As I have told Switchfoot in my note for them, no words can describe how much I appreciate their music and how they treat their fans. But maybe I can say that they are absolutely AWESOME people (sorry Drew, the others can also say "Sorry, I'm Awesome!").

First of all, I would like to thank all of my family, friends, and friends' connections that have supported me in 3 days in order to reach 1,000 likes in my Facebook video for Switchfoot Concert in Manila. At the deadline, I got more than a thousand likes. It's overwhelming to see who my very supported friends are. So I just had to say THANK YOU SO MUCH. I couldn't meet Switchfoot without you all! >:D<

At first, Switchfoot Concert in Manila didn't really inform me if I won the contest or I lost. I was in panic when I found out on April 25, 2011 that they have contacted the winners already. I wasn't even contacted! So I was in total shock and honestly, tears swelled in my eyes. That's how much I want to meet the guys. On the night of April 26, 2011, I posted a comment on their Facebook page but they didn't reply. So on April 27, 2011, I finally had the urge to call the Becca Music Inc office only to found out that I WON! They couldn't send me a message because my Facebook account settings were not in public mode and they were planning to make a comment in my video on that day. Why didn't they do that earlier? Hehehe. But the good thing was, I didn't really lose. I just waited patiently for awhile, let go and let God, then made a move when it was time. LOVE IS THE FINAL FIGHT. ((:

The next problem was the token that I planned to give them. I had so many ideas and I thought everything has already been done to them by their fans. So I thought of giving them something that connects them to music and Philippines and for them to remember us, not only me. Unaware of where to find our native instruments here without ordering them from the province, I tried my luck. I surfed through SM's Kultura and Department Store but I found nothing worthy to give. I walked towards Trinoma Landmark hoping to find my luck and yes, I did. God is so good! I found the "kubing"!!! I was like, "MY GOSH! KANINA KO PA 'TO HINAHANAP! (I was looking for this in a very long time!)" I also found a native basket similar to the one where you put bows and arrows and put there the instruments for each of them. In each instrument, I carved each name and posted a verse for each of them. I wanted them to know that I feel God in their songs. I also made a layout of my note for them, the instructions on how to play the instruments, and a symbolic painting. Here is a picture of it:


And so came April 30, 2011 and I was so STOKED! I left our house as early as possible hoping to meet my friend Daphne in Galleria. I rode the bus to EDSA, Galleria. I was near Galleria already when Daphne was in Cubao. At that time, she found out that she had left her ticket at home so she needed to go back. I was left to go to Ultra alone for the Meet & Greet. I thought I was going to be late because of the slow bus and the FX at the back of Galleria. But I got there just in time: 6:00 pm sharp though I was lost in finding the Ringside Gate II because of too many people lining up for tickets. Hahaha.

Let me tell you first that FILIPINO TIME is always present in ALL events. I was not even late for the Meet & Greet. I was way too early! When I got there, we lined up for registration, received a photo stub and we had to fill up some information sheet for Becca Music Inc. Then we waited for a looooooong time! At 6:30 PM, which was supposed to be the end of the Meet & Greet, we were still standing outside. I made some friends by talking to them about how they won the contest. Then Switchfoot started having their sound check first with Bullet Soul, then Needle and Haystack Life and I don't remember the others. WOAH. o_O I was like, I'm hearing Jon's voice right now and the Tim, Drew, Chad, and Jerome playing their thing. It was so cool! Even if I was standing there like a real loner, I have this experience to be thankful for. (:

That was only a tiny part of it though. At 7:00 PM, we started lining up and getting inside. OMG. This is a dream!! We were led to a small room where there were two groups of chairs, one for Becca Music Inc. and one for Friends of the Foot. I was seated at the 2nd row and I started talking to the other fan girls. It was great to meet some Switchfoot fans and communicate with them about the band. Then when the Friends of the Foot started to come in, we blurted out "Wow! There is a Friends of the Foot here in the Philippines?!?" So the bottom-line was, we were going to be members soon even if it costs us $49.95 (P2,000+) a year. It includes a free Meet & Greet passes each concert, a great bootleg CD, an awesome Friends of the Foot shirt, and a cool Friends of the Foot ID. It's totally worth it, right?? *grins*


One organizer came in and told the Friends of the Foot if it was alright to come out of the room because they had their time already. They looked really happy with some of them wearing their Friends of the Foot shirt and their cameras were full of pictures. AAAAHHHH. When they were gone, the organizer said we were supposed to have a picture with the whole band using our photo stubs and no autographs. YIKES. We were like, "I want a signature!!! :(" The guy named Jordan whom I recognized from the Switchfoot Eats Balut video came in saying, "I'm not Switchfoot!" and told us that the program was going to be really quick and they were going to line up while they sign our stuff one by one.

I was so STOKED and I couldn't even decide what to say or what to do. HAHAHA. When they finally came in, I exchanged DSLRs with Sofia, the girl in front of me which was honestly a big mistake and I know she knew that too. Haha. I was supposed to give it to Rayz, the girl behind me but I wasn't thinking straight. :| Well, here goes what happened:

MEET WITH TIM FOREMAN: I came first to Tim and he greeted me like he knew me for a long time. He has a real smile plastered on his face. I placed the camera on the table first and shook his hand. He asked for my name. WHEW. That was like heaven for me. I handed my Hello Hurricane DVD (Btw, I decided not to bring my other CDs) for him to sign and I said I brought them native instruments. I gave it to him and he was like, "Wow, this is so cool! Thank you so much!" I told him it has a really cool sound and it's easy to play. Then he kept saying "Cool" over and over as he started looking at the instruments. Then he said, "Wow. Thank you. We can use it for our next record." And I was like, "That would be so cool!" Then he said thanks one more time and showed it to Drew saying, "Hey, man look at this! She gave us native instruments."








MEET WITH JON FOREMAN: So I came to Jon, one of my favorite persons in the band in line with his brother Tim. He was one of the humblest persons I have ever known in my life. When I shook his hand while saying "Hi", he looked me in the eye and said, "Hi! How are you?" And I was like, "I'm good! How about you?" Then he said, "I'm doing great!" then he kept signing on my CD which I have handed him. He signed twice like it was the most exciting thing to do at that moment. I said, "Thank you!" And he said, "Thank you, too. It was nice meeting you!" I said, "Yeah, it was nice meeting you too." I absolutely didn't know the right words to say to this awesome man so I was like following his words. HAHA. This is what happens to me in front of people I really like. I lose myself. ((: But the look on his eyes and the tone of his voice felt genuine kindness to me. It was REAL.

MEET WITH JEROME FONTAMILLAS: Jerome was a bit busy so I was waiting for him to finish his conversation with the one in front of me. So when I saw Jon leaning over and saying to me, "So what songs do you know that we are playing tonight?" in a very quick manner which I didn't quite catch so I just said, "I don't know" in a funny manner now. Then he said, "Any guesses?" Then I said, "Always?" He nodded and said, "Yeah! What else?" to the person before me. I didn't hear her answer anymore because I was about to talk to Jerome so I turned to him instead. I said hi to Jerome and shook his hand. He said with a puzzled face pointing to my left, "Hi! Did you just pass by earlier?" And I said, "Uhh, no. It's my first time." And he said, "Ooooh okay!" shook his head like he finally got it. HAHA. I told him I brought them native instruments but he didn't hear me quite well so he leaned over and I told him closer this time. HAHA. I felt like we were friends. He said, "Wow, that's so cool (Is this the band's usual expression? Hahaha). I'll check it out later. Thank you." Then I handed him my CD, let him sign, and said my thanks.

MEET WITH  CHAD BUTLER: My meet & greet with Chad was the quickest among the members of the band. I just shook his hand, introduced myself, smiled, and let him sign my CD. He also signed twice! The bouncer/security was really near me at this time so I made it really quick. I was lost for words again so I just "Thanks Chad!" in a cheery way. HAHA.

Chad Butler - drums

Drew Shirley - guitar

Jon Foreman - lead vocals

Tim Foreman - bass guitar

Jerome Fontamillas - keys

When I was done, I went down the platform and took some pictures of them. Then we had a big groupie picture together with the whole band and the winners. As you can see, these are the best pictures they could give us (it's a REAL bummer I know :P).

When everyone's in chaos at the back, just stand still and try to look pretty. ((:

Grabbed from AstroPlus

Grabbed

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Grabbed from Danielle Lacsamana

And I really have to mention this bad luck that I have had. After the group picture, people started taking pictures with the band. I exchanged DLSRs with Sofia again hoping to get a GOOD picture this time. So we went up to Jon and she had a picture first. Then when it was my turn and begged for one last picture, the bouncer motioned to Jon to go and he went away. :(( That was like the saddest part of the night. I could almost cry and Sofia said "Sorry sorry" so many times that she couldn't bring back the time. I took a picture of her with Jon and I had none. :| But I guess that only meant I'll have a second time once I become a Friend of the Foot already! HAHA. Moving on....

Honestly, the Meet & Greet that I have been imagining was like the one in the States where you can chat with the band and take pictures like long-time friends or something. But it wasn't like that and I was kind of disappointed. And we were like time constrained. I was hoping I will get to demonstrate how to play the "kubing" to them but I know the bouncers will attack me. T_T But still, thanks for Becca Music Inc. for making my dream come true. Despite all the fallbacks, I enjoyed your contest! ;)

The most important thing in this Meet & Greet program was that I got to talk with the guys, shook their hands, and let them appreciate what I had given them. Though I haven't really expressed so much how I love their music because I was really speechless, I have tried to put it in writing and I just hope they'll read it and learn to play the "kubing" and hopefully play it on their next album or show me that they can play it on one podcast or something. Well, if not, it's enough that they have appreciated it.

Thanks again for making this dream come true for me! Hope they come back again soon and I promise when I have a second chance to meet them, I'll utter more words and take more pictures with them. Wait 'til I become a Friend of the Foot. ;)

Love you, Switchfoot!

'Til we meet again. \m/

p.s. The concert was as AWESOME as the BAND. I'll try to blog and post pictures soon. :D