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TRIDENT, JUNE <strong>29</strong>, <strong>2009</strong> 9<br />
World-famous rock bands play to support our CF<br />
By Benjamin J. Delong<br />
<strong>Trident</strong> staff<br />
Chickenfoot will be here, Our<br />
Lady Peace will be here, Sloan<br />
and Finger Eleven will be here, playing<br />
their best songs—some classic,<br />
some new—to a crowd of fans in<br />
support of CF members, here and<br />
away, their friends, and their families.<br />
Canadian Forces Halifax Rock<br />
Fest will debut on August 2, <strong>2009</strong>—<br />
a brand-new concert, along with a<br />
brand-new concept.<br />
“I have seen, firsthand, the benefits<br />
of a show tour,” said Canadian<br />
Forces Halifax Personnel Support<br />
Programs Manager (PSP Halifax),<br />
Frank Cleysen, speaking of entertainment<br />
acts for deployed troops.<br />
“And I wanted to bring this experience<br />
home as a way to thank the<br />
people of Halifax, and, at the same<br />
time, boost the morale of our CF<br />
members.”<br />
Troops who have deployed may be<br />
familiar with the oc<strong>ca</strong>sional show<br />
tour during a mission—a musi<strong>ca</strong>l<br />
performance, on lo<strong>ca</strong>tion where CF<br />
members serve. This year, PSP Halifax<br />
has created this at-home concert<br />
as a way to connect those overseas<br />
with their families and friends, home<br />
in Canada.<br />
“Imagine how you’d feel if you<br />
saw Citadel Hill packed with people<br />
who are there to rock out in support<br />
of your effort away from home,” said<br />
Cleysen. He pointed out the importance<br />
of connecting deployed troops<br />
to their lives at home—not only<br />
entertaining them with on-lo<strong>ca</strong>tion<br />
show tours, but involving them in a<br />
concert that is military-honouring,<br />
nostalgic, and fun-filled.<br />
Halifax will be host to the first concert<br />
of its kind, nationwide. The concert<br />
is open to the general public, all<br />
ages, with hopes that CF members<br />
and their families will be uplifted and<br />
honoured for the unique challenges<br />
they face.<br />
“At the end of the day,” according<br />
to Cleysen, “we want to boost troop<br />
morale, not make financial profit.”<br />
Cleysen said any profits made by the<br />
concert will be paid back into military<br />
programs which support CF military<br />
members and their families.<br />
“We want to send a clear message<br />
of support to the troops away from<br />
home,” said Cleysen. “We will<br />
include all of our deployed troops in<br />
this event. We want to give them all<br />
a real sense of home. And to the general<br />
public, we want to raise awareness<br />
of the missions and sacrifices<br />
that our troops are making abroad.”<br />
“I have seen,<br />
firsthand, the benefits<br />
of a show tour.”<br />
The way it will work is after the<br />
concert on August 2, professionally<br />
edited video and audio, recorded<br />
during the festival, will be sent to<br />
CF bases overseas. Kandahar Airfield<br />
will be treated to a one-hour<br />
broad<strong>ca</strong>st of music and messages<br />
from home. Smaller, more isolated<br />
bases will hear the recording via<br />
radio streams.<br />
“The Canadian Forces Halifax<br />
Rock Fest is new ground for the<br />
defence team here in Halifax,” said<br />
Capt(N) John Newton, Base Commander<br />
CFB Halifax, seeing more<br />
than just a music concert in this<br />
festival. “This event, featuring<br />
world-class music, will bring the<br />
Canadian Forces and the citizenry<br />
of the Atlantic region together for<br />
a memorable evening of music and<br />
celebration.<br />
“Given the size of the defence<br />
commitment to the Halifax regional<br />
area, it is obvious we have something<br />
to celebrate. This will furthermore<br />
create stronger bonds<br />
between our morale and welfare<br />
programs and our junior members<br />
and prospective recruits.”<br />
PSP will host two parties in preparation<br />
for the Canadian Forces Halifax<br />
Rock Fest. A rock and roll party<br />
will act as the media launch event,<br />
where a lucky winner will be<br />
announced and given a <strong>ca</strong>r for the<br />
Ready to Roll contest. Attendees <strong>ca</strong>n<br />
expect plenty of give-aways, and lots<br />
of rock music, food and drinks.<br />
The winners of The Next Great<br />
Atlantic Rock Band contest will be<br />
announced then, and will play a gig<br />
at the VIP party later on. This Atlantic<br />
Canadian talent will be given $5,000<br />
worth of equipment to open for<br />
the four headlining bands, $5,000<br />
towards a studio-recorded song, and<br />
hotel rooms for the concert.<br />
Prices for the Canadian Forces<br />
Halifax Rock Fest will remain as the<br />
early bird price for DND and NPF<br />
personnel—$65 for an individual<br />
ticket, $60 each for a four-ticket<br />
family pack, and $175 for a VIP ticket,<br />
complete with an excellent view,<br />
private bathrooms, and a full-service<br />
patio bar. Tickets <strong>ca</strong>n be purchased<br />
through Ticketpro or PSP Information<br />
Kiosks on site at CFB Halifax.<br />
The Canadian Forces Halifax<br />
Rock Fest takes place on Citadel<br />
Hill, August 2, <strong>2009</strong>. Check out<br />
www.HalifaxRockFest.<strong>ca</strong>, or visit a<br />
PSP Information Kiosk for more info.
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