The rock bands’ co-headlining summer tour made a stop Monday at a sold-out Meijer Gardens amphitheater. Check out the show recap and photo gallery.
Things got started early in a rousing way at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park on Monday and many fans were still standing and cheering more than fours hours later for a sold-out triple-header: Lifehouse, Switchfoot and Brynn Elliott.
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And this was the kind of show where the stars weren’t afraid to literally rub elbows with their fans.
First up, Atlanta-born singer-songwriter Brynn Elliott got the work week fired up shortly after 5:30 p.m. with original songs in a variety of styles — pouring out soulful vocals in a jazzy R&B-style on one tune, then cutting loose with blues riffs on the next. Her powerful lyrics also won over the crowd, earning her a robust round of applause.
Switchfoot kept the party going — part of the Calfornia rock band’s “Looking for Summer” tour with Lifehouse — rolling out favorites as well as new originals from the group’s 20-year catalog.
At one point, a concert attendee held up a homemade banner, displaying the lyrics “We Are Fire” from Switchfoot’s “When We Come Alive.” Once he saw the the banner, lead singer Jon Foreman jumped down into the crowd to meet the fan, then proceeded to sing the song in the midst of the cheering audience. And when Foreman returned to the stage, he wore the fan’s banner as a cape, sporting the new look for most of the rest of the group’s set.
Rounding out the night — one that included powerful messages of appreciating each moment as a gift — Lifehouse had its crowd of faithfuls up and cheering throughout its set.
For a few tunes, lead singer and guitarist Jason Wade — who also strolled into the audience early on to serenade fans — gave his musical comrades a break, playing some selections solo and acoustic to the thrill of concertgoers.
MEIJER GARDENS CONCERT SERIES UPDATE: Meijer Gardens announced today that the rock jam band Twiddle will replace moe. as co-headliner with Railroad Earth for the Aug. 21 concert at the outdoor amphitheater. On its website, moe. announced the band will be going on “indefinite hiatus” starting Aug. 1 “due to unforeseen circumstances.” In a message to fans, band member Rob Derhak revealed that he will be undergoing treatment for oropharyngeal cancer. For fans desiring refunds, they may be obtained through Star Tickets by phone at 1-800-585-3737 or by email at customerservice@startickets.com.
PHOTO GALLERY: Lifehouse, Switchfoot, Brynn Elliott at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Jamie Geysbeek
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