Honestly speaking...: I've learned to breathe Switchfoot

Last February 8, 2011 (yes, I still KNOW the date), I found out that Switchfoot is coming here in Manila. I saw the details and I know from that time that I can buy a ticket and watch. The only question was.. who will come with me?

I posted this poster to my facebook just to let my facebook friends here in Manila know about it. And if any friends of mine would love to go... with me.

So far, that time, no friend of mine wants to go. boohoo. See, this is my only problem whenever a favorite artist of mine's coming here to perform. I don't know anyone who would come with me and watch. Last 2009, I watched Katy Perry here and I know that I have a friend who loves her so we watched. Guess I was lucky then.

Then came March. A friend of mine posted a status saying that she wanted to go watch Switchfoot. Then hope came thru me. hahaha! I said that I wanted to watch too and then minutes later, our group of friends started commenting that they'd love to go too. So we decided that we're going to watch it. FINALLY! :D

Then came the last week of March. The show's date was April 29, 2011 and we still don't have tickets. I was so afraid of the phrase 'SOLD OUT' so before I hear it, I told my friend that we should buy tickets already. And we did. 3 of us did, anyway. So there. We had a reserved seat and I was so happy that day! I only have to wait for April 29th to come. :)

Then came April 29th. I was totally in a Switchfoot mode the whole day since I woke up. I downloaded songs that I still don't have particularly songs from Hello Hurricane. :)) Yeah, I downloaded late. :)) Then 4pm came and I started preparing myself. The time says, 7:30pm and I have to meet 2 of my friends at Shangri-la Mall before we go to the venue. I got there almost 6pm. shoot! And I thought that it was still very early to go to the venue so we decided to eat our dinner first. The next thing we know, it's already 6:30pm. So we hurried out the mall and searched for a cab. Unfortunately, all cabs we saw were taken! And I can see heavy traffic. Oh goodness!

Then we ended up falling in line at Shangri-la Mall's taxi bay. I was shocked to see 2 long lines. o.O And it was already 6:50pm. But that was our only choice--and safest. At least we're sure that we can get a cab there.. BUT.. we'll be arriving late. :(

7pm. 7:30pm. 8pm. finally we're next in line to have a cab. We're just distracting ourselves so we won't feel down at the fact that we're already freakin' late at the show. We assured ourselves that the front act of the show are still performing. -__- Then when we were in the cab, a friend of mine called her friend (who's going to the show, too) and learned that the gates are not opened yet. What a relief! We're not late! :))

We arrived there around 8:30pm and we saw lines outside the venue. We're so happy and thankful that we are there... on time. :))

So we were inside now. We are seated at the left side of the arena. 2nd row. We're so shocked 'cause we're near the stage!!! I'll be able to see Jon Foreman very well. :)) At 9pm, Imago, a local band here, performed. They were the front act. Thank God it's them. I like that band. Then the lights went off and we were just waiting for Switchfoot to step on the stage and start the show.

Then boom! The crowd screamed and just made noise and I saw a person walked on stage and I assumed that it was Jon Foreman so I stood up and then lights were on and there he was! I was right! Jon Foreman and the rest of the band were now on stage. Of course, the usual, he greeted us. Said something in Tagalog. He even said "Astig tayo!" And the crowd made noise. haha! I'm not surprised that he knows that because one of their band members is a Filipino. Or Filipino-American. Whatever. But he, Jerome Fontamillas, who plays piano and guitar in the band, is a Filipino.

Then they played The Sound then Stars! What a way to start the show! This 2 songs are amazing!! And I love Stars! Everything about that song, I love. Period. They played it and I was so on rock 'n roll mode. I was head banging, slightly at first and I was singing and screaming at the top of my lungs! It was fuuuuun!!

Then at the-almost-ending of the show, they slowed it down. They played Learning To Breathe and I was extremely happy! I was really hoping they'd play that and also Dare You To Move. Me, seeing Jon Foreman sing that favorite song of mine, made me feel soooo in love... with him! AHHH! He's all the synonym words of AWESOME! He's just.. FREAKIN' FANTASTIC!!

After they played Learning To Breathe, they played This Is Home. And after that, bam! Lights off! They were gone! As in gone off from the stage! I was shocked! I just couldn't believe they would leave like that. And then I waited for a couple more seconds and they didn't showed up so I sat for a while. Then the crowd chanted "We want more!" And a few seconds, they were out the stage again! :D

Jon said "Is it okay if we play 3 more songs?" Of course we all said 'YES!' Then they started playing their last 3 songs. They first played Only Hope and I was stunned! Jon, with his acoustic guitar, played another favorite song of mine! It was a great performance. The crowd's singing along with him and after the bridge of that song, the whole band played. AMAZING! I haven't heard it with the drums and all. just. WOW.

2nd to the last song was We Are One Tonight. Hello head banging! :)))) Jon was everywhere! He also climbed up the bars leading to the 2nd level of seats on the other side of the stage! He stayed there singing while fans went beside him "hoping" to get a not-blurry picture with him :))) I doubt that. :)) Before the song ended, he was back on stage.

And before they played the last song, he said something about music and that music has been a part of him since he was a kid. Like an escape. And then he said "This is a song about movement." I didn't get it at first and the crowd were making a noise and then they started playing and I still don't know what the heck that song is. hahaha! But I was thinking (or was I hoping?) that it's Dare You To Move. Then, finally, the tune became familiar. It was Dare You To Move! I screamed! That song is just my most favorite Switchfoot song!! I was sooooo happy that it was their last song! It's special. It's like, Jon is singing to me. *sigh* :)) I tried to take less pictures from that performance because I just want to feel the music and give in to its magnificent rhythm, lyrics and everything and just sing along! :)) I didn't even want that performance to end. *sigh* But.. all things come to an end. After that song, they said their goodbyes and thanks and ended with a bow and a wave to the crowd. Now we all know that it's over.

Lights On. I was still taking in all of what happened. I can't believe (still) that I saw them perform live. They were amazing! If they do come back here, I WILL BE THERE. And I hope they come back. They said that they love Manila. Oh! Jon even thanked Manila for bringing Jerome Fontamillas (to earth! Yeah, that's what he meant. I can't exactly remember what he said.), who is one of his best friends! HA! For sure, they'll keep coming back here! :D

Switchfoot Setlist- April 29, 2011. Phil Sports Arena.