it takes so many things and elements to form one album, and more so to produce one so quickly. “There’s always a possibility that we might make another record. Every record, we kind of distance ourselves from it and we want to be making music for the right reasons.”

Jon says that between making records, they break the gang up and try to talk things through to figure out if they have something new to say—one that would precipitate another tour around the world. The price for an album is hefty, often costing not just cash but energy and precious time away from the family.

“You have to determine the worth of what you’re doing before you jump into it. It feels like the heartbeat behind what we want to do. If you don’t truly deeply feel what you’re singing about, then sing something else,” Jon quipped.

Until the next visit to the country (a promise Switchfoot fans can count on), the band will continue to champion the well-deserved anthems of hope to the hearts they reach through their music.