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Plot Summary
Part rock documentary, part surf film, and part travelogue, “Fading West” follows Grammy-winning alternative-rock band Switchfoot as they travel the globe in search of new musical inspiration and perfect waves. Filmed during the band’s 2012 World Tour, this compelling doc offers rare glimpses of the longtime surfers on their boards and in the waves, captures the frenetic energy of their live shows, and in the end portrays a journey both epic and intimate. A FilmBuff Presentation.
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Customer Reviews
Beyond Amazing!!
“The stage is this bloated, weird place to exist. In the water that’s all washed away.” – Jon Foreman
Fading West has been a long-anticipated film/music event from the band Switchfoot—the guys had been talking about making a film to coincide with their next album for about two years. It promised great music, beautiful global locations, an inside look at the realities of tour life vs. home life, and another great love for the founding three members—surfing. Of those elements, it did not disappoint. But Fading West goes much, much further to deliver something that I will only be describe as EPIC, especially for the incredibly loyal fans who have supported the band for the past 16 years.
Although I had seen pretty much every teaser or behind-the-scenes clip of Fading West, there were still plenty of moments that took my breath away, and I won't spoil them because you deserve to be delighted by them without warning just as I was.
I will say that this film gives you an even deeper appreciation for the sacrifices necessary to be where Switchfoot is as a band. Influence like that just doesn’t come cheap. “There’s a cost for everything,” as Jon puts it.
The film itself is incredibly well made (mucho kudos to director Matt Katsolis and drummer Chad Butler, a producer). You can tell great thought was given to the story arc and emotional pacing of the film. It wasn’t completely serious either, but filled with plenty of Switchfoot antics reminiscent of Switchfoot TV podcasts. Watch for cow-milking escapades, chasing sheep, a giant bat, and more than one instance of Jerome making music with a snake around his neck. It also provides a very rare glimpse into the band members’ personal lives, as well as the moments of frustration that come with any tour experience.
For the Switchfoot fan, you just absolutely MUST own your own copy of Fading West. For those who are not already part of the internationally loyal following -- you will be swiftly converted. I'm telling you, after watching this incredible project, there can be nothing left but admiration, respect, and gratitude for what Switchfoot contributes to the cultural landscape of our generation.
Inspiring and beautiful.
It's so refreshing to see a film that has such a passion behind it. If you love music, life and travel, you will love this documentary. It's honest and pure.
A trip worth taking
A year an a half ago I was sitting across the road from the Mantra restaurant in Bali catching up with friends over a few beers. From where we were sitting, we could hear the band inside was absolutely blowing the roof off the place.
Someone said 'what cd is that?'
But I could tell what we were hearing was not the sound of anything from a studio, it was the sound of music that was far, far, too big for the space it was being played.
You can get a sense of what that night was like from the short sequence from 'Fading West' where Switchfoot is playing to a crowd of (very lucky) surfers and travelers in what Jon mentioned was the smallest place they had played since high school.
By far it was the most epic night of music I've seen in more than seven years of living in Bali and reliving it last night while watching 'Fading West' made me feel even more lucky to have been there for that.
Seeing Switchfoot rock out in Bali made me a fan of their music, but seeing 'Fading West' made me into a fan of the five amazing guys who created it. Spectacular cinematography, brutal honesty, and beautiful locations make this one of the few documentaries that I'll be watching more than once.
Come back to Bali again soon guys!
Tommy Schultz
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