It's not often that the USO brings big name concerts to our tiny island in the Pacific to entertain. Most famous people want to perform in The Desert or other deployed locations for a camo clad audience huddled in a khaki colored tent. I am not downplaying or bad mouthing those tours. Those camo clad men and women are in the line of fire every day putting their lives on the line for me. They deserve all the entertainment and moral boosting they can get. But it also means that those of us stationed in far off lands are often overlooked by the touring famous entertainers and USO bandwagons.
HOWEVER, in mid-January, Montgomery Gentry came to Kadena for a USO tour!! They were visiting many of the bases in the Pacific and were playing for the troops and their families here. This was the first big name concert we have had in YEARS and that is no exaggeration! Needless to say, most people around here were excited for a free concert, no matter who it was!
The concert was hyped up by the radio station, TV station, and all military publications on base for weeks. The week leading up to the concert, they played all of Montgomery Gentry's biggest hits on the radio and TV! When the big day arrived, we went to the hanger where it was held. The stage was set on one side of the hanger, the door behind it was open and an American flag, F-15, F-22 and helicopter were set as the backdrop! We were so ready for a good show!
Another awesome treat for the night was that our good friend, Brittany Mintz, was singing the Japanese national anthem! They held auditions for both the Japanese and the American Nation Anthems, and Britt was picked for the Japanese one! She started the night by "opening" for Montgomery Gentry as we call it!! Check out the video of her below! She is SO very talented!
I tried to weasel my way into a backstage pass by posing as her manager. I held her umbrella, talked on a phone, ignored people when they were talking to me, gave her water, and looked VERY important. It didn't work. They wouldn't let me backstage. Bummer.
But that's ok, because once they were on stage, we were so close, it felt like backstage!! They put on an awesome show! I even knew more songs than I thought I would.
The best part about this night was not necessarily the band or the crowd or the setting or the night spent with friends, but it was all of those things happening at once! For one hour I was surrounded by Americans listening to American country music that talked about patriotism, down home cookin', and family lovin'. For one hour I forgot I was in another country far, far away from home. For one hour, I was distracted by the lights, the music, and the crowd. For one hour, I was in America! Even though I was just there, I miss America and I miss home.
It was so nice to be distracted and entertained. If I feel this way here, I can't imagine how great it feels to see a concert like this one while deployed in some far off war zone. The service that these USO musicians or comedians provide for our military is invaluable and indescribable. Thank you to all of you who support the USO and to all those who spend their time and talents entertaining, distracting, and uplifting our service members and their families. WE all appreciate you!!!
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