Courtesy Photo | The band Catchpenny performs a concert for service members at the Sustainer Theater,...... read more read more
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By Spc. Adrian Muehe
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – As the members of Catchpenny will admit, they may not be a big name act, but they definitely put on a good show for service members at the Sustainer Theater, Sept. 22, at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
With a fast tempo, lots of crowd involvement, and a mix of covers and custom tunes, the band provided an exciting show.
“It was great they had a great mix of original tunes and covers that everybody knew,” said Capt. Benjamin Johnston, assistant S3, 36th Engineer Brigade. “The crowd interaction at the end was pretty cool, getting everybody up to sing a song about America.”
The gig at JBB was part of the band’s tenth tour of the country, and they have experienced quite a bit along the way. After so many tours, the band has some interesting stories to tell about their experiences in Iraq.
“We came over the first time in August 2008, and then almost every other month for about a year or so,” said Christian Schauf, singer and guitarist for the band. “We had one day where we had a surface-to-air missile, a car bomb, and mortar all on our way from one spot to the next, and it was pretty nerve racking.”
That has not discouraged their desire to provide entertainment for troops throughout Iraq. However, after the first couple of tours, they saw the need for shows at smaller bases that bands couldn’t get to because they carried too much equipment, said Schauff.
“Cody, our sound man, helped us design a system that would fit in Blackhawks, so that we could make it to the smaller bases where they just don’t get anything like that,” said Schauf. “That was really our mission for a long time, to go to those bases and play shows.”
They get the same value from all the shows they play, regardless of crowd size or location.
“We have felt really good about doing this, and always have had a great response,” said Schauf. “We’re not some name that everybody knows, but when someone comes up and says they really enjoyed it, I really feel good about it.”
| Date Taken: | 09.22.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2010 14:17 |
| Story ID: | 57435 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 30 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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