Christian rockers Switchfoot play outdoor set on Greene Street Intramural Fields Thursday night
Despite a rainy morning and soggy ground, the only thunder heard at the Greene Street Intramural Field was thunderous applause as Switchfoot took the stage Thursday night.
The Christian rock band’s performance, sponsored by Carolina Productions, brought a sizable crowd that left the venue with grass on their shoes but smiles on their faces.
Nashville indie rock group Paper Route, who has been on the road with Switchfoot for two weeks, opened the outdoor show with an energetic 30-minute set. The five-piece band had a laid-back, hip vibe and a percussion-heavy sound — at one point, beats resonated from an electronic pad, a full kit and a smaller drum set played by lead singer J.T. Daly. As the sounds of the synthesizer and effected guitars rang across the field, a picturesque yellow and blue sunset filled the sky, looking like the opening credits of “The Lion King.” The band kept the audience captivated, engaging them in the performance by initiating clapping patterns. Daly sat on the edge of the stage at one point, which garnered a few cheers from fans.
The crowd response grew tremendously as Switchfoot took the stage. Dressed in leather jackets, skinny jeans, combat boots and high-top Converse All-Stars, the musicians looked like true rock stars and commanded the stage like them, too. Illuminated by flashing colored lights, the group brought a rebellious, raw momentum to the stage that many audience members didn’t think the rockers had in them.
The show was marked with a great deal of audience participation, from clapping to call-and-response oohs and yeahs. Lead singer Jon Foreman jumped onto the drum kit, continuously gave his mic stand a push — leaving it teetering and on the verge of falling over — and brought his performance into the middle of the crowd, high-fiving fans on the way in and out.
While Switchfoot gained the biggest cheers for hits like “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live,” tunes that got fans screaming at the strum of the opening chords, the band members had a few surprises up their sleeves.
Foreman introduced an unexpected cover song early on in the set, the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage,” as a tribute to the late MCA. The frontman spit rhymes with ease and got the crowd to join in, too.
Later on in the show, the band brought Cocky onto the stage, proving that visitors to Columbia have College GameDay on their minds, too. USC’s esteemed mascot showed off his air guitar skills and crowed along with the band. Foreman sneakily weaved his way into the audience and sang from a platform in the middle of the field, leading a rowdy “Game-Cocks” cheer, too.
For a band that had its biggest hits almost 10 years ago, Switchfoot proved that talent hasn’t faded with the passing of time. Even though the majority of the crowd wasn’t familiar with the band’s newer material, the rockers’ passionate performance kept the audience dancing and cheering until the final note sounded.
Switchfoot lead singer Jon Foreman also extended the show with a solo, acoustic performance outside of Cool Beans on College Street afterward.