The amp I had used all year was now starting to fail, so I set-up a back-up and The Picardis started their set. By now the audiance was growing and warming up to the idea of dancing. We were probably 5 or 6 songs into he set when people finally started hitting the dance floor. This band has been playing together since February and has performed at The Pole 4 times previous. For some reason, we peaked at just the right time. Although we did make some mistakes, the voices were on, and the execution was satisfactory. Our crowd, most of which had arrived within the previous 48 hours, was really putting a lot of energy into the room. It's a lot of fun to perform for friends who are so willing to supply additional commentary between songs! The banter between the stage and the audiance was pretty funny.
My voice was starting to quit by the time we got to the end of our 29 song set. Our last song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was energetic and the slam dancing on the floor was great to watch. As we tried to leave the stage, we were asked to do some more songs. We only knew two more songs, so we played "Johnny B. Goode" and "Closing Time" by Semisonic. It was a little ironic for me to sing lines like "Every new beginning comes from some other begining's end" and "Time for you to go back to the places you will be from" knowing that in 12 hours I was beginning a new 'begining' and going back to the place I am from.
Almost immediately after we were finished, we had to begin tearing down all the equipment since most of us were leaving the next day. Fortunately, several members of the audiance stayed to help and we were done in about an hour.
Once the guitars and PA were all put away, it was time to celebrate and reflect on 9 months of effort. I enjoyed my last good cigar (ACID 1400cc), and hung out with some of my fellow South Pole winter survivors.
The next morning (now), the accolades from the summer staff were non-stop. Although we had talked a pretty good game, we did not disappoint. Most were awed by what we had accomplished. Typically, no one down here puts as much effort into this sort of thing. We were a little bummed that a few specific people didn't show up yet (they get here today); we wanted to give them something to shoot for with their summer bands. Still, I think the word of mouth that will get to them should let them know we were pretty special.
The real surprise to everyone was the performance by my good friend, Ethan (blog linked at right). Some of us met him as early as September at fire fighting school. Others met him down here and found him to be extremely quiet. This myth has been laid to rest. He put new life into the old-school hip-hop classic "Bust a Move" and did a remarkable job singing Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game"; nevermind his amazing performance of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". For me, the real victory was getting this otherwise quiet guy to leave the safe confines of being Mr. Quiet, and becoming a darn good entertainer. His participation in music only really started February this year as I gave him some guitar lessons. This has blossomed into moments of extroverted madness that are enjoyed by everyone. Kudos to you my friend.
And that brings us to now. It's 9:40am and my flight gets here at 11:30am. I'll board that LC-130 knowing I will probably never return to the South Pole. It has been a time that has reshaped my impressions of myself, my friends, my past, and my future; an absolutely pivotal period. It will probably take months or ever years to realize the full impact of my stay. One irony I've already discovered is that the climate was a minor player here. Before arriving, I figured that an outdoor temperature averaging less than -50°F would be one of the main considerations. But, no, this hardly figured into any real effect. Rediscovering music, true friendship, and sobriety are also readily evident in my immediate future. I can't really go too far with this right now, it's still a real high after last night and I'm getting on a plane and saying goodbye to some great people in 2 hours.
So, we're off to McMurdo for the weekend (yuck). Then Monday, hopefully, we'll board a C-17 headed to Christchurch, New Zealand (a beautiful city). This blog will continue with new adventures from an unfrozen desert...more as this story develops.
