Preview: Switchfoot and Relient K

October 13, 2016

Student Activities is quite happy to host the Looking For America Tour featuring Switchfoot AND Relient K, taking place on Thursday, October 20 at 7:30 PM in the Vines Center. Some of the doubters out there probably thought a double billing like this is too good to be true, and that is exactly why doubters are no fun to have at your party. Legally, however, we have to allow them at the concert, so here is what tickets look like for anyone (doubters included):

  • Gold Circle Floor (front standing room) – $51 (limited quantities remain)
  • Floor Seats – $31 advance ($36 at the door, if any remain)
  • General Admission – $16 for Students ($21 at the door), $19 for Alumni ($21 at the door), $21 for general public ($26 at the door)

Just head on over to our website (www.liberty.edu/sa), mouse over/click the “Tickets” tab at the top of the screen, and choose the ticket type that is right for you.

As for the concert, it is tempting to say “What more can you ask for?” and then walk away. Switchfoot and Relient K have combined to make 21 albums, sold millions of them, and could probably fill a tour bus with all of the various awards they have won. Plus, who but Switchfoot have ever really been so bold in their daring folks to move, and how else would anyone even know about either a Sadie Hawkins’ dance or khaki pants if not for Relient K? However, past success does not have much to say about the future of a band, whether you think of it in terms of relevance, influence, or commercial success. And thinking of artists in terms of relevance or commercial success is probably the worst way to take them for granted and is always at the expense of their art. Thankfully, both Relient K and Switchfoot continue to create strong work, as evidenced by both artists’ most recent releases.

Once the pop-punk trend of the late 1990’s/early-mid 2000’s died down, Relient K continued on, maturing for sure, yet maintaining the overall sound that defined them from the beginning. Their latest effort, Air for Free, is every bit as fun as previous efforts, yet can very much be defined by the tracks “Man” and “God”, both of which reveal their mature songwriting and life perspective. Switchfoot, on the other hand, has evolved a bit differently. Certainly, they have a defined sound, but the tones and song crafting of the first half of their career differs from at least the last 3 albums. Their latest album, Where the Light Shines Through, picks up very much where Vice Verses left off, with many of the similar song qualities that appear there. Two big departures from that album are the tracks “Float”, a 50/50 blend of “Tighten Up” by Archie Bell & The Drells and “Dreams” by Beck, and the track for which the tour is named, “Looking for America” featuring Lecrae. Much like their tour counterpart, Switchfoot capably treads the line between the serious and the shallow, though they lean more toward serious, and Relient K toward shallow. The new albums from both artists are an excellent combination of thoughtful songcrafting and arena-ready rock, and you can hear it all on Thursday, October 20.

Check out all the details at www.liberty.edu/sa. If you have any questions, email us: studentactivities@liberty.edu.