Flight One performers rock the AF museum with British concert May 11

Members of the Air Force Band of Flight take the stage together in a rock performance at the National Museum of the United States Air Force May 11. The band playing hits from the Beetles to Led Zeppelin for 600 members of the base and the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ted Theopolos)

Members of the Air Force Band of Flight take the stage together in a rock performance at the National Museum of the United States Air Force May 11. The band playing hits from the Beetles to Led Zeppelin for 600 members of the base and the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ted Theopolos)

Flight One from the Air Force Band of Flight rocked the National Museum of the United States Air Force with their British concert with more than 600 guests in attendance May 11.

Chief Master Sgt. Keith Erb, Air Force Band of Flight manager, emceed the evening and welcomed the audience to the AFBF concert. Proceeding his remarks, the base honor guard presented the colors, and Master Sgt. Richard Vazquez, guest vocalist from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, sang the national anthem.

Col. Thomas Sherman, 88th Air Base Wing and installation commander, followed with an enthusiastic thank you to the audience and to the band. Sherman quickly departed the stage after he introduced the band where on cue the concert started with a Beatles up beat song “I Feel Fine.”

“Saturday’s concert was a great opportunity to team with the National Museum of the United States Air Force and connect with the local communities that support Wright-Patt’s Airmen and missions,” said Erb.

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With high-energy band members playing classic rock ‘n’ roll music, people were toe taping and others clapping their hands.

“I thought the crowd really related to the music,” said Erb. “They were singing along, and some even got up and started dancing.”

The Beatles topped the songs being performed with five while the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen and The Who had two songs each. Cream had one as well as a non-British band, Grand Funk Railroad. All the songs were well received by the crowd.

“The music from that era is enduring,” said Erb. “The ‘60s and ‘70s were a tumultuous time, not just for our military but our entire country. The emotion in the music of that time reflects what people were feeling and going through.”

Before the last song of the evening, the band played military rock medley from each one of the services. Veterans were asked to stand for their song that matched the service they served in.

For the last song of the evening, the band requested the crowd to get up and start dancing to the Beatles tune “Twisted and Shout,” and they did.

The next performance by the AFBF will be at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio, June 26.

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