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Sea Shanty Bands
Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of Pirates Weekend in Plymouth as you dance to the rhythmic tunes of sea shanties resonating through the air.
These traditional folk songs, passed down through generations, tell tales of adventure, camaraderie, and life at sea. Join in the chorus, feel the unity in music, and let the timeless melodies transport you to a bygone era of seafaring legends.
Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a landlubber at heart, the spirit of the sea shanty bands will captivate you and leave you with memories as deep as the ocean itself.
You can also find out more about each Shanty Band by clicking the links, or by visiting 'About the Shanty Bands'.
Captain Jaspers
Saturday
10am - Seaweed in the Fruit Locker
12pm - Billy Ruffian
2pm - Barrel Seagals
4pm - Batten Down the Hatches
Sunday
10am - Billy Ruffian
12pm - The Out of Tunas
2pm - The Pirates of St Piran
4pm - Cat and Jon
The Parade
Saturday
10.30am - The Chudleigh Shantymen
12.30pm - Seaweed in the Fruit Locker
2.30pm - Batten Down the Hatches
Sunday
10.30am - Seaweed in the Fruit Locker
12.30pm - Billy Ruffian
2.30pm - Cat and Jon
Southside Street (West – Citadel Ope)
Saturday
10.30am - Barrel Seagals
1pm - The Chudleigh Shantymen
3pm - C.A.S.K
Sunday
11am - The Pirates of St Piran
1pm - Seaweed in the Fruit Locker
3pm - The Old Grumpies
Southside Street (East – Pilgrim Ice Cream)
Saturday
10.30am - Billy Ruffian
12.30pm - Batten Down the Hatches
2.30pm - Midsummer Gurnards
Sunday
10.30am - Cat and Jon
12.30pm - The Pirates of St Piran
2.30pm - Billy Ruffian
West Pier / Mayflower Steps
Saturday
10am - C.A.S.K
12pm - Barrel Seagulls
2pm - Billy Ruffian
Sunday
10am - The Old Grumpies
12pm - Cat and Jon
2pm - Out of Tunas
Commercial Wharf
Saturday
10.30am - Midsummer Gurnards
12.30pm - C.A.S.K
2.30pm - Chudleigh Shantymen
Royal William Yard
Saturday
10am - 3pm - Live DJ Performance - Aldo Vanucci
Sunday
10:30am - 11:30am - Andy Quick Band
12pm - 1pm - Rue
1.30pm - 2.30pm - Anything but Francis
About the Shanty Bands
The Pirates of St Piran are a rocky, rumbustious pirate band performing all over the West Country at festivals, pubs and pirate-themed events. We perform in our own unique style, dressed in traditional pirate costume. We are a non-profit band and every penny we make from our gigs and music sales goes to charity.
Cat Rose and Jon Fazal are an indie folk singer songwriter duo based in Plymouth. Their music has been described as 'combining dreamy melodies with lyrics that pain pictures in your mind.' Their debut EP Catalyst was released October 2024. A single from their EP ‘Into the blue’ was featured on BBC Introducing and was also chosen to showcase on their new BBC Orbit Music discovery app. Cat and Jon have played notable festivals and venues in the South West
The Out Of Tunas have been called the ‘bad boys of shanty’. They need no introduction! Their performances are becoming legendary and Iconic wherever they go.
The Chudleigh Shantymen formed in 2014 from a group of old boys who would ‘ meet down the pub’ of a Friday evening to sing shanties. Their notoriety quickly spread throughout Chudleigh. The crew have performed at Plymouth Pirate Weekend, private parties and other local events. Their repertoire includes traditional sea shanties as well as songs of the sea written specifically for them. Crew members include an ex-RN CPO and another who went by sea under sail all the way to Australia - but most couldn’t manage a pedalo.
They have performed at various Pirate and Shanty Festivals from Falmouth to Gloucester, but since lockdown they have submitted videos and been involved on live feeds for virtual festivals further afield in Oban Scotland and on the east coast of America for “Weathering The Storm” and Canada for “Festival Des Pirates”, as well as recording music tracks being played on SoundCloud “Couleur Bleue Salee”. Garbed as Mermaid and Pirate, they have a strikingly different look as well as beautifully blended harmonies.
C.A.S.K fundraise for FND Friends, a charity which helps Kathryn to manage her Functional Neurological Disorder.
Billy Ruffian are four young men from Plymouth who sing in close harmony. Songs of the sea, songs of the land and songs of the gutter.
Seaweed in the Fruit Locker is an LGBTQIA+ sea shanty choir formed by artist Rhys Morgan.
Barrel Seagals is an all-female shanty crew based in Bude, Cornwall. Their songs include unique takes on traditional shanties to represent the female perspective, original material based on local legends such as Nanny Moore and songs written by Cornish women such as Brenda Wootton.
Midsummer Gurnards blend folk and songs of the sea.Their sets boasts well known classics and original tunes.They attribute their sound to the likes of The Fisherman’s Friends and The Longest Johns, with a mix of The Mary Wallopers and the Pogues. Starting as a drinking crew with a sea shanty problem, since they formed post lockdown in 2021, Midsummer Gurnards have performed all over their wonderful county of Devon, supporting charities, local establishments and festivals.
Throw away your preconceptions of the shanty scene and get ready to be energised, amused and enthused by this dynamic three-man crew from the Exe estuary.
Delivering a mix of traditional and new shanties with an eye on the future and a nod to the past, BDH are sure to get you singing, all the way home.
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