Camp Schwab opens its gates to local community during Schwab Fest

Photo By Staff Sgt. Danielle Prentice | CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, Japan— Asking Alexandria interacts with the audience March 24 during the Schwab Fest aboard Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. During the concert they performed a few of their songs “Into the Fire,” “Alone in a Room,” “Moving On,” and “Where Did it Go.” The approximate attendance was 9,500 patrons of the local and U.S. communities. Asking Alexandria is an English rock band who was the headliner during the festival. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Danielle R. Prentice)  

CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, JAPAN

03.24.2018

Story by Lance Cpl. Danielle Prentice 

Marine Corps Installations Pacific

Members of the local and U.S. communities come together to enjoy the Schwab Festival March 24-25 aboard Camp Schwab.

Throughout the festival there were static displays of Marine Corps Vehicles, rides, bounce houses, food and live music. The live music featured English rock band, Asking Alexandria. The approximate total attendance of the two-day festival was 9,500 patrons.

“I think open gate events are outstanding,” said Peter Dawson, the Marine Corps Installations chief of staff, and a Seabeck, Washington, native. “We open our bases as much as we can, allowing the local community to come on board, and it’s all goodness. It helps the local community and Marines better understand each other. To be able to share a festival like this, where we can interact and enjoy some entertainment and good food, everybody wins.”

After a day of enjoying the rides, static displays and food, majority of the patrons gathered around the entertainment stage where Asking Alexandria finished off Saturday night with an intense rock show.

“Up here on Camp Schwab the best thing is morale,” said Col. Kevin Norton, the camp commander of Camp Schwab. “We take great pride in the fact that it’s a more of a heavy metal (performance) up here, and the young Marines love it. It’s great for morale.”

During the concert, Asking Alexandria interacted more intimately with the rowdy Marines, performing a song that they rewrote to hit home for the Marines.

“They give us just as good of a show as we give them,” said Ben Bruce, a lead guitarist with Asking Alexandria, talking about the Marines in the audience.

“It’s amazing, and it’s an honor and a privilege to perform for the troops,” said Danny Worsnop, the lead singer of Asking Alexandria. “We have to do it a lot more in the future.”

Throughout their time on island, the band was not shy about going out and seeing the island. Marines stated they saw them around on and off base.

“We’ll do another show tomorrow, leave the stage up,” joked Worsnop. “We’d like to say to the troops, thank you, we appreciate everything you do. It was a pleasure coming here and getting to meet you guys.”

“Obviously we’re English but we’ve lived in America for a decade now,” said Bruce, in his strong English accent. “My wife and children are American (citizens). We feel like you guys have adopted us. We’re the most American, English band in the world. Our ‘thank you’s are sincere you know, they really are, because (America) is where we live. It’s our home.”

For information about future festivals aboard installations on Okinawa, check out the Okinawa spotlight, and mccsokinawa.com.

• Date Taken: 03.24.2018
• Date Posted: 03.26.2018 05:32
• Story ID: 270557
• Location: CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, JP