their show was great. no opening act, they performed the whole 3 hours. they played with such ease and fluidity, you could tell that they were really banded together -- each playing their role in cohesion with the others.
one thing that really amazed me during this show was my new outlook on jon foreman. usually during shows i have this moment where i step back from everything going on and look at the performance not as a fan, but a blank slate observing and analyzing this group on stage. when i did this with bon iver and the swell season i got chills because i realized that they were singing their souls. they make themselves vulnerable to their audience by bearing everything they are through their songs. wilco and foo showed me how professional and intense they could be at the same time. they played with precision and conviction simultaneously.
jon foreman gave a completely different vibe. watching jf, i saw intention and conviction fully driving his music -- i could plainly see that this is his ministry. he doesn't bear his soul to the world, rather he offers his testimony and messages of grace, love, faithfulness. this was a refreshing experience in view of how much music affects our lives. music cuts deep into my soul, and jf gives my soul a spiritual cut full of self-evaluation.
sing it out, jf. sing out loud.
