First of all, I want to apologize for the delay. My computer decided to die on me as I was working on the videos and mp3's for this post, and so I've been spending all weekend and today, just transferring everything over to my new baby :D
But on to the fun stuff. For the second Friday in a row, I got to see Jon play an acoustic set. This time, the venue was a little bigger, and there was a little bit more room to breathe. However, I still ended up with cramped legs by the time Jon was done playing. Why? Well, even though there were seats, I was sitting in the aisle center stage. Which means that I got some decent photos, and great footage of some of the new songs that Jon played.
The setting was the Habitat for Humanity benefit show hosted at a local church in Orange County, Rock Harbor. The lineup for the night included Molly Jenson, Drew Bray, AJ Degrasse, and then, as Phil so eloquently put it last week, "our lead singer man". All natives of San Diego (at one point, if not currently), this was rather a reunion of friends coming together and supporting a great organization. Jon even had a few words to share with y'all (just pretend I'm from the south).
All the acts that night had been great, and, like the previous week, the anticipation was for Jon to take the stage. Now, I'd gotten to talk to him beforehand, and asked him to play 'Learning How To Die', to which I got a "you got it, dude". Can I stop for a second and just say I love California? 'Dude' has to be my favorite tag-along word of all time. It's better than man, bro, or anything else you can think of, because you can use it without regard to gender. But I digress.
In any case, since I saw Jon write the song down in his book, I knew it was coming - it was simply a matter of time. And because I had hoped for him to play it, I brought along my camera as well. Now, I don't do video. I'm a photographer. So if the video sucks, I apologize. I tried my best! And yet again I find myself wasting time. Moving right along. So Jon got on stage with Keith on cello, and Aaron on percussion. After a few words to the audience, the guys jumped right in to 'Meant To Live'. It was the first time I was seeing that song done acoustic, and Aaron had this amazing beat going and Keith added the depth of the cello to the sound so well that I don't know if I'd enjoy this with the whole band again! Yeah, my sense of humor pops in every now and again.
'Lord Save Me From Myself' was next, and just like last week (this time with the added cello element), I just had a blast listening to the song. As the song ended, Jon went into his humor/interaction mode with the audience. I guess he'd read a little quote that he found really interesting - "Politics is rock 'n roll for ugly people". The whole audience tore into laughter. "I don't know what I think about that, I just thought it was a good quote". He was talking about the following song, 'Betrayal', which he's written with Sean as part of The Real Sean Jon. A "murder/mystery ballad", as Jon described it, it's in the same vein of 'bring me down, break my heart' tunes that Jon's been writing lately, and that I can't get enough of:
So I watched her as you put me in the dirt, She had my wallet tucked inside her skirt, And I went numb, I went numb, So I'm not dead if what you did don't hurt...
That last line is just killer. I love how he phrases that. It could have easily been 'I'm dead because of what you did' or something along those lines, but the twist on the words makes me appreciate Jon's songwriting tremendously!
The next song on the list was definitely a crowd pleaser, 'Only Hope'. Jon asked Keith to start the song off "with that big, beautiful, funny-looking guitar over there". Of course, the crowd was excited, but I was waiting for but one song. And it just happened to be next. "I know when I go to a concert... I wanna see Radiohead play 'Just', not the song they wrote yesterday," said Jon, "so here's a song that I wrote yesterday". 'Learning How To Die'. I was speechless. I mean that in all honesty. The song is just absolutely beautiful:
Thought I was learning how to take, How to bend, not how to break, How to live, not how to cry, But really I've been learning how to die...
From the first moment I heard this song, it's been stuck in my head, and nothing's gonna get it out. Well, maybe Alzheimer's but I don't have to worry about it yet. It's the epitome of what I feel Jon's songs have been about as of late. They're very relationship-oriented. It seems to me that the common theme through them is one of heartbreak and getting back to what's really true. But at the same time I don't feel comfortable writing them off as such. There's such a dynamic in the songs that I've seen and heard that it confuses my obsessive compulsive mind in categorizing the new songs. But maybe that's a good thing!
The next song was another murder/mystery song, one that Jon always hoped would become an SF song, but never did. "When you start talking about b-sides, you feel like a total nerd. But, it's my own band, so I guess I can be a nerd for that." The first time I heard this song was when I saw Jon play the Hotel Cafe with Tom Morello. I know it's been a while since then, but I'm gonna try and put up photos from them one of these days. In any case, the song, 'Revenge' is one that I've enjoyed as much as Phil, who has a great write-up on that somewhere in the far recesses of Switchfeed. I think you should check it out (since I'm gonna move right ahead to the next few songs).
'Southbound Train' was started off with quite an interesting confession from Jon: "I used to hate anyone who would ever even veer anything near country... I can't say I love country, [but] I love harmonicas, man... they're just happening." A song that he wrote "on the Amtrak from Santa Barbara to San Diego", 'Southbound Train' was just as beautiful as last week. I think it was at this point in the night that the crowd was swooning for the first time. There was this moment of stillness and peace that just sort of fell on the crowd as they heard this song, and it made the experience that much more enjoyable!
After taking off the harmonica, Jon invited Molly on stage to play one of the songs they've written. This time around, they only played one, but it's the one missing video from last week - 'The Ones Who Look Like You'. After a brief moment of trying to figure out the right key (which was hilarious, by the way - just watch the video), they got into the song, and this one's full of questions. There's seriously 3 lines in the whole song that don't ask a question, those compiling into a rather interesting result:
You've been gone to long... See, I'm alone when you're around... Listen love to a melody for you...
It's the conflict of those first 2 statements with each other, and the conjunction of that with that 3rd line that gives me a feel for the entire song. Is it just me though?
While the crowd was still recovering from the couple new tunes, Jon threw another new song our way on the behest of someone in the audience. I was totally for it - it was exactly what I was saying last week - ask Jon to play his new stuff! So anyway, Jon switched gears from the rather melancholic tone of the previous song, into the fun sound of 'War In My Blood'. The audience was clapping right along with the song, and I was tapping my feet because it was just fun. Yeah, I know I need to expand my vocabulary some, but just listen to the song, and you'll say the same:
It takes two to go to war And only one to fall in love...
I just love that lyric right there. It makes the whole freaking song for me!
Next came another song I'd heard Jon & Keith play at the Hotel Cafe. A wonderful cover of the song 'Sorrow' by Bad Religion. I never really cared much for Bad Religion's music, until I'd heard Jon play that song, and it's become one of my favorite songs since then. Jon had mentioned both nights that this song was his favorite Bad Religion song, and added this time that "it reminds [him] of a lot more than a punk song on the radio". Even though I've heard this song enough times now, as Jon was playing it, I was listening to the lyrics all over again. They reminded me of the book of Job, and all the suffering he went through, and just reconfirmed why I enjoy this song as much as I do.
Finishing that song, Jon proceeded to finish the set with another SF song, 'Dare You To Move'. I think it was absolutely appropriate for the setting that evening. It was a benefit for Habitat for Humanity, and the church hosting the event was doing so as part of what they dub as 'The GO Campaign'. It's where you go out and do, rather than just say. I like the saying that "love is a verb", and in light of this church modeling that, Jon's choice of song was rather a call to arms. It was a challenge to GO. Definitely a great way to end the set!
But little did Jon know that he'd be called back up for an encore. "I'll let you in on a little secret - we don't have an encore." But hacked together a little something. He introduced the "suite" as having two parts, a prequel, and a sequel (although technically you'd need a third song which they would be relative to, unless, of course, they're relative to each other :p). The prequel happened to be 'Let Your Love Be Strong', which is a beautiful song as is. The sequel is a song that Jon wrote a couple months ago. "I've been able to, I feel like, for the first time in my life, write songs that I would classify as worship, and I feel like it's a real breakthrough for me because I like the element of involving myself with the God of Creation through music." 'Your Love Is Strong' is a response to 'Let Your Love Be Strong' (as the title suggests), and is just a very honest and simple song along the lines of 'The Lord's Prayer'. But it's so much more. To me, it's a cry for change, a cry to be so much more than here and now, and a cry for change of perspective. It's definitely well-written, and much better than most of the worship songs I've heard.
All in all, the night was amazing to say the least. I almost feel sad that I won't get to see Jon play another set this Friday night. But unless he's gonna be doing so in Atlanta, I wouldn't be able to make it anyhow. I hope you guys enjoy the videos (and not get nauseous), the photos, and the mp3's. Let me know if any of them don't work for any reason (I've checked every link, but you can't be too sure). Oh, and the lyrics for 'Learning How To Die' and 'The Ones Who Look Like You' are below. Again, enjoy!
"I'm gonna miss you, I'm gonna miss you when you're gone" She says "I, love you, I'm gonna miss hearing your songs"
I said "Please, Don't talk about the end, Don't talk about how Every living thing goes away"
She said, "Friend, all along, Thought I was learning how to take, How to bend, not how to break, How to live, not how to cry, But really I've been learning how to die I've been learning how to die"
"Hey everyone, I've got nowhere to go, The grave is lazy, He takes our bodies slow"
I said "Please, Don't talk about the end, Don't talk about how Every living thing goes away"
I said, "Friend, all along, Thought I was learning how to take, How to bend, not how to break, How to live, not how to cry, But really I've been learning how to die I've been learning how to die"
Lyrics for 'The Ones Who Look Like You':
Where's your heart? Where's this love you talk about? Did someone hold a gun To your head? Who's that girl you laugh about? Did a feeling do you wrong? You've been gone too long.
Did you love her? Did you leave her cold? Did you see her through? Or do you only love the ones who look like you?
Where are you now? Are you afraid of being found? See, I'm alone when you're around. Silly girl, What can you see from way up there? Is that the world in devil's clothes Looking down your nose?
Are you lonely? Are my scars too deep? Do you have them too? Do you only love the ones who look like you?
Listen love To a melody for you Will you change your point of view? Or do you only love the ones who sing your tune? Do you only love the ones who look like you?
Thanks for the post Arpit Mehta! THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST POSTS EVER! AND I CAN'T WAIT TO DOWNLOAD THE MP3'S! I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR JON'S NEW SONGS!
quality. i wish he lived in england, then i'd be getting all his gigs on friday nights and it would kick ass. and all the san diegans would be begging for him back, and i'd be like "get stuffed he's ours now".
but alas. this is not the case.
at least we have bill bailey and ozzy osbourne to call ours :D
wow, this is awesome. thanks so much for posting! ♥ i cannot wait to download all of the mp3s...... i love it. :) i'm gonna end up having like three or four different versions of most of Jon's songs on my iPod. lol.
@jj sorry, but Jon will always be our wonderful san diegan. :) i love that my absolute favorite band is from my hometown. haha. it rocks.
Arpit, great review. Great pics and the lyrics to both the songs= :D. I really like them both. I'm speechless over Learning How To Die.
Jon said, "When you start talking about b-sides, you feel like a total nerd." Well you can call me a total nerd because a lot of my favorites have been b-sides. The songs you don't hear often and sometimes get tired of hearing over again on the radio. There's something about b-sides that make them special.
Jon Foreman is the GREATEST songwriter EVER! My dream is to co-write a song with him but i highly doubt it will come true....at least i can still read his lovely heart-felt words and thats almost good enough for me.
i cant listen to the bottom two songs :(. when i play them it just says loading and then i click to go to you tube and watch them and it says theyre hosted as private and need to be the persons friend but i dont know who it is.
such a dilemma. the world is such a crazy place. why cant life just be simple?
@ Jessica - haha, you're very welcome - thanks for reading!
@ JJ - I'm not sure what the problem could be - all my videos are public, and the mp3's are all checked by myself - is anyone else having the same problem?
@ Stacey - haha, if I go to more of these shows, then so will I! :D
@ Cookie - you can thank Gellie for correcting the lyrics - and you're welcome!
@ Mia - I think I would love that too someday, but yeah, I don't know if that'll ever happen :/
@ Vicky - so could I ;)
@ Erickagwen - would love to hear what you think :)
Seriously Arpit thanks for taking the time to do all this for everyone. That's alot of work. These are all great that you have put up. Amazing evening to have been a part of and now we all can enjoy the evening too. Have fun in Atlanta - it truly is Hotlanta this week!
hah!!! i saw that girl @ SWC w/ the "tim foreman is my hero!" i told her that it was awosme. and i made a shirt that said "Switchfoot has Awakened SWC!" but that didn't make the df, but it's ok! man when i met swithcfoot my heart totally melted!!! i couldnt' believe it. SWC was amazing with sf there!!! @cookie's quote of Jon: Jon i feel like a nerd cuz i know so much about yall and im obsessed with updates from SF! BUT thats why im called the *Switchfoot goroo!* JK! ~lydz
@ proud mom of teen - i understand what you mean. i often think about how life is so short, im only 19, but i appreciate that my life could end at any minute, like, i know the world could just end or i could get killed or something. and it sounds like its bad, but its really not, for me at least. it makes me appreciate what i've got left and makes me want to do something good with my life. and the people in the bible talk about jesus coming back soon. and that was 2000 years ago! imagine how close we are now. it could be another 2000 years or somehting, i dont know but it says it could happen any minute, like a thief in the night, you can never know when. and like, i love it! i love it how so soon i could be just hangin out with Jesus and all my brothers and sisters that i've met over the years, the ones that i've never met, the ones that i've wanted to meet like the SF gang, having a big fat party in heaven.
i'm glad life is short cos this world is too dam confusing, hectic, full of evil and i can never stop doing stuff wrong. but when that day comes, its just gonna be chuffin ace.
@jj: man is everyone feeling like that here. i felt that just the other days.....but when i got back from SWC my heart was lifted. they wanted all of us to come back from that festival not with just memories but changed lives. i dont feel like i want to live sometimes but that song also touched me! i can't waite to see all the SF gang again in heaven too but im going to waite till God calls me up there! ~lydz
could you guys pleeeeeaaaaasssseeeee make one post with links of the mp3's for all of the songs he did. from this acoustic set and the last one. or atleast all the ones that u have recorded. im trying to make one playlist with all of them. thankyou so much
@ metalhead - yeah man i know what you mean. its not like i wana die. cos life is stil good, just i get sick of living in sin, knowing im never gonna get to know god properly, or see him till he comes or i die, and i want that now haha. but until that day comes, im gonna keep trying. i love life, dont get me wrong, its proper good but just this world is messed up, if you know what i mean?
@jj SWC stands for Spirit West Coast. It was held in Monterey, California and is an event where there are pastors, comedians, and bands. Its a great place to go and become closer with God and also to take non-believers. I wish i would have went! but i didnt go :(
@ Lori - thanks - yeah, it definitely took a little bit since I was new to the whole video thing, but it was all fun nonetheless! And Hotlanta, here I come :D
@ Ana - haha, you're welcome
@ Mukta - me too! For a couple weeks it became JFSOTW (Jon Foreman Show Of The Week) ;)
@ Becca - haha, are you sure? ;)
@ Proud mom - yeah, that song is pretty incredible. It's definitely hard to open your hands and let go on to the grip we have on life, but the sooner we do, the sooner we'll be able to move on. I hope that song helps you through this time!
@ Ali - it truly was!
@ Lydz - I wish I could've been there - for the last 2 years, I've been in the Bay Area when SWC was in Del Mar, and in SoCal when it was in Monterey! I gotta go next year!!
@ Gabby - haha, thanks. I'm still learning! Glad you enjoyed em though!
@ Shawna - thanks. I'm not sure if Jon's playing - he told me that he didn't have anything booked anytime soon, so I'm not sure.
@ G - you're very welcome!
@ JJ - awesome to hear they're working now.
@ Emily - thanks, yeah, I was slightly surprised too!
@ Joel - you'll have to send Phil an e-mail and see if he can put that together - I only have these mp3's.
the drummer that played with jon and molly jensen looksl ike the same drummer that played with jon when he played arcade fire's "rebellion" acoustic at another benefit concert. His style is similar too. I think its the same guy. Who is it?
i dig it? that sounds like a piece of american terminology.. i'd prefer it if you used phrases like 'find it extremely superb' and 'get pleasure out of it'... oh what the heck yeah man i dig it, awesome yall.
I know this isn't the latest post but ... I still have to wonder.. Does anyone know who that drummer is? I'm looking at his shadowy picture right now... does anyone know? I don't know why but I must know!!!
Hey Arpit, great review! Oh ya ... I love the pictures, too. I need to get a good camera and take some lessons from you. Have I already mentioned that I'm jealous? :D Your videos were pretty good despite the fact that "you don't do video." Thanks for all the work you put into this.
I really enjoyed all the new songs. This post makes me even more excited for Jon's solo album. Yeah!
And I agree with you about the whole boardie thing. I haven't joined the boards either because I'd spend WAY too much time on there.
Arpit, amazing recap. I feel like I was there. And Jon with worship songs...I hope we hear more. I believe they will contain a depth the we don't currently hear in worship songs today. Oh, and if he comes to SC, I'll be screaming out for him to play "Southbound Train" I love that song.
@susieqc: yessss!!!!!!!! when jon writes a song there is amazing depth! everytime there is....and i do also love that song "Southbound Train!" haha ~lydz
thanks for the lyrics. i wish other bands were as willing as jon to say the word God or Christ in their songs. i think Runnin from Me is going to be my new favorite :}
@ Ahna - Running From Me is totally amazing. And yeah, that would be nice!
@ Shawn - I did a little chopping in Garageband. I figured it'd get slightly annoying to hear that every time, so I just cut out to where they started the second time :D
Thanks for the post Arpit Mehta! THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST POSTS EVER! AND I CAN'T WAIT TO DOWNLOAD THE MP3'S! I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR JON'S NEW SONGS!