Switchfoot, known for hit songs such as “Dare You to Move” released in the 2002 movie “A Walk to Remember,” will perform at Avila Beach for the first time on Friday.
Switchfoot is a rock/alternative Christian band from San Diego which formed in 1996, according to Switchfoot.com. The band name means switching one’s stance on a surfboard and was chosen because the members all enjoy surfing.
The band’s first album sold more than 2.6 million copies and since then the band has released nine albums, including their latest, “Hello Hurricane.”
Despite all of the band’s success in the past, it decided to split from its record label in 2007.
In August 2007, the band announced it was no longer going to be with Columbia Records. In October, Switchfoot released news that it was starting a new record label called Lowercase People Records.
Until this past summer when Switchfoot toured with the Goo Goo Dolls, the last big tour for the band was in 2007, when it toured to raise money for Habitat for Humanity and it mainly used older material. Now the band is promoting its newest CD and its new record label on its tour, “Hello Hurricane.”
Journalism senior Carly Rowan was a Switchfoot fan, but admits that she stopped listening to the band once they dropped out of the music scene.
“I haven’t heard Switchfoot play in a long time, but ‘Adding to the Noise’ used to be one of my favorite songs in high school,” Rowan said.
With the new record label, Switchfoot has been able to produce some new material and has been sharing their new CD.
Jerome Fontamillas, the guitarist and back-up vocalist for Switchfoot, said the band has been receiving a positive response from fans.
“When you play a new song in front of everyone, you never know how the response will be, but so far we’ve had a lot of positive feedback,” Fontamillas said.
Not knowing the band had released new music, social sciences senior Morgan Roth was surprised when she heard that Switchfoot was coming to Avila.
“Even though I haven’t heard any of their new stuff, I think it would be nice to spend a Friday night listening to light rock music that I loved listening to back in the day,” Roth said.
The band has never played in Avila before, but has played close by in San Luis Obispo and is expecting it to be a good show.
“We love shows when the crowd sings just as loud or louder than we do,” Fontamillas said.
The band hopes the crowd is pumped up at Avila, he said.
It has been a while since the band has played the Central Coast, Katie Manley, concert promoter at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, said she expects a good turnout for the event.
“We are expecting to reach capacity, which is 3,000 guests,” Manley said. “We are all looking forward to a great show to end our concert series at the Avila Beach Concerts in the Cove series.”
Although some fans have lost track of Switchfoot in the past couple years, others such as agricultural business senior Zac Breverman have followed them regularly since 9th grade.
“I am excited as a fan to be able to see them since they are going to be so close to Cal Poly,” Breverman said.
For fans like Breverman, the band said it will go back to the studio soon to work on a new record, with a release date expected for next summer. The band is very excited to play and said fans can expect a great, sweaty rock show, Fontamillas said.
Not only will the band put on a concert, but Switchfoot also plans to help out the community. Playing the concert is fun, but it is really about the whole communal experience, Fontamillas said.
“Please bring canned goods for the San Luis Obispo Food Bank,” Fontamillas said.
Doors open at 5 p.m. at Avila Beach Golf Resort on Oct. 29.