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

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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