Bon Voyage with the Band Day Five Published July 6, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Madeleine Richards 146th Airlift WIng CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD STATION, Calif. -- Three more performances under our belts and we are calling it a day! Wednesday we had a performance in Ogden City; on Thursday the band performed in Murray City, and on the 4th of July they performed at the Brigham City Pioneer Park in Brigham City, Utah. Whew! The performance on the 4th was special because we got to see the group Fuego Azul perform for the first time this trip. It was a nice change in pace with very up-beat Latin rock music. It was also a good opportunity for some more of the band members to be featured and show off their talent. After they were done performing, a teenage boy approached the group expressing to them how much he enjoyed their performance. It was sweet to see how the band can touch all different age groups. The Dixieland Tailgaters were on a roll tonight, walking in the audience and picking different groups to play for. People absolutely loved it! They had set up next to a few families having a cookout and even played a Happy Birthday tune to a young girl in the crowd at her parent's request. I thought it was funny when they would pick a spot to play and, while they were playing, they would decide to pick up and move around throughout the crowd a little more... but they 'forgot' the drum player, MSgt. Scott McPherson, who was stationary with his drum set. They would realize that they left him to play the drums all by himself once they got about ten feet away from him then return. It was quite entertaining and the audience always got a laugh out of it. That was all before the main performance with the whole band that started at 9pm. With it being the 4th of July, people were extra patriotic and showed an even higher level of excitement towards the band's performance! When I was walking through the crowd trying to get some different shots, an older man approached me just asking me to thank the band for coming and to tell them how much their music meant to him and his wife. He said he would come to see them every year if they came back. I also started talking to a couple that I recognized from the show in Ogden City. They loved it so much they came back to hear their music one more time before we headed back to California. The band performed right up until 10pm when the fireworks started. It was a late night but a great way to end the trip...well almost end it. We still have a 14 hour road trip ahead of us tomorrow. All I hear is a 14 hour nap until I am reunited with my pet bird and hamster, Kawaii and Kaboo. This was a great experience and I can now say I have completed my first tour! I am so excited to see where else I get to travel throughout my Air Force Career. I hope you enjoyed!
Bon Voyage with the Band Day Five Published July 6, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Madeleine Richards 146th Airlift WIng CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD STATION, Calif. -- Three more performances under our belts and we are calling it a day! Wednesday we had a performance in Ogden City; on Thursday the band performed in Murray City, and on the 4th of July they performed at the Brigham City Pioneer Park in Brigham City, Utah. Whew! The performance on the 4th was special because we got to see the group Fuego Azul perform for the first time this trip. It was a nice change in pace with very up-beat Latin rock music. It was also a good opportunity for some more of the band members to be featured and show off their talent. After they were done performing, a teenage boy approached the group expressing to them how much he enjoyed their performance. It was sweet to see how the band can touch all different age groups. The Dixieland Tailgaters were on a roll tonight, walking in the audience and picking different groups to play for. People absolutely loved it! They had set up next to a few families having a cookout and even played a Happy Birthday tune to a young girl in the crowd at her parent's request. I thought it was funny when they would pick a spot to play and, while they were playing, they would decide to pick up and move around throughout the crowd a little more... but they 'forgot' the drum player, MSgt. Scott McPherson, who was stationary with his drum set. They would realize that they left him to play the drums all by himself once they got about ten feet away from him then return. It was quite entertaining and the audience always got a laugh out of it. That was all before the main performance with the whole band that started at 9pm. With it being the 4th of July, people were extra patriotic and showed an even higher level of excitement towards the band's performance! When I was walking through the crowd trying to get some different shots, an older man approached me just asking me to thank the band for coming and to tell them how much their music meant to him and his wife. He said he would come to see them every year if they came back. I also started talking to a couple that I recognized from the show in Ogden City. They loved it so much they came back to hear their music one more time before we headed back to California. The band performed right up until 10pm when the fireworks started. It was a late night but a great way to end the trip...well almost end it. We still have a 14 hour road trip ahead of us tomorrow. All I hear is a 14 hour nap until I am reunited with my pet bird and hamster, Kawaii and Kaboo. This was a great experience and I can now say I have completed my first tour! I am so excited to see where else I get to travel throughout my Air Force Career. I hope you enjoyed!