Tops in Blue wows crowd at DoD's northernmost installation

Tops in Blue shines at Top of the World

THULE AIR BASE, Greenland -- Tops in Blue entertainers perform the final song of their show Wednesday evening for a crowd of approximately 300 Airmen and civilians here. The group arrived at the Top of the World Tuesday night and had to adjust to the time change and more than a 100 degree temperature difference than their previous stop at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Nicole Langley)

Preparing for the big show

THULE AIR BASE, Greenland -- Crews work quickly Tuesday night in minus 40 degree Fahrenheit temperatures to transfer Tops in Blue's pallets of equipment from a C-17 Globemaster III into one of the hangar's adjacent to the flightline here. The entertainment group wowed the base with a nearly two-hour performance Wednesday. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Nicole Langley)

Published Feb. 22, 2008
By 1st Lt. Nicole Langley
821st Air Base Group Public Affairs

THULE AIR BASE, Greenland -- Tops in Blue, the Air Force's premier entertainment group, performed for approximately 300 Airmen and civilians here at the Top of the World Feb. 20.

The Air Force entertainers set up their stage, lighting and sound equipment, and musical instruments in one of the giant hangars adjacent to the airfield, and wowed the crowd with a nearly two-hour performance entitled "The Fly-By: A Musical Tribute to 60 Years of Proud Air Force History."

"Tops in Blue is a huge morale booster for the people of Thule," said Col. Lee-Volker Cox, Thule AB commander. "There is no 'off base' here, and that means that the people who live and work at the Top of the World don't have the opportunity to see a concert, go to a comedy club or eat at a restaurant like Airmen at other bases. It really means a lot that the group traveled more than 700 miles north of the Arctic Circle to perform for us! They'll be the talk of Thule for weeks."

The group arrived on an Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, C-17 Globemaster III at approximately 11:30 p.m. Feb. 19.

When they stepped off the aircraft, they were not only greeted by base leadership, but also temperatures dipping near minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Prior to coming to Thule, they were at Cannon AFB, New Mexico, which meant that the group had to adjust to more than a 100 degree temperature difference.

"The group's trip to Thule was another testament to the Air Force's commitment to care for its people," said Master Sgt. Chester Spires, 821st Air Base Group first sergeant. "Although we're at one of the most remote bases in the world, we were provided the same quality entertainment as if we were in the U.S."