It must be nice for a band like Switchfoot to play an intimate venue like Martini Ranch.
The pop rock band sold out tonight's show, and the audience, which was made up of mostly 20- and 30-something's, actually sung along, danced and clapped to the music.
Switchfoot released their seventh studio album, Hello Hurricane, this past Tuesday, and the crowd did their homework quickly, singing along to every song from the album.
"I don't know how you guys are already singing along," said guitarist/vocalist Jon Foreman. "It's amazing. You're officially our favorite crowd ever."
The band played the album in its entirety, something Foreman said was something the band's always wanted to do.
"What's happening for us is a dream come true right now," Foreman said.
The band even lifted the seagull design from the album cover and used that as the backdrop on stage, as well as put up some hanging birds from the ceiling. It was refreshing to see the band make the most of the space, which can be bare bones because of how small it is.
The group also had a top-notch lighting show, which went along with the tone of the songs. More upbeat songs had strobe lighting, and slower songs had pretty blue tones. It was another way to make the show feel more like a concert, rather than just a little Martini Ranch shindig.
Foreman told the crowd it was the band's intention to play smaller venues in support of this album. Switchfoot's played bigger crowds at Marquee Theatre before, but he said the band wanted to showcase the new stuff to their biggest fans.
After playing the album, the band walked off and came back for a five-song encore, including hit tracks such as "Meant to Live," "Stars" and "Oh! Gravity." The band also played a "song they never play, "Yesterdays," dedicating it to a man in the audience who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Foreman got even closer to fans by moving into the crowd and walking to the back of the venue, allowing them to reach out and touch him as he sang.
The band closed with their single, "Dare You to Move," ending the night with a positive message.
Switchfoot proved they're better live than on the recordings, and they really made an effort to connect with their fans during the show. For audience members, the show was a rare treat to see the popular band.
