Over the last weekend, I made my way out to a show! It was a spontaneous decision, seeing as though I was planning on going to my school’s football game that evening. I get a text from my sister (who is in college now) asking what my plans were for the evening. I told her, asked why, and she said that she was going to a Switchfoot concert! I freaked out a little bit. Next thing I know, I’m dippin’ out on the football game (that we ended up losing, which I found out at the show due to the play-by-play tweets).

So I meet my sister’s pretty-much-boyfriend there, and as we’re waiting for Lindsay to arrive, my oldest brother walks up and says hey to us! Moments later, Lindsay arrives. We discover that three out of the four Gingrich children had consequently all made their way to the exact same show, we obviously have great taste in music.

Like any good show, there was an opening act by one of the local St. Louis bands. I couldn’t recall their name, but I can leave you with this. The lead singer had a fur jacket, tambourine, said the word “funky” a lot, and possessed the moves of Michael Jackson. He was definitely a keeper.

After this “act”, I found out that The Almost was opening for Switchfoot! Now I’m not a devoted fan to this band, but I know a few songs, and I love them. We weasel our way into the middle of the crowd with a group of friends that had all showed up as well. The Almost are playing their songs and we are all getting into it. I look at Lindsay and say, “I really wish they would play ‘Say This Sooner’, because it is my absolute favorite song…” Then? Yep. They played it, and yeah, I legitimately freaked out! More than a little bit. I have my arms up in the air, I’m jumping with the beat, Lindsay and I are screaming/singing the words! It was the bomb. Everyone loves those people, right?

Then, it was time for Switchfoot. The moment which didn’t come soon enough, because if you’ve ever been to a show, the headlining band loves to make you wait about 45 minutes before they appear, finally arrived. They opened with “Stars” and from then on, it was magnificent. There are always rumors about whether a band sounds great live or not,I am here to assure you that Switchfoot is the absolute best band I have seen or heard live, ever!

The Almost and Switchfoot are Christian-based bands, which makes them that much more real, and their music that much better. “Lonely Wheel”, “Hands”, “Southern Weather”, and their newest, “Monster Monster” are all albums packed with great music by The Almost. Switchfoot’s albums, “Beautiful Letdown”, “New Way To Be Human”, “Learning to Breathe”, “The Legend of Chin”, “Nothing is Sound”, and “Oh Gravity” are long lists of music which are positive to make you want to hear more.

“Southern Weather” and “Beautiful Letdown” are the two albums which I could not get enough of, and I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is in the mood for something new to add to their music library.

-Anna Gingrich
Fidelia