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Austin Fashion Week kickoff event at Cowboy Harley-Davidson of Austin had a live gig by 80’s hair band LC Rocks.  Listing their influences as including Van Halen, Bon Jovi, GNR, Kiss, Warrant, Def Leppard, ACDC, Journey, their setlist included prefect renditions of ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, ‘Jessie’s Girl’ and ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’. Members of the band, Matt Bray, Chris Max, Paul Cano and Randy Erwiin put on an excellent performance, and were a huge hit with the crowd.

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After the 9AM performance, we had an opportunity to go off base with Major O’Donnell–to a local restaurant called “Jim’s place.”  This establishment didn’t match our idea of Kyrgyzstan, where we were told an average annual salary could total as little as $1,000.

Out at the back of the restaurant, there was a frozen lake, where we saw local families skating on the ice.

Group shot taken at the lake with our security escorts and the major. . . .

After our offsite excursion to grab lunch, we returned for our briefing with Colonel Christopher Bence–376 AEW Commander

and Master Sergeant Kevin Soltis–376  AEW Commander Chief.

During this meeting, we were educated regarding the range of functions provided by the base in relation to current campaign efforts,

a history of the base, 

amd the local community efforts the service men and women put their spare time and personal funds into.

Another important element in the briefing was our introduction to the tradition of  the “Challenge Coin.”

While explaining its heritage and how a challenge is issued, Commander Bence presented each member of the group with a Manas Air Base coin.

With the meeting over, we waited in the hall while Colonel Bence wrote a note to Lisa’s nephew, who dreams of signing up,

and we heard a few more stories from Chief Master Sergeant Soltis.

Then it was off outside

for a group shot.

After this meeting ended, we went to the armory to meet with Farnham (unknown rank)

and Staff Sergeant Harrington.

They gave us the rundown on everything–from the more common weapons carried by airmen, to tracer bullets and night vision. Anita and DJ Chicken George checked out the night vision.

Lisa interviewed our hosts for the documentary.

Leaving the armory with Master Sergeant Hinen, Harrington and Farnham came with us to to spend the remainder of the afternoon. Master Sergeant Hinen took us out to the woods in a convoy of hummers–so we could grab another photo opportunity.

Trust me–this is not a political statement–just an interesting contrast.

Our driver, Master Sergeant Hinen.

The view from the gun post on top of the hummer–I couldn’t help but feel very exposed up there.

Time to pose, people. Take your places.

All happy . . .

all serious . . .

Dj Chicken George bringing it.

Ready for his closeup.

Aldo, protecting the border.

You don’t want this long arm of the law pointing its finger at you.

Zeale–the only thing he knows how to do is bring it for every camera opp.  

Zeale needs no coaching for posing–he’s got it.

We can’t have the lead singer slip.

Hey Anita–stop pointing that weapon at my head.

There–that feels better.

The entire crew.

Thanks to Jerry Sullivan, owner of Precision Camera, Austin Texas, for his generous sponsorship of my tour to the middle east.

Last night, (the second last night of SXSW 09), was the final performance for Los Bad Apples at this years event here in Austin Texas. The band were slated to go on stage at midnight and play till around 1am.

There were preceeded by a rather unusual band called “Futomomo Satisfaction” who are self described as “Futomomo Satisfaction is only one “trombone BIKINI girls band” in the world. (Futomomo means thighs.)”  Another brilliant piece of information you cannot leave withoug hearing is this… “A lot of people has been anxious for it, and anyone who has seen, has been attracted and cheered momentarily.”

Ok, enough sidebar for one day – back to the bad apples

I have just returned from the adventure of a lifetime travelling accross 4 countries in the middle east for 17 days following the band Los Bad Apples on their Armed Forces Entertainment tour to play for troops stationed abroad.  I hope through my words and photographs that you can capture some of the excitement and adventure of our travels.

We flew from Austin to London, from London to Istanbul, and then into Manas International Airport, Bishkek. Bishkek, which is the capital and largest city in Kyrgyzstan, is the location of the US Air Force base which was in the news right before we left on tour (because it was reported that the Kyrgyzstan government had voted to cancel the lease on the base).

To give an idea of its location, here is a short list of  Bishkek’s interesting neighbors (distances are in miles):

Almaty – Kazakstan – 113

Tashkent – Uzbekistan – 306

Dushanbe – Tajikistan – 427

Mazari Sharif – Afganistan – 530

Sopore – India – 592

Urumqi – China - 651

Once we arrived at the airport, we were greeted by a great ambassador for the U.S. Air Force, Master Sergeant Kenneth Baptiste.

After a long count and re-count of all 32 pieces of luggage, putting all the bags on carts, then through the scanners, then back on the carts; I had to register my lost bag (with my softboxes and two bags of light stands).  Then, we were finally ready to leave to load the awaiting truck and get on the bus to bring us down the road to the base.

Once we got off the plane we could already feel the cold in the airport, but as soon as we stepped outside to load the trucks, we could see the snow on the ground and on the trees.

Since we arrived at Manas at around 5:30 am, the next item on the agenda, after dropping off our luggage, was to hit the dfac (dining facility) to go get breakfast and start in on what would have been day 2 without sleep.

After getting situated with rooms and mammoth efforts to set DJ Chick George free after he locked himself into his room, we were off to lunch at the dfac with the EFSS leadership team.

After lunch, with Major O’Donnell as our guide, the first stop  included a visit to the location for the next day’s gig at the MWR hall known as Pete’s Place. Ryan is quick to point out the first poster we see for the tour.

Once inside Pete’s Place, Ryan Rooney with  Noman Sound set about researching the purchase process to obtain adult drinky treats; he found out there is a limit to the number of drinks one can have per 24 hour period.

Zeale is using code to let the rest of the band know what Ryan is asking about.

For some, the opportunity to get online with the free wifi at Pete’s Place was more interesting than an adult beverage.

Pete’s Place, like any other bar, has rules…

and posters…(I’d love to hear the translation for this one )

and the last remaining element between you and what’s in the fridge–stickers….

There was even a “Don’t mess with Texas” sticker up there.

But when you needed something from inside the fridge, this local Kyrgi lady, a member of the bar staff, would check the list and then serve you to make sure you were not over your 2 drinks per 24 hours.

While we were visiting Pete’s Place, set up was going on for the monthly bazzar.  This enabled local traders the opportunity to come on base to sell everything from old Soviet army uniforms, watches and hats–as displayed by this vendor–

to  fur hats, slippers, jewelry, bags, blankets, etc., and our own Lisa Kaselak, the documentary film maker on the tour, bought a completely fabulous hat….

After the bazzar we saw the fitness center, Liberando’s lair, LRC, Shooters, and a tiny chapel.

Then we saw the travel agency for airmen, and Staff Sergeant Caryl

showed us the staging area for service luggage.

We left the bazzar and got in a bus to travel across base toward the flight line where we met the falcon trainers. This was an unexpected hit with the band.  None of us had ever been this close to a bird of prey. The purpose of the falcons on base is to “clear the air” around the flight line to make sure no other birds get in the engines.

We were met by LtCol Stroebel,

and by a civilian contractor from England–Stephen Farrell…

with his bird “Thunder.”

They let each one of us wear the glove and hold the bird while we asked our questions about the birds and their job on the base.

Anita

Zeale

Aldo

Jeff

Lisa

Me

Staying with the flight theme, we went on from the falcons to visit the KC-135 Stratotanker and take a tour inside. Here is a shot of the front of the plane…

and here is a shot of the part of the plane that makes it famous–

the business end of a KC-135.  This is the part that is lowered during flight (at somewhere around 500 m.p.h.) to connect with another plane in order to conduct a mid-air refuel.

In order to get this bird up in the air with all its cargo and extra gas,  it takes 4 huge engines.

After a few quick lessons for Zeale, Aldo,

myself and Anita and

DJ Chicken George (even got to ask the all important question–”What does THIS button do?”),

we were all allowed to fly for a while

On the way back to the dfac to eat before that night’s show, we met one of the base dogs.

After dinner it was finally time for the first performance of the LOS BAD APPLES 09 AFE tour….

First on stage at Pete’s Place is DJ Chicken George with his 15 minute opening set.

Some of the CDs ready to give away at the end of the show…

At the end of that set DJ Chicken George is joined on stage by Zeale.

In order to show the folks that Zeale has mad skills he rolls in a freestyle number…

with lyrics taken from the audience with the assistance of a serviceman.

After that set, Zeale calls up the rest of the band.

This was the goal from the start–to entertain the troops.

After the music and the dancing stopped, it was time to sign and hand out the CDs and T-shirts to a very appreciative crowd.

Master Sergeant Kenneth Baptiste finds the Los Bad Apples groove impossible to resist and is officially the last man dancing at the end of the night.

He would just prefer that it is not captured on film

Thanks to Jerry Sullivan, owner of Precision Camera, Austin Texas, for his generous sponsorship of my tour to the middle east.