BIGGER, BETTER, BRO-ier. ////\\\\ Switchfoot Bro-Am 2012

Moonlight Beach, Encinitas, Ca. The 8th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am. Click 4 pix.The 8th annual Switchfoot Bro-Am set all the records.  More people, more money & awareness raised to support STAND UP FOR KIDS, more music, more surfing, more love for community and more fun.  Everybody Bro-ed out.

As chronicled the past 2 years on AspenSpin, the Bro-Am is basically the "perfect beach day" at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas.  This year's incarnation might be in the running for Best Day Ever.  A picture perfect So. Cal. beach day filled with surf, sun, music and Bros.

Click 4 pix:    The Bro-Am SOIREE  and    The BRO-AM 2012

D Street, Encinitas.  Air Temp: 65 degrees, Water Temp: 65 degrees.  Steady winds from the SW with some good swells creating totally surfable waves in the 2-4 ft. range.   The surf contest field was composed of world champs and rock stars, and this year was the inaugural Rob Machado Bro Junior, so grommets too.   The day included a non-stop array of musical talent on the main stage culminating with a killer set from Jon Foreman and Friends (a.k.a. Switchfoot).  All presented by Hurley.

If was Switchfoot all weekend.  Justin Cote...surf joust Champ.

Thursday was the posh Bro-Am Auction Night Soiree at The Crosby in Rancho Sante Fe.  Event chairs Kim Goodeve Green (Standup for Kids, Oceanside) and Mia Stefanko (Ranch & Coast Magazine) stepped their game up to a new level.  A-Spin rarely goes East of the 101, let alone I-5 but when the Bro-Am throws down in Rancho Santa Fe we head East.  The Crosby provided a gorgeous setting and mother nature presented us with an awesome evening for fantastic food and wine tastings from  local restaurants.   Purveyors included The Crosby, Zenbu, Rimel's, Pacifica Del Mar, Pacific Coast Grill (almost open), Del Mar Rendezvous, Bull Taco and more.  Unbelievable silent auction and live auction items and opportunity bids kept the money flowing... all to benefit StandUp for Kids.   The Switchfoot guys were super-psyched to play an intimate show for about 500 people...their people... on a makeshift stage at The Crosby.

Friday Night, Swithcfoot played a gig at the San Diego County Fair, a.k.a. The Del Mar Fair.   As a season ticket holder, Andy- Party made the scene.  The general admission, SRO show was sold out.   5 tiers of Swithfoot fans filled the famous Del Mar Ractrack infield and grandstand.  The place was electric.  We're guessing 15,000 people were there. Switchfoot Bassist, Tim Foreman always loves the energy of his hometown crowd, but admitted he was not overwhelmed.  "We played for 250,000 under the St. Louis Arch, that was freaky" he said.

StandUp for Kids needs your help. click 4 pix.Saturday was the official Bro-Am, with the surf contest, the Bro-Junior, free concerts on the beach and a well stocked vendor village.  

The Bro-Am continues to amaze us.   Hands on philanthropy is the best kind.  As Switchfoot has blown up to become certified ROCK STARS the boys in the band have not forgotten their roots.   STANDUP for KIDS helps homeless and at-risk kids...right here and RIGHT NOW.  In Oceanside and San Diego and in 23 other communities in the United States, kids get help.  These are not kids you see on a poster or in a fund-raising video..they are kids that are standing right in front of you.   Every STANDUP for KIDS story is different, but many include abusive parents and bogus foster homes.  It's unimaginable and terribly unfortunate situations that leave many 13-18 year old kids without a home. Teens fending for themselves.  These not quite adults need friends, they need mentors, they need clothes, they need a place to stay, sometimes they need a hot meal and they need BRO's  The guys from Switchfoot... don't just shred on stage, or on the waves they actually meet the local kids from Standup for Kids.  They give them advice and share their time.  It's very hands on, and it's successful.  StandUp for Kids has many stories that have positive outcomes. 

The community that surrounds Bro-Am is tight.  The rockers, the surfers, the volunteers, the donors, the StandUp Kids,  the Encinitas groms, the fans,  the sponsors...the list goes on and on.   Over $200,000 was raised at this year's Bro-Am.  All that cash goes directly to StandUp for Kids, and to homeless kids who really need it. 

That's the most BRO thing I know.

Bro Junior finalists about to paddle out at D Street in Encinitas. Swithcfoot at the San diego County Fair in Del Mar. It was a BIG weekend. Click 4 pix.

Rob Machado with Jon Foreman and Drew Shirley of Switchfoot went BIG to honor StandUp for Kids.Switchfoot played an intimate show at the Bro-Am soiree in Rancho Santa Fe. click 4 pix.

The Bro-Am goes PRO

Switchfoot Bro-Am 2011. Click 4 pixThe 7th Annual SWITCHFOOT BRO-AM presented by Hurley slayed it again in 2011 at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. Yeah,  Bro-Am is a surf contest, a free concert and a vendor village, but it's waaaaay more. It's about a COMMUNITY coming together to give back to those less fortunate.  STAND UP for KIDS is the recipient of all the money raised at Bro-Am.  Stand Up for Kids is an organization that HELPS HOMELESS and Street Kids.  Based in Atlanta, Stand Up for Kids has outlets in many major cities across America and is composed mostly of volunteers.  Every day, Stand Up for Kids volunteers are out there trying to stabilize the lives of at risk teens.

Click 4 Pix: BRO-AM 7  Click to Donate: Stand Up for Kids

SwitchFootthe San Diego based surf-rock band inspired by faith just keeps getting BIGGER and BIGGER.  They won a Grammy this year for their album Hello Hurricane.  AspenSpin is willing to bet they surf better than any other Grammy winning band in the world.  This year was Switchfoot's 7th Annual Bro-Am...and it keeps getting bigger too.  The line-up of pro and bro surfers is stellar.  3-time World Champ, TOM CURREN always makes the scene.  This year Hurley imported their A-Team to take the championship.  Unique rules apply in this tag team event which requires each shredder to score one wave regular stance and take a wave swithchfoot, or goofy.... think throwing with your opposite hand. 

Doing the swith dance at Bro-Am. Click 4 pixA gloomy morning evolved into one of those brochure-like crystal-clear So Cal. days at the beach.  The 2'-4' contestable but tricky surf yielded some spectacular rides.   As the surf contest wound down, the beach stage warmed up with some serious musical talent. Some "friends of the foot" started saving spots near the stage around 8 am.  The bands killed it; Nena Anderson, The Howls , The Romany Rye, The Silent Comedy and of course headliner Switchfoot.  NO DRUGS or ALCOHOL were consumed at Bro-Am.  First of all drinking on the beach is illegal in San Diego and more importantly...the sobriety message is sent by both Swithchfoot and Stand Up for Kids.  Getting it done without drugs and alcohol is a crucial factor to many of the Stand Up kids who attended and were feted with a back stage BBQ and VIP credentials.  Living on the street is no day on the beach.  These kids have it tough, in fact some of them have no home at which to do their homework. 

The surfing, the beach time, the bands...it was a great day for everone.  Swithfoot's singer/songwriter Jon Foreman has said over and over in many major media outlets..."it's my favorite day of the year".   After 8 hours in the sand AspenSpin felt lucky to be alive. Tired, when our head hit the pillow, we couldn't get those STAND UP kids off of our mind.  Where were they sleepin' tonight? 

CLICK to GIVE    STAND UP for KIDS

Click for pix.  BRO-AM 7

Switchfoot Bro-Am 2011 presented by Hurley to support Stand Up for Kids. Mia, Drew and Jon getting after it backstage at the 7th Annual Switchfoot Bro Am.

The Silent Comedy rocked Moonlight Beach in Encinitas at Bro-Am 2011 Switchfoot surfed hard and raaawked harder at Bro-Am 2011. Click 4 pix

Encinitas is Funky Town

The Surfing Madonna. Encinitas, Ca. Click 2 EnlargeEncinitas, California might just be the funkiest town in the United States.  The small coastal berg which is pushed up against the Pacific Ocean is home to about 60,000 residents many of whom are living in their vans.  Encinitas is made up of 5 distinct neighborhoods.  Historic Encinitas which runs along the famous 101 and borders the ocean. It's a small and super-funky beach inspired downtown.  New Encinitas is East of I-5 (so we've never  really been there) and is basically like any other suburban, strip mall lined town (Target, Bed Bath and Beyond , Walgreen's etc.)  Olivehain is also a bit inland and is mostly olive groves and has a more rural ranch-like setting. Bordering the 6 miles of pristine coastline are the beach blanket areas of Cardiff-by-the Sea (or simply Cardiff) which was named after the town in Wales and Leucadia, famous for its towering Eucalyptus trees.   Encinitas is 25 miles North of San Diego and about 100 miles south of L.A.  Other than surfers, skaters, tri-athletes and hippies; Encinitas is famous for its flowers...and its generally considered the poinsettia growing capital of the world.

Juanita's in Encinitas.There are some very cool places in Encinitas, but its the beach and the mild climate that attracts the most attention.  Consignment shops, used record stores, florists, bead vendors and funk inspired coffee shops and restaurants line the 101.  Swami's one of the most famous surf spots in the world is about 20 feet off the main road.  A-Spin always stops at Juanita's Taco Shop whenever we're in Encinitas.  Talk about funky--this place has bars on the windows, like a jail and apparently has never been cleaned. It's open from 7 am to 3 am. Juanita's serves the best carnitas in San Diego to a clientele ranging from bare-foot homeless surfers to Bentley driving billionaires.

Funky art is a big part of the overall vibe in Encinitas.  Recently an unusual, unauthorized and controversial gift of art was illegally mounted under a train trestle just east of Moonlight Beach.  THE SURFING MADONNA, a hand painted mosaic was attached to a concrete wall just before Earth Day by official looking workmen wearing jumpsuits and hard hats. No one was suspicious.  The  10' x 10' installation took place in broad daylight at an intersection that sees 18,000 cars per day.  The Surfing Madonna depicts Our lady of Guadalupe riding a surf-board with the inscription "Save the Ocean".  Tons of Encinitas residents and tourists think the Surfing Madonna is extremely cool.  She even has her own twitter account @SurfingMadonna. It's estimated that the mosaic contains at least $1000 of raw materials and took at least 100 hours to complete. 

The Cardiff kook having it's costume removed. Click 2 ENLARGE.Nice gift ---right? --but the artist and his henchmen remain silent.  Who created the Surfing Madonna is a big secret because even in funky Encinitas the politicians need to interject their 2 cents.  The Encinitas City Council is insisting that the piece be removed because it did not go through the proper public review process.  According to the City Fathers, The Surfing Madonna is considered graffiti and would set a terrible precident for other potential taggers.   The Council voted unanimously to remove the artwork from it's seemingly permanent spot under the bridge.  Not to appear to harsh, they allocated $2000 to conduct a study to ensure that the mosiac can remain in tact and find a home on private property.  Really?  Good Stuff?

An example of "city authorized" art is the surfing statue known as The Cardiff Kook.  The Kook gets its name because of his unorthodox and unwieldy surfing stance.  The Kook has become a place for good natured practical jokers to express themselves.  The Cardiff Kook has been dressed in many elaborate costumes since it became a reality about 2 years ago.  A huge paper mache shark's head was one of the best efforts.  Recently, The Kook was dressed as Oprah to honor her last show.  According to the city workers who are responsible for removing the costumes "it happens a lot....every holiday for sure".  If you stop by to see The Cardiff Kook...do yourself a favor...have a maple bar at VG's Bakery across the street...ask anybody--even Rob Machado.

Pretty Funky.

The Surfing Madonna in Encinitas, Ca. Unauthorized Art under the bridge.

 The Cardiff Kook without a costume. Cardiff-by-the-Sea.

Swami's Beach. One of sweet spots cited in Surfin' USA.

Switchfoot Bro-Am

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Click for more photos from Bro Am 2010. Encinitas, Ca.Switchfoot is the hardest surfing rock band in the world, or maybe they're the hardest rocking surfers.  It's hard to tell because they shred on stage, in the studio and in the surf line-up. AspenSpin attended Switchfoot's 6th annual Bro-Am at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas this weekend.  Nearly 10,000 "friends of the foot" packed the beach to benefit STAND UP for KIDS.  Over $130,000 was raised for this extremely worthy cause.

Switchfoot Concert Click 4 pix.Switchfoot is a super-popular San Diego grown, multi-million  album selling alternative rock band.  Switchfoot is also a surfing term--it's when you change the direction of your surfing stance., or go "goofy".  Jon Foreman (lead vocals, guitar) and his real-life bro Tim Foreman (bass, vocals) formed Switchfoot in 1996 with Chad Butler (drums, vocals), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboard,vocals) and Drew Shirley (guitar, vocals).  Switchfoot has roots in the Christian Rock scene, as their first  record label chose to market them exclusively as Christian rockers.  The Switchfoot boys are very strong in their faith,  but they have successfully crossed over and are now considered mainstream. They have the gold records to prove it.

Stand Up 4 Kids at Bro Am. Click 4 pixBRO-AM is a celebration of music, surf, community and giving back.  Presented by Switchfoot, Hurley, Teva and others  Bro Am raises money and awareness for STAND UP for KIDS.  Bro -Am is a full scale, yet super friendly surf contest where teams of musicians and pro surfers go head to head--slash and burn style.  Each rider is judged on their best two waves,  one wave must be ridden regular stance and one Switchfoot.  In addition to the surf comp. Bro-Am included a series of rock performances, a vendor's village and a legit late-night rock show at Belly Up in Solana Beach.  Performers included Timmy Curran (pro surfer), OK Go (treadmill band with 50 million you tube hits) and of course Switchfoot.

AspenSpin hung backstage and had a chance to engage the rockers and the BIG TIME pro surfers like Tom Curren and Rob Machado.  We also got to meet some of the kids from the local  program of STAND UP for KIDS   These kids are homeless  and/or at risk --and they were the true stars of BRO-AM.  Surf Legends Tom Curren and Rob Machado at Bro Am. Switchfoot's Jon Foreman kept repeating "this is my favorite day of the whole year".  For the street kids from STAND UP for KIDS  in San Diego---it was more than just a great day at the beach.  According to one kid named Carlos "its the main reason I'm still alive".  Please click the Stand Up for Kids link--they save lives.

Click the pix.  Hit  BRO AM.

Surf action photos curtesy of Big G. at SessionClipsActionSports.com

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