Dark Season Blues from the Arctic Circle

October 25, 2010 4:30 am
Robert Tooms

(Memphis, Tennessee) This week the Reba Russell Band travels to the northern archipelago of Svalbard in northern Norway to headline the annual Dark Season Blues festival. After a ride from Memphis to Newark, NJ., we boarded our flight to Oslo and 8 hours later we were greeting our friend J.T. Lauritsen, who had arranged the tour for us. We were accompanied by Victor Wainwright on this venture and our band would back up Victor on this tour as well.

Svalbard, with a population of about 2500, is home to coal mining(its original economic force) and now tourism and scientific studies. During tourism season, large cruise ships dock here and are responsible for doubling the population. Scientific studies concerning global climate change are ongoing.

Landing in Newark

Leaving Oslo

We were pretty jat-lagged and ready for slumber by the time we got to the Thon hotel near the Oslo airport, so we opted for napping interrupted only briefly by eating and continued slumber. The following morning we arose early for our flights to Svalbard.

Norway is magnificent, clean, cold and populated by friendly folks almost all of whom speak English beautifully as it is a standard course in schools. We whizzed through security at the Oslo airport where they have replaced the old presentation of passports with a quick fingerprint scan…technology at its best.

As we flew north, the earthen colors of land were gradually replaced by the white of snow, shimmering ice and the deep blue-black of the ocean.

Flying over the Arctic

Landing in Tromso

We landed in Tromso, located in northern Norway, to refuel and take on passengers. Sadly, one of our fellow passengers had an epileptic seizure while we were on the ground and was whisked away by ambulance. The crew of the plane responded quickly and professionally and soon we were headed north again.

This fellow greets you at the Longyearbyen airport on the island of Svalbard

Into the club

Our friend, Doc, Dr. Jon Sandmo, gives us an introduction to Svalbard

A lovely dinner was held for the attending musicians in the area where formerly the coal miners would take their evening meals. We were served a traditional meal of reindeer stew which was delicious. Afterwards we headed back to the Radisson to get ready for our gig.

Reba and Wayne Russell

The band relaxes in the green room between shows. That’s our wonderful host and friend, Judy Pedersen, who attended to our every need. Thank you, Judy. Judy’s husband, Ken, works as the project manager at the scientific station at the South Pole. Both are exceptional hosts here at this event. He is likewise jovial, affable, and we became fast friends. They return every year to host the festivities at the Dark Season Blues celebration which is held to announce the coming of the long dark days in the polar region.

Doug McMinn stands next to a huge bear in the green room. Thanks to the residents of Svalbard, the polar bear has made a resurgence from the old days when they were trapped and hunted for fur and meat. Now the largest threat to the bears is the changing climate.