The Grammy Award-winning band Switchfoot, which got their start in Encinitas, is in town for their annual charity surf and music festival, BRO-AM.
On Monday, the band played a show with a choir class from a Chula Vista elementary school at an unexpected venue: the San Diego International Airport. The band’s appearance marked the official opening of a temporary art exhibit with surfboards and guitars donated by the band.
“There’s something really special about being able to travel the world and know that your hometown still has a huge part of who you are,” said lead singer Jon Foreman.
Joseph Casillas Elementary School fifth-grader Arynn Sanders got what she called a “VIP” experience.
“The band members were amazing! They were cool, like nice, pretty chill,” Sanders said.
Sanders is not just giddy about the selfies and autographs that she and friend Kali Groulx collected.
“We got to perform with them,” Groulx shouted.
The performance was also a special moment for Casillas Elementary Choir Director, Jonathan Seligman.
“These guys are possibly the most influential group for me growing up,” Selligman said.
In March, Seligman sent a video of his class performing Switchfoot’s song, “Float.” The homegrown musicians were so moved, they decided to surprise the class and play music with them.
On Monday, Seligman led his choir and Switchfoot together in the live performance of “Float” at the airport.
In addition to Seligman’s class, the San Diego Youth Symphony also played alongside Switchfoot’s lead singer.
The airport’s Arts and Community Partnerships Senior Manager Chris Chalupsky said there is a simple reason the airport makes the perfect venue.
“You’re seeing a lot more of this art and arts in unexpected places,” Chalupsky said. “The general public, I believe, is starting to expect that a little bit more.”
The exhibit highlights the band’s annual charity surf competition and music festival, BRO-AM, which has raised more than $1 million for six local charities that help underprivileged youth.
“This airport is beautiful. It’s grown a lot in the last 20, 30 years that we’ve been flying in and out of it,” Foreman said. “So it’s really cool to see stuff up on the wall that’s beautiful and hopefully enhancing the experience of people passing through.”
BRO-AM will take place Saturday at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas. This year, Switchfoot will be joined on stage by outgoing sixth-graders from Casillas Elementary School where they are expected to perform in front of a crowd of 17,000 people. The festival, which began 13 years ago, is free and open to the public.
