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A weekend with Tops in Blue

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica Hines
  • 21st Space Wing public affairs office
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  When the 2010 tour schedule was released for Tops in Blue, I was excited to see the traveling show was passing through my base Aug. 20, probably more so than my fellow coworkers.

This is because I was not only interested in seeing the group perform, but because one of my best friends was in the show and it had been nearly a year since we had seen each other after parting ways in tech school.

I remember getting the text message from her months ago that exclaimed, "I got into Tops in Blue!" There was no doubt in my mind that my very talented friend would make the group, considering I had first-hand knowledge of her abilities after spending four months of tech school listening to her sing from the next room. Some people are just born to sing.

As a public affairs professional, I had the opportunity to cover and photograph the two hour energy-packed performance at my base, but my involvement would not end there.

TiB had three performances scheduled for the military community in Colorado Springs, Colo., one at Peterson AFB and two at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Besides covering the show for my own base, I was happy to volunteer to help with break down once the show was done. Again, my involvement would not end there when I decided to follow my friend and TiB up to The Academy to help with their weekend performances.

Since I was no longer covering the show for my base, I simply offered to help the performers and my friend as a stage hand during the performance, and I cannot say enough good things about this talented group of Airmen.

While audience members are being entertained by a group of performers on an elaborate stage fully equipped with rotating platforms, lights, backdrops and non-stop music from just about every era, Airmen from nearly all ranks and walks of life weave in and out of costumes backstage like magicians.

As a dancer and performer growing up, I am fully accustomed to that type of atmosphere, but the thing about TiB that impressed me the most is the dedication and hard work these members put into the show on and off stage every single day for an entire year.

The 2010 crew of TiB have breathed new life into the Air Force's premier entertainment group. By delivering performances from contemporary pop, beat-boxing, American standards and operatic renditions of chart-topping classics, this group has set itself apart from the rest.

For this reason, when the show ends the work most certainly does not. As you as an audience member are walking back to your vehicle, they're changing into work clothes and beginning the long tedious process of breaking down and packing up the set. As you're waking-up and having your morning cup of coffee, they've been on a tour bus for a couple of hours heading to the next base. When you're discussing the performance with co-workers a week later, they've already traveled to two or three different states, and sometimes countries, and have performed for thousands more.

After spending the weekend with TiB, I could not be more proud of my friend, but even more importantly, I could not be more proud of the members of TiB and how they have represented the Air Force to the world. These Airmen competed and ultimately volunteered their time and talents, for one year, to be the top entertainers in the Air Force, and they truly are.

So, if you haven't seen them yet, I encourage you to go when they stop by your neck of the woods and be prepared for a power-house of a performance even the children will enjoy. If you have the opportunity to see them again, I would encourage you to go to show your support and thank them for all the hard work they do on and off stage.

To learn about the 60 year history of TiB and find tour locations and dates go to http://www.topsinblue.com/

 

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