Icestock is an all-day, outdoor music festival held annually at McMurdo Station, Antarctica on or around New Year's Day. It was started in 1989 by three United States Antarctic Program employees who wanted to host a music festival in the style of Woodstock.[1] It is the southern-most music festival in the world.[1][2]
Overview
The organizers, performers, and attendees of Icestock are all personnel working at McMurdo or nearby Scott Base. Because of the restrictions of the station's working schedule, Icestock falls on the Saturday closest to New Year's Day.[1] Ahead of the event, volunteers erect a temporary stage as well as shacks for serving food and beverages.[3]
Anyone who is interested may perform in Icestock.[1] Around a dozen acts perform each year, and the performances last for several hours. People often attend in costume.[4] The celebration culminates with a countdown to the new year. Because it occurs during the Antarctic summer, the entire festival, including the midnight countdown, takes place in sunlight.[5]
Musical acts
There are both group and individual musical performances at Icestock. As there are no permanent residents of Antarctica, musical groups typically form in the weeks preceding the festival. All personnel at the station are employed in other capacities, so music rehearsal takes place outside of the station's 60-hour work week.[3] McMurdo has practice rooms and some instruments, but many musicians bring their own equipment to the station.[3][6]
Musicians perform both original music and covers from a wide variety of genres, including folk, rock, and dance music.[3] Although there have been attempts to record Icestock performances, the music from Icestock is rarely performed or distributed beyond the festival.[7]
Other activities
In addition to music, performances at Icestock have included comedy sketch routines, dramatic performances, and dance routines.[8] Most years people dressed as Baby New Year will take the stage around midnight.
A chili cook-off also forms a central part of Icestock activities.
References
- ^ a b c d "The Antarctic Sun: News about Antarctica - Icestock Rings in the New Year". antarcticsun.usap.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
- ^ "24 hours of sunlight — life and aerospace research in Antarctica". Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences. 2020-01-14. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
- ^ a b c d "Antarctica Rocks Out on Ice". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
- ^ "8 Antarctic Traditions". www.mentalfloss.com. 2014-09-09. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
- ^ "Chasing Science in Antarctica | Ice Stories: Dispatches From Polar Scientists". Retrieved 2020-12-17.
- ^ "A New Master Plan for the McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica". www.architectmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
- ^ "IceStock2001". kuwona.users4.50megs.com. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
- ^ "Ice Stock 2019: Special Project Other - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-12-20.