USAFA's band Blue Steel visits New Mexico Published Oct. 30, 2015 By Argen Duncan Nucleus writer KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon. "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten. The U.S. Air Force Academy Blue Steel band played those songs and a few more Friday outside the Student Union Building at the University of New Mexico. The performance, like all of the band's shows, was free and open to the public. UNM was the last stop on a four-day tour of central New Mexico, arranged at the request of 58th Special Operations Wing Commander Col. Dag Anderson. The band played and conducted music clinics in Truth or Consequences, Magdalena and Socorro before coming to Albuquerque. "I think it'll be fantastic, and the response we got is more than we expected," Anderson said during the performance. He wanted to bring Blue Steel to New Mexico to reach out, particularly beyond Albuquerque, and let communities know what Kirtland Air Force Base was doing. He said the band members did a good job making connections and opening dialogue. "It opened my eyes to a hidden capability of the Air Force," Anderson said, adding that he wants Blue Steel to come back to the area. Lt. Col. Fred Garcia, commander of the UNM Air Force ROTC detachment, was also glad to see the band on campus. He said ROTC has been trying to interact with base personnel more. "So this is just really good for everybody," Garcia said. Blue Steel musician Senior Airman Craig Larimer said the band didn't conduct clinics in Albuquerque but focused on telling the community what Kirtland brings to the area and how grateful personnel are to be able to train here. Band members often learn more about a community than they teach, he said. Larimer said the band was warmly received during the tour. "I think that speaks to a lot of communities around here," he said, adding that the band doesn't always get a welcome. Visiting New Mexico is a good way to connect with people from various cultural backgrounds and generations, he said. Blue Steel consists of sound engineer and noncommissioned officer in charge Master Sgt. Janusz Masztalerz, logistics manger Staff Sgt. Greg Kollasch, musical director and bass player Staff Sgt. Colin Trusedell, vocalist Master Sgt. Kimberly Lively, drummer Senior Airman Quincy Brown and Larimer on vocals, keyboard and guitar. They play pop, rock and top-40 music. Larimer explained that the band performs at ceremonial events for the Air Force Academy, for deployed troops overseas to build morale and in public concerts around the world. In the public concerts, the main goal is to provide information about the military. Larimer said the best way to talk with a community is to use music to "bridge the conversational gap." "People don't necessarily speak the military language, but they do speak the music language," he said. Masztalerz, a native of Poland, has been part of Blue Steel for 18 years. "We connect the communities, we represent the Air Force and we honor our veterans," he said. Members are the face of the military, the Air Force and the Air Force Academy, Masztalerz said. Even overseas, he said, Blue Steel gives public performances that allow connection between American and local cultures. "This is important because this is a totally different face of the military they see," Masztalerz said. Band members don't "just" play their instruments, he said, because the mission is important. "Each of us, we're really proud of our jobs," Masztalerz said. Larimer and Brown joined Blue Steel in 2012, and both have fathers who were musicians. Brown said he picked up music from his dad. "My parents saw there was some potential there and enrolled me in art schools," he said. After high school, Brown served in the Army for three years and then earned a college music degree. He joined Blue Steel just after finishing graduate school. He said he's had a great experience with music and was put in the right place and introduced to the right people at the right times.