Darlene ChaniMaya Postma

God, I miss Matt Thiessen.

Christian Rock fans of a certain age will remember the old debate: Switchfoot, or Relient K? The wisest fans know you don’t* have to choose.

For a chunk of my young adulthood, Switchfoot were my entire personality. I look back and marvel how I could have been so obsessed over, well, anything.

I saw my first Switchfoot concert at Hope College, around Oh! Gravity’s release. I was with kids from youth group. I screamed myself hoarse, and clapped so hard I broke a ring. On the drive there, I remember being awed that our youth group leader listened to All-American Rejects—a secular band.

I first saw Relient K co-headlined with Switchfoot on the Appetite For Construction at the now defunct, yet bizarre DeltaPlex Arena. I went with my best friend. Inside that concrete box, I gots pulled on stage to strum along with “Sadie Hawkins Dance.”

Nowadays, Relient K is one of my key musical influences. I picked up a DRV No3, by 1981 Inventions. This RAT variant pedal has let me fine-tune my sound around nostalgic Relient K riffs, and driven inspiration for new songs.

This year, Switchfoot re-recorded The Beautiful Letdown. The deluxe version featured Relient K covering “Ammunition.” Matt Thiessen screaming the opening line finally got me excited for the rerelease. I may give it another listen.

I have songbooks for both Mmhhmm and The Beautiful Letdown laying around the apartment. Time to warm up the DRV No3 this weekend and see what we find, when worlds collide.

Darlene

*Relient K’s music is better, but Switchfoot changed my life more. Debate me.