Collective Soul and Switchfoot w/ Jade Jackson• August 15, 2022• Sandy Amphitheater
Reviewed and Photographed by Justin Lagman
There is something special about concerts on a warm beautiful summer night. It was even more special for rock music fans. They got not 1, but 2 well known alt-rock bands that have been at the forefront of rock music for a very long time now. Collective Soul is celebrating their 30th anniversary with an extended tour featuring San Diego-based Grammy winners, Switchfoot. It seems like summer has flown by. We’ re trying to squeeze in all the summer activities before the weather cools down. This is my first time photographing a concert at Sandy Amphitheater. There is always something special about checking off another box on my list of Utah concert venues.
It was a beautiful Monday night. The crowd was filled to the very top. The lawn areas started to fill up with chairs and blankets. The merchandise line started from the bottom all the way to the very top of the amphitheater.
Jade Jackson
Starting off the night was Jade Jackson. An American Country musician born and raised in California. I thought she was the perfect opener for a band heavy night of music. She performed an acoustic solo set. It was absolutely stunning. Her voice didn’t have much of a country twang, but more soulful. She covered the classic Bruce Springsteen song “Dancing In The Dark”. It was beautiful to see some of the crowd sing along. You could see nostalgia in people’s eyes and it felt like they were taken back to a couple decades ago.
Even though Jade only performed 5 songs, the crowd definitely loved her. And they have found a new artist to look forward to seeing again. Jade is busy touring with Collective Soul and Switchfoot. But she did release her second full album titled Wilderness in 2019. The album features her songwriting improvements and storytelling about her personal life experiences.
Switchfoot
Moving right into the co-headliners was a band I’ve heard of, but I’ve never fully paid attention. Switchfoot is a band name I consistently saw at karaoke bars. Which means, they have a long list of classic hits. As soon as the band stepped on stage, the crowd was electric. You could see a majority of the crowd wearing Switchfoot’s current merch and from years ago. Lead singer Jon Foreman jumped around the stage and turned up the electricity of the crowd. For a man that is in his 40s, he looks extremely youthful. This guy has been in the music business for decades. Yet he shows so much energy and excitement for the Salt Lake City crowd.
The whole band was fireworks right from the beginning. A beautiful moment that really stood out for me was a lady in the crowd with a huge sign that said “Happy Birthday Tim.” Tim is the brother of lead singer Jon and he is also the bassist of the band. Jon stopped the show to take the time and bring the poster on stage.
Switchfoot covered the legendary Beastie Boys with the song, “Sabotage.” As soon as this song finished, Jon decided to jump off the stage and join the crowd. He made his way above the soundboard and performed for the upper level crowd. I have never seen a performer like this. It was absolutely an amazing scene. The fans would swarm Jon and take selfies, but some just wanted to sing and dance along. I couldn’t believe that he stayed up there for 3 songs. He really took the time to interact with all his fans.
When he came back on stage, they brought out Jade Jackson for a duet on “I Won’t Let You Go”. It was a nice switch from the rock songs to a more ballad style song. I don’t often review rock bands, but I’m a huge fan. Switchfoot has to be one of the best performers I’ve ever seen. I would love to watch them again in the future.
Chatting With Fans
The sunset started rolling in and there was already quite a breeze coming in. Which shows you that summer concerts are coming to an end in a couple of weeks! Fans hit the concessions and refreshed their snacks before the main show. I was able to chat with a couple fans and they were asking me if I knew about Collective Soul. Unfortunately, I hadn’t heard of the band before. But there is something so special about learning about a new artist while you’re at their concert. I was told that “you’ll know their songs when you hear them.”
Collective Soul
Collective Soul didn’t waste any time and they stepped up on stage and lit up the crowd. Everyone was on their feet and it was a sight to see. From me, who’s never heard of this band to seeing dedicated fans who are young and old. The lead singer, Ed Roland, donned a floral suit and pant combo which reminded me of Wrestling legend, Ric Flair. Ed had a youthful energy to him. Age didn’t matter and he is going to do what he does best and that is Rock n roll. He danced and played with the mic stand and showed pure showmanship. The song that really stood out for me was “Shine”. I knew it right away when the instruments came in and the band played.
This is the sign of a legendary band. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know them, but you’ve definitely heard of this song. It is a classic. The passion from the fans singing every word of the song is what music is all about.
It has been a while since I’ve photographed and reviewed a concert. But this was a perfect show to be back for. The band made me feel like I’ve been watching them for many years now. The energy of the crowd didn’t level down at all. The older generation bringing their kids here is also an awesome scene. The music taste of the future destination is in good hands if they all have a little old soul in them. Music has definitely changed in recent times. But bands like Collective Soul and Switchfoot have rode the wave and stayed relevant today. If you can get a chance to see Collective Soul during their summer tour, you should immediately do it. If you go in there like me who had no idea about their music and legacy. I suggest you see them if you could.
