26 June, 2012 News stories

Nunatak reunion at the Sanday Soulka festival on the Orkney Islands

Having performed at one of the world’s biggest concerts ‘Live Earth*’ on 7th July 2007, Nunatak** — the British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station’s house band — will be reunited for the first time in five years to play a gig on the Orkney Island of Sanday during the Sanday Soulka festival (29th June – 1st July).

The Rothera band Nunatak rehears on Reptile Ridge, Adelaide Island, Antarctica before their Live Earth performance

The five person indie-rock band was formed at Rothera Research Station when all band members worked there as part of a science team investigating climate change and evolutional biology on the Antarctic Peninsula. Today, the band members Matt Balmer, Tris Thorne, Rob Webster, Ali Massey and Roger Stilwell all have different jobs in various parts of the UK but continue to stay in touch.

Other events at the festival include an exhibition contrasting photographs taken during Scott’s fateful trip to the South Pole a century ago with modern life in Antarctica, and a British Antarctic Survey expedition tent showing what it’s like living and working in Antarctica. Richard Hall (who was based at Rothera Research Station when Nunatak was formed) will also give an illustrated talk about his experiences in Antarctica called ‘Dingle Days’. Read more about The Sanday Soulka events.

*Live Earth
was the first of a series of benefit concerts held at all seven continents to raise awareness of worldwide climate change.
** Nunatak (a Greenlandic word):
An exposed summit of a ridge mountain or peak (not covered with snow) within an ice field or glacier. These stunning features occur in the most remote beautiful yet fragile and threatened environments on our planet.