Blue October, Switchfoot & Matt Nathanson Celebrate Friendship on “Help From My Friends” Tour [Photos]

On Tuesday, July 30th, one of the summer’s hottest tours made a midweek stop at New York City’s premier rooftop concert venue, Pier 17. The lineup consists of a triple header of singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson, faith-forward rockers Switchfoot, and Texan legends Blue October. A rotating set order has kept the show fresh throughout its six-week run. New York’s concert arrived at the end of the first week of the tour, with all three performers settling comfortably into the swing of things alongside their tour mates.

Nathanson kicked off the evening with beautiful blue skies starting to give way to the sunset. Even on a tight schedule, Nathanson managed to find ways to sneak in the ridiculous banter and hilarious sense of humor his fans adore him for. He introduced his most recent single, “Map At The Mall,” as a song about a midlife crisis, slipped in playful jabs at the many private helicopters flying overhead, and mentioned how his young daughter had made fun of him for his choice in tour socks.

Known for his religious appreciation of music, the singer often pays tribute to his own favourites during his sets. Tonight’s show had a snippet of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” inserted into his own song “Car Crash.” The chorus of Grease’s “You’re The One That I Want” was also added to Nathanson’s hit single “Come On Get Higher” before closing with a cover of Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure.”

Kicking things up a notch from Nathanson’s acoustic guitar-driven music, Switchfoot lit the stage ablaze right off the bat. Singer Jon Foreman was hardly able to contain himself, finding himself crawling over the railing and into the audience just three songs into the set during “Bull in a China Shop.” Though the band has proven they are so much more than the label of Christian rock that so many try to push onto them, their message of love, hope, and friendship was palpable. It’s clear the musicians have a spiritual reverence for each other, for their music, and for their fans.

Foreman’s guitar, emblazoned with the message “HOPE IS THE ANTHEM,” truly says it all. Bassist Tim Foreman, drummer Chad Butler, and multi-instrumentalist Jerome Fontamillas were all clearly enjoying themselves on stage, with huge smiles and a presence felt by all. Also included in the set was fan request “Mess of Me,” a cover of the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage,” Foreman’s solo track “I Propose a Toast,” and the hopeful anthem “Meant to Live.” In a true testament to the title of the tour, the band brought out Blue October’s Justin Furstenfeld to perform Switchfoot’s most successful track to date, “Dare You to Move.”

Lastly, Blue October took the stage beneath a star-filled New York sky. With their heavier sound and more forceful energy, the band perfectly capped off an evening of mounting enthusiasm. The band is in the midst of a daring feat – a triple album by the title of Spinning the Truth Around. Part I landed in October of 2022, with Part II following a year later in October 2023. Part III currently has a TBA release date. The concert featured performances of songs from Part I and Part II. It featured songs such as “Shut Up I Want You to Love Me Back” and “Down Here Waiting,” as well as the band’s most recent release, “Everything We Lost in the Fire,” presumably from the forthcoming Part III.

With a quickly approaching 10 PM venue curfew, singer Justin Furstenfeld, drummer Jeremy Furstenfeld, multi-instrumentalist Ryan Delahoussaye, bassist Matt Noveskey, and guitarist Steve Schiltz wasted no time in packing as much music into their set as possible. Also included in the performance were their platinum single “Into the Ocean” and “Hate Me.” With a career pushing three decades long, Blue October managed to pull off a setlist that showed off the best of their catalogue while still pleasing longtime devoted fans.

Blue October (w/ Switchfoot, Matt Nathanson) @ The Rooftop at Pier 17 (NYC) on July 30, 2024

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