Our Epic Adventure at the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival 2026

Shape wonderful fashion boys along the harder side from evil gods to wonderful Even all the line Secure the barrels down below Find them, tie and lash them this vessel, she is certified shipshape from Bristol Fashion.

Hello and welcome to episode 30 of Shipshape and Bristol Fashion.

I'm Oggy, your host and a member of the Portal Bristol Shanty crew.

And welcome to our 30th episode.

And it seems completely fitting that we are recording this episode live from the Falmouth International sea Shanty Festival 2026.

This episode is going to be full of the highlights, some of the content.

Of what we've been up to, some.

Music from other crews, some interviews from people who are attending, including those crews.

It's going to be a bumper edition and we will try and capture as much as we possibly can to ultimately highlight some of the great stuff that happens at this wonderful shanty festival.

If this is the first time that you've discovered Shipshape and Bristol Fashion, welcome.

It's really good to have you on board.

Please do listen to this episode.

But like I said, this is episode 30, and so, hey, please do spend some time listening to the back catalogue of other episodes.

If you are returning, welcome.

It's great to have you on board and I hope this episode meets your expectations and feeds your ears with audible delights of this wonderful sea shanty festival.

So here we go.

Here is some of the highlights of.

This year's shanty festival in Falmouth.

From across the spare isles and those of it traveled from distant shores, y' all are most heartily welcome.

This weekend, our town once again welcomes the mighty Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, a celebration of music, fellowship, and the noble tradition of singing loudly while looking at the harbor.

For generations, these songs have carried across oceans and around the world.

They have accompanied sailors through storms, calms, adventures and occasions where nobody knew where they were.

And everybody just agreed to keep singing.

Our next three days, our streets, keys, pubs, waterfront, and the more shall be filled with harmony, laughter, stories, and maybe the occasional notes that doesn't land quite right.

To the performers, thank you for bringing your music and your voices.

To all the visitors, thank you for bringing your enthusiasm.

And to the town of Falmouth, thank you for once again showing the world that no one throws a maritime party.

Quite like we do.

Raise your voices, stomp your feet, clap your hands and sing along, even if you don't know the words.

May fair winds fill your sails, friendship fill your hearts, and may the music of the sea ring out over foulness all weekend long.

God save the king.

Let's get this party started.

So we are here now at the parade.

And now if you are new to the Falmouth International Sea Sanchi Festival, then what happens is, is on kind of day two of all the crews are, after they've had a few ciders on the previous day, on day one, get to get up really early and parade through the town of Falmouth.

And it's an incredible event.

There's bands, there's crews, there's singing.

And we're right here now, first thing this morning, and I'm here with Ollie, Shanty boy, who is clearly going to be featuring on this episode.

Lots of audio captured from crews and people who are taking part.

Good morning, Ollie.

How are you?

Tired, I would say.

I don't like getting up this early, but I just really like the parade.

Mainly because when you're going through the parade, a lot of the cruise just start singing Sea Shines as they go along.

It's so fun.

I think I like that part of it.

It's one of my favorite parts.

Yeah, it's really good, isn't it?

It's good to mix with others, good to sing with others.

This year we've got some new banners.

So if you were here at the Falmouth Shanty Festival, then you would have seen us, one of which is actually promoting the podcast.

And you'll.

You're carrying it for the first time this year.

I've got to say, it's a lot heavier than I thought it would be,.

But okay, you're gonna be all right.

You've got strong arms.

You're a young man.

Am I thick in the arms but also thick in the head as well?

No, no, no, I don't think you are.

I think you're just thick in the arm.

You'll be fine.

You're a very clever young man.

Thank you.

Well, I have to say that you're in the GCSE world.

I don't think I'd pass them these days.

Ollie, you are singing with other crews this year.

I'm aware that you've already, last night, sang with the Rusty Tubbs.

They are a fantastic group to sing with the particular cruise or bits that you're looking forward to during this festival.

So I'd really like to interview the Molly Loggers.

So they're like this Irish shanty group up from Ireland, and I would really like to interview them.

I just want to go around just having fun, really.

Not drinking, but maybe having a few pints of apple Juice here and there.

Hey, that's a good idea.

That's good.

Yeah, no, that's fine.

And that's a good thing, isn't it?

We, when we're not singing, it is just about just enjoying having fun.

And we're really blessed with the weather.

Yeah, we are normally with Falmouth, sometimes the second day, sometimes has a lot of rain, but we actually are blessed with a very lovely weather.

So thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Beautiful.

Yeah.

Good.

Well, we're going to walk around very shortly and capture some audio with some of the crews.

Some of them will probably be a little bit sleepy and hungover, but we will have a chat to them, get ready for the parade, and we'll then record and when we'll capture some of.

The audio during the event itself.

My name is Bobby Inman.

I am Fynemouth town crier.

And also this is my fourth year of hosting the Sea Shanty Festival.

You have an incredibly distinctive voice and all the promo for the Falmouth International Shanty Festival includes your dulcic tones.

It's fantastic.

Well, that's been very kind.

And I did a proclamation that was my first official proclamation as town crier last year, was to get last year's going, and so they gave me the honor of writing another one again this year.

So good.

I love it.

It's.

It's a lot of fun.

I think it's the festival of the year, in my opinion, and I think.

You really make it so well done, buddy.

It's really good.

I appreciate that.

That means a lot.

What's it like being the town crier for Falmouth outside of the festival?

It's.

It's brilliant.

You get involved in so many different things, from the mayor making to opening shops or celebrating anniversaries on the high street that have been here a long time.

And to the personal connection as well, because I also do history tours of Falmouth and I do them as the town crier.

And so we get visitors from all over the world and I get to kind of share Falmouth stories with them and, you know, show people that it's all right.

That American is the Falmouth town crier.

I was going to say you don't have a distinctive Cornish accent.

I don't.

What brought you here?

So I've been in this country 23 years.

I'm from Tennessee originally, and originally I married a British woman and most of my time in this country was in Plymouth and I really fell in love with Cornwall, living in Plymouth.

And when My marriage ended.

I kind of said, I know where I'm going for my fresh start.

And so I came down to Cornwall a little over six years ago and haven't looked back.

Fantastic.

Well, you add such value to this entire festival.

One final question.

Is there a particular act or group that you're looking forward to seeing throughout this weekend?

The one thing about being a host is you're kind of told where to go.

And so I have to kind of as much as, you know, certain acts would be my favorite some years, like, I'll miss those.

And I'm not introducing y' all this year and where I got to introduce you twice last year.

I know, it's so good.

So really, I'm kind of, you know, subject to the schedule, which is.

Okay.

I'm looking forward to today.

I'm starting out with the Augie Men and local favorites.

And that's going to get the Falmouth Hotel crowd really going this morning or this afternoon.

And that's just.

That's a good start.

And then I'm finishing on the main stage tonight and Saturday night.

On the main stage, always top act.

So it's gonna be great.

Absolute buzz.

Yeah.

We're fortunate to be on the main stage on Sunday yesterday.

So that's going to be great fun.

That's a nice, relaxing time.

I'm coming to host the main stage just after y'.

All.

All right.

Okay.

You'll hear us as you arrive.

But, you know, Event Square is.

Is really.

And really there's five main stages this year, and that's wonderful that they've expanded that.

And the Sea Salt stage at Event Square is.

Is where I'm going to be tonight and then tomorrow night, so.

Well, it's been a pleasure talking to you and I hope you enjoyed the rest of the weekend and you.

Thank you very kindly.

It's been a pleasure.

Cheers.

Take care.

I'm with these lovely ladies from Catch of the Day.

Who am I talking to?

My name's Suzy.

I'm one of 15 members of Catch of the Day, and we come from Salisbury, an all ladies shanty group.

We've been going for about five years now.

You guys look amazing.

I think most of them are all here.

We are.

Amazing.

Yeah, exactly.

Confidence is everything.

When are you singing?

Later today.

So we're singing at 4 o' clock at Indigo, and then we're singing at 7 o' clock at Chain Locker.

Lovely.

Fantastic.

Well, we look forward to seeing you out and about.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

So I've just bumped into These lovely ladies who are all dressed up beautifully in period costume.

Ladies, can you introduce yourself and what brings you here to the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival?

So, I'm Nikki.

We're from Scuttlebutt and we're from Ilfracombe.

Yeah, we're performing here our first time.

Fantastic.

Lovely.

Yeah, I'm Heather and yeah, with Scuttlebutt, I'm absolutely loving it.

It's so good.

Yeah, I'm Gilly and I'm in the Scuttlebutt as well.

And there's 12 of us here today.

There's 19 usually of us, but it is our third festival, fourth festival this year and we love it and we just.

Great crowds and Falmouth is fantastic.

It certainly is.

Tell me a little bit more about your crew and your.

Your shanty crew.

Yeah, we've been together two years and.

Oops, excuse me.

And the gin yet?

I haven't had a gin yet.

Later.

It helps with the atmosphere, you see.

Of course.

Yeah, we've been together two years.

We meet every Thursday night in the Olive Room in Fourth street in Ill. And we rehearse there and anyone's welcome to come and join us.

We learn loads of new songs.

We've got about 55 in our repertoire now.

And we're led by Harry, who's brilliant, absolutely amazing leader.

And Nigel is a salty old sea dog.

That just great.

So, yeah, we love it.

We just love the fun.

Yeah, it's really good fun, isn't it?

And if our listeners wanted to find out more about you guys.

Are you on social media?

Do you have a website?

Yeah, so we're on Facebook and Instagram and it.

Scuttlebutt Shanty Crew.

We're also having our own festival in Ilfracombe.

Are you.

Oh, that sounds great.

Yeah, our first one.

So that's Ilfracombe Shanty Festival.

Look that up, listeners that if.

If you are an Ilfakroom, you can come along too.

That.

Yeah.

27Th and 28th of June.

Fantastic.

Well, thank you, ladies.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the festival.

Guarantee we'll bump into each other again.

And best of luck for the rest of the Gateway.

Thank you.

Life is older Older than the tree.

Shadows.

So who am I speaking to today?

You are speaking to Will Keating behind the main stage event, Square Farmers.

So I've just came back from seeing you on the.

On the main stage with lots of kids.

Like how.

What got you into doing it?

So I've got four children, they're now twins, 18, one is 17.

One's 12.

So I first went when they were in primary school.

I went in and I did a workshop and it seemed to work.

So then I thought, well, why don't I do it to different schools?

Yeah.

And then I also get.

I, like children get to perform with me on stage as well, so they.

Can have a go at performing sea change.

Yeah.

So they came on stage at Sea Shanty and also I get them on stage at other festivals as well.

Yeah.

I think as a child myself, I think very thankful for you allowing them to do that, because I already play Sea Chinese with a group and also with other people and it's such a rewarding experience and I think allowing kids to be able to have that is so beautiful, I think.

Thank you.

I totally agree with you.

I think it would make complete sense.

It's.

It's about community singing, it's about singing to it, it's about having fun.

It's not about precise notes and precise words, it's just about chucking your voices out there and enjoying it.

Yeah.

And I think as I started performing sea shanties, I've started to notice that the songs aren't that important.

It's more the community, more the people that you're around.

And I think that's what more makes shanties feel brilliant.

Yes.

The shanties were invented.

Well, shanties were.

Are there because the sailors that were at sea were tired, were hungry, were wet, they lived in terrible conditions and drunk and well drunk when they could be.

But a lot of time not so a lot of the time, the shanties were actually for working, for boosting their morale, because otherwise it was just a rubbish job.

So perfect.

And what.

Can I just ask, what got you into sea channels?

I bet that's the main question everyone's been asking.

So I joined the Royal Navy when.

I was 16, so I went to sea.

I've lived at sea, I've worked at.

So I find I can when I sing songs, because I'm a folk singer as well.

Yeah, yeah.

I think I like to have something in common with those songs.

I think I can.

If I have, I can sing them better and I can connect with the audience better.

Yeah, yeah.

So for me, it's about connection, me.

Connecting to the song and you connecting to the audience.

Yeah, exactly.

I think having audience participation is another way of adding that this is like having fun is so lovely.

Exactly.

I think sometimes, and probably you don't get this now because you're a professional messing up at a season, you just feel that connection with the audience that you mess up.

And he's just bounced back.

Say to all the children, I say to them, you got to promise me this.

You will.

I said, I want at least one mistake from all of you during this performance.

Yeah, because I will be making mistakes.

Yeah.

Who cares?

Who cares?

Exactly.

We're raising money for charities that need it.

And we're also just having fun.

Fine.

We're not getting paid to do this, are we?

Exactly.

Exactly.

So it's all about fun, Right?

I've got to go cuz I've got a gig with the Oggy men.

Yep, in 20 minutes.

Well, it's lovely to see you.

Landed.

Cheer up the light Cheer up to the heart Never fail.

There once was a ship that went.

To sea and the name of the ship was a.

Blue eyes the.

Wesley.

Sugar.

As the souls of the dead Fill the space of my ears Their laughter like children they're beckoning Cheers.

My heart longs to join them Sing songs of the sea I remember the fallen do they think of me when their palms in the ocean Forever will.

Be.

King of rivers O bodies and a lariat Somebody.

Else.

Now during the parade, I was with these guys who are a sea of orange.

Tell me who you are.

We are Armstrong Speedent from the Netherlands.

The Netherlands.

Fantastic.

When did you come over to enjoy this festival?

Oh, on Thursday.

Thursday.

Was it all right?

Yes, very good.

You brought the weather with us because it got better when you were on the.

Yes.

On Thursday we bring rain.

Oh, okay.

But we.

We spoke and then sunny.

It's here.

It's beautiful.

Beautiful.

Not too cold.

Tell us a little bit about your shanti.

Our Shanti group is a little group for five people, and we sing Santis and sea songs and four bitters and.

Yeah, we all have many festivals.

We have all also.

We have also our own festival in the Netherlands, so.

Big festival.

Do you organize that yourself?

Yes, yes.

There are 45 groups.

Okay.

And it's a little town and it's very cozy.

And it's in the last weekend.

Full weekend in August.

Wow.

It's 27, 28, 29 and 30.

Maybe you need to invite the port of Bristol shanty crew to come along.

Yeah, that's my crew.

Okay.

Yeah, it would be great.

We want to do some more international.

Anyway, what are you looking forward to the most here at this festival?

The people, they are lovely.

It's different in the Netherlands because here the people enjoy and they speak the language of the senties.

They sing along and it's a party.

It's A big party and a big, big, big family.

Yeah.

Yes.

And if the listeners wanted to find you on social media or a website, do you have somewhere we could send you?

Yes.

Yes.

Armstrong Spader.

Fantastic.

Well, thanks for talking to us, guys.

Enjoy the rest of the festival and enjoy blowing up more balloons.

Yeah.

It's very, very good for your voice.

I know.

It's good, isn't it?

Yeah.

You must have really big lungs.

Yeah.

No, no belly.

Those fuel tanks.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Beautiful.

Thank you.

And we wish that you would hurry up the strikes Anyone can dance the bill has Miranda said He stands grasping up the spokes with his cold hands Looking at the the course as clear as hell we're wishing you would hurry up Strike, strike the bay say strike the bell Strike the bay Let us go gnome look out a ring where you can see it's going to blow look at the glass, you can see that it is felt and we wish that you would hurry up and strike Strike the bell for Donnie.

Folks, keeping sharp.

Look out yonder, Johnny standing ready for to shout Lights are burning bright, sir and everything is well we're wishing you a strike the bell Strike the bell Second May let us go below look out a window, you can see it's come to blow look at the glass, you can see that it is fell and we wish that you would hurry up and strike Strike the bell we're.

Do Agua from the Roseland.

We're a shiny group which sings over there.

All right.

And following obviously our favorite town and.

Coming to support the festival.

Oh, my God.

What do you.

What's been your favourite shiny festival you've played in so far?

Our Falmouth is always our favorite and obviously it's our local one, so we support you.

But this year, with so many festivals in the county, we're going to stretch the lizard.

Are you sure it's a county or are you sure it's a country?

It's a country.

It's a country.

What's been your favourite song you played, as in Du Aguar?

Yeah.

When reasonable, get a bit sensible and concentrate on what we're doing.

We do great harmonies in the Mingalay,.

Which is one of our favorites.

We do this one and we do a lot of Harry's now.

So Harry's is a few songs we're bringing in, but yeah, we do all the old shanties and put our own words through.

Okay.

And like as you said, sensible.

You all need to be sensible when singing these songs.

But we all love having a little bit of a Laugh and going on.

What's been your favorite?

I got asked this now.

You said it was been your favorite time you've messed up on a song.

It's just been so great.

We did a gig that was on a main stage down the other stage on the quay last year, and it was pouring with rain and the people diving for shelter and it completely put me off the words and it just stopped.

But the crowd carrying on even though they were soaking wet and everything, they carried on.

We were lost for words and laughing.

At everyone getting wet.

So I think apples have won that.

I love it.

You know, it's gonna sound bad, but I kind of like it when I.

Mess up because I think you've got to make mistakes.

You gotta make mistakes.

And I think what shows a good shanty crew is how they recover from their mistakes.

Absolutely.

And shanties for me have always been a way for me to express myself as if I mess up on a song, it's another way of me saying, hey, have some fun.

It's not.

It's not meant to be taken seriously.

So thank you for speaking to me, I think, and I hope you have a lovely, lovely rest and yourself.

Have a good time.

So I'll see you directly at some point.

See you directly.

Okay.

We just bumped into one of our old friends we met last year.

Do you want to introduce yourself and who do you represent as a shanty crew?

Hello, I'm Robbie Cant and I'm a part of the Orkney Sea Shanty Society.

How's it going, buddy?

You good?

Oh, very good.

We had our first concert last night in the pavilion and it went down a storm.

It was really good, good fun.

As it should.

As it should.

And I hear you've got a really good lineup today.

Yes.

There's a lot of new songs.

We're doing a lot of the old kind of ones people might know as well as some kind of Orkney favourites as well.

So look forward to it.

You just add to the whole international flavor of my being here.

Yeah, no, it's Greeks.

We're all.

We're all from Orney or grew up in or.

There's about four of us that actually really live in Norton at the moment, but the rest of them are just all across the country.

So it's great that we all come.

Down for one performance of the year or two performances of the year.

So good, so good.

How many are there of you that have traveled all this way?

Well, there's 19 of us performing and then there's about another 10 or 15 family and friends that have come along the way.

So good.

And you've got a different distinctive outfit.

Your colours represent where you come from.

You can just see you everywhere.

So good.

Yes.

You'll never get lost.

And I can see the, the, the, the balcony that you guys are in.

You're flying your flags as well.

Yes.

So we've got the OR flag and the Scottish flag and our tops are representing nor flag.

So it's yellow, blue and red.

Beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful.

What are you looking forward to seeing any other crews this weekend?

Yes, yourselves, of course.

Thank you.

Always.

I would like to see the Longest Johns, but I'm not sure if we're going to be able to have time to see them or not.

Yeah, they've just got two gigs, haven't they, so.

And that'll be packed.

Yeah, but we'll just have to see what we come across and we're proud.

Of the Longest Johns.

They are the truly professional Bristol based.

Yeah.

So, yeah, yeah.

But yeah, no, really good, really good.

Well, thanks for talking to me.

If my listeners want to find out more about you, where could they find you?

On the Internet?

Yes, we're on Instagram, the Orkney Sea Shanties Society or Facebook as well.

Find us there.

We've got some beautiful photos and videos of our art.

We'll see you in all your glory.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

I'm wandering around the festival and of course it's not just about people coming to enjoy the shanty music, they're not just about the cruise.

There's clearly a place for stag do's and I'm with.

What was your name again?

I'm Angus.

Angus.

And your role?

The co. Best man.

Co best man for Matt.

Matt.

Matt's over there.

He's standing in front of me looking gorgeous as a sailor.

He's wearing his skinniest clothing possible.

Tell us a little about this young man.

And the wedding is in a couple weeks, I hear.

Yeah, the wedding's in a couple of weeks.

And this is the.

The young man's father here.

Oh, lovely.

And his brother over there, looking extremely piratey.

Nice.

You've gone for the more sensible outfit there.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

He looks awesome.

Has he always, has he always been an embarrassment in the family?

Yeah, yeah.

He's the one who used to cry if he got wet in a water fight.

Oh, he was always getting wet, that's for sure.

Yeah.

And what's your plan this weekend?

Just to literally take it all in and enjoy it.

Yeah, I think we're just gonna get pretty smashed.

Sing a lot of songs.

Yeah.

Dave.

Dave loves singing, particularly.

He was leading the shanties in the pub last night.

We're in Five Cider House.

And the man.

The man was ripping it.

He was absolutely ripping it.

It was awesome.

Love it.

Well, enjoy the rest of the festival.

Try not to get too pickled.

The sensible one here.

How's it going for you?

Is it all right?

I'm okay.

Yeah.

You're on the strong stuff, the coffee.

I'm a lightweight.

Always have been.

Oh, bless you.

Well, there's got to be one of them, isn't there?

Someone needs to look after these boys.

Yeah.

And are you at a point in your life now, as a father, that you feel that you've taught him everything he needs to know to be a good husband?

Oh, you never stop learning, do you?

No.

You don't.

Absolutely not.

Even beyond the marriage?

Well, they think they've stopped learning.

Yeah, they do, they do.

They think they can just relax.

But, no, there's still more to go.

Chaps, thank you so much for talking to us.

Have an incredible weekend.

The leaves of hello.

And the king lives in the ripened body is hanging down his head.

Be bl.

When the light within.

The sky.

The spring is like a and certain in her mind the summer.

Is a t most ungracious guide the autumns like an old friend who looks where she comes and brings the big bodies.

When the ripened be smiling on the.

Sky the wind is like a rich hello.

And how are you doing at the Falmouth International this year?

It has been very good.

We're a little bit on the tired side and the voices are nearly gone, but sure, look.

That's what shanty singing is all about.

I guess.

So I hear from your voices you don't normally find from Falmouth area.

Whereabouts are you from?

No, we're not from Falmouth.

We're from Cork in southern Ireland.

Oh, brilliant.

I do love Ireland.

Ireland has a lovely area.

And what got you guys all into sea shanties?

My ass.

What does singing them, really?

We sang a song there tonight called All Aboard.

There was this character in Cove, where we live, and about 15 years ago he decided that should have a shanty group and he got us together, we started practicing and that was the start of it.

Wow.

We're singing since.

Yeah, singing since.

How long have you guys been going on for?

Well, 13 years.

That's a long time.

That's a long time.

Jesus.

I wouldn't be able to go on that for that long.

I'm sure you would.

I'm sure I might.

And then I'll be going.

Great going.

How is the festival going on for you?

The festival is fantastic.

It has been since the day one.

We love coming back every year.

This is our ninth time over 10 years.

We missed it once with co. Of course.

Covid.

The dreaded Covid.

Of course.

We absolutely love it coming back.

Yeah.

And what, what got you interested in cj?

You know what, what got you all interested?

I suppose we kind of got.

Knew each other some bit because we're.

All from the same town.

Yeah.

And we all need a bit of a love for singing, for music or for the sea.

And of course drink.

I don't drink myself.

I drink my apple juice and that'll be my, my.

Fine, you drink the apple juice as well.

But it's called cider.

I heard, I did hear from my friends when we were, when I was with them.

We just kept a little bit longer, a little bit longer.

Then it all turned to cider.

It's like I'm not waiting 10 years for it to turn into cider.

So are you, are you going to be, are you guys saying for the entire festival you going to be heading.

Off after tomorrow morning?

We will be singing at a church service here at 10:30 and that's our last gig.

Then we have to high tail it up to Newquay airport and we're flying back.

Our time here is limited by the flights.

Yeah, makes sense.

Makes sense.

Where else can people find you?

And where else can people listen to your festival?

You will find us.

We have Facebook.

We have a Facebook and we're also on YouTube.

We've got a load of ridiculous videos up there and that's where you'll find us.

But for the rest of the year we have several big festivals coming up.

We'll be singing in Port of Ferry in Northern Ireland, the August bank holiday.

And at the end of August starts September.

We'll be singing at Electric Picnic.

And that's, that's a big festival, three day festival and it's Erling's answer to Glastonbury.

So Yeah, that used to be our fifth year singing there.

So.

Ship and a crazy butcher was me he said I care much more My pots and my hands and I do.

Follow.

We're going down, down, down, down with the ship it's all for one and one for all Going down with the ship he said little eyes I love you I love you in the springtime of the fall Little eyes I love you Little Eyes.

I love you.

I love you.

Let's go.

But we love it here.

We love all of you.

So we've been really lucky to bump into the kind of festival organizers because you could imagine at an event like this, they're really, really busy.

I've managed to find a gentleman that I spoke to last year, but would you like to introduce yourself to my listeners?

Yeah.

Richard Gates, I'm the chair of the festival.

Richard, welcome.

It's nice to see you again.

Can't believe it's been a year.

How's it going so far and what are the guys looking forward to the most this year?

Yeah, really, really, really good so far.

Of course, the obvious thing, that we're lucky with the weather.

We've had all sorts of weather over the years, but of course it makes it easier, takes the stress levels down for everyone.

Oh, yeah.

And yes, I mean, as you said, there's a lot of children about to go onto the.

Or going onto the stage now, performing at Event Square.

But really, I think it's just, we've just done the parade and the buzz and the atmosphere is.

Is really what makes shanty festivals.

They just go from strength to strength, really.

We're obviously proud of the scale of this one.

Lots of people like to replicate it or do things, but yes, it just shows what it's about.

And of all ages, which is really important.

Yeah, definitely.

Yes.

So many young people, but so many old people and everyone in between.

It's just so lovely.

It's timeless for everyone, isn't it?

It's really, really important that.

I mean, over the years it's gradually developed and I remember several years ago when we were doing a closing ceremony and you could look across and it was literally families with like a two year old through to people that come down from the care home and literally everyone in between.

And that's just built and built and built, really so.

Which is really, really key.

So good you've got some new things going on this year, some more bigger stages.

Tell us a bit more about what's new this year, maybe from last year.

Yeah, well, there's a few operational things, not the most interesting stuff for listeners, but it's important.

Park and ride transportation, helping people get in.

The app's been a really, you know, good.

Yeah, I'm glad you like it.

Yeah, you like it.

It was an idea we came up with just before last year.

Actually worked with a guy called Mike Posterns who's done a lot of our aerial photography over the years.

He's Falmouth born and by basically based in Falmouth.

And yeah, we're.

Last time I looked, we was 12.

Number 12 on the, on the.

On the Apple App Store under the music categories.

Oh, that's fantastic.

So, yeah, so above like Sonus and other things and stuff like that.

So it's had up until yesterday, I think we were about 6,000 downloads.

So good.

And I think all the crews I've seen on social media, including us, we've just been pointing people at it because it's not only got the interactivity for the event, but they can find us easier.

And it links beautifully to whatever platform you're using, to the map so people can navigate.

It's such a great idea.

And the humor with it as well, that's really, really important because people.

We talk about technology all the time, but it can get boring and mundane and there's that humor to it which makes such a difference.

Difference.

And so yeah, we did that as well as obviously all the other stuff, the, the program.

We've gone in a four.

Hayley's around here somewhere.

She's just wandered off.

Who's done a huge amount of work just over there.

Yes.

In terms of the design and everything and the branding and, and everything that brings it together to make it that difference.

And as you say, you know, we.

More and more venues, more groups, we could.

There was 170 groups that were interested in attending this year.

Oh, my goodness.

And it's difficult to say.

You obviously love every group to be here.

Of course.

Yeah, we've, you know, we're in the sort of like, you know, low 90s and that is about.

We always say, you know, I said it before when we're at 70 and we seem to have crept up and crept up.

Amazing, isn't it?

And we're so pleased that you invite us back.

But we know that one year you might say no and bring another group in.

We just know that's the luck of the draw.

We try and do it to be fair as, as much as we can, but we don't want people being disappointed.

But we've also had some groups that turned up just on the off chance and then if another group can't attend last minute, whatever, we'll fit them in if we can.

So good.

So good.

I know some of the crews have approaches that are quite new leading up to today.

They said, oh, how'd you get involved?

And we're all pointing them your way.

But more people coming your way.

Would you be glad to hear?

It's.

It's It's.

It's a bit.

I always describe it a bit like tumbleweed, but it just gets.

It just revolves bigger and bigger, you know, and you can hear it in the background now, you know, with the children, there's probably.

I don't know, we probably got a couple hundred children involved in singing.

And then yesterday they did a parade and then they're up on there with Will Keating from the Augie Men.

And that has been great.

And obviously all the crowds that are watching as well, you know, it adds to it.

And you.

Like you said, you can just stand back and be very proud of what you've achieved in your team because you've got an incredible team of people that support you.

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, Karen's just here to look side.

I'm not going to pick her now while she's digging her face.

She's social media.

Yes.

She's all over it.

Well, I must say thank you to Karen because Karen.

I was off for a few months earlier this year and Karen shared it while I was away.

So it was really, it's really, really important that we kept the consistency going because, as you know, we talked about it last year, September, each year is when we start planning it.

It's crazy, isn't it?

It's a good nine months, really, to make sure that it was all the way through to the estate scale of the event.

So good, so good.

Well, and of course you got live streaming as well, which is really good.

We're promoting that to our followers that haven't made it all the way down here.

And again, that's so good that you've got that accessibility.

Yeah, we did, we did it with.

We did it with the team last year.

There's a lot more team, but this one's a free one.

It's slightly different, but it's absolutely.

It's here and on Church street some of the time as well.

And you know, I watched it last night when I got home for a bit, so I just sort of got bought for a back and then straight in and then, you know, beam it up to the TV and then see it.

But that's, that's what we want to do, really.

It is truly international with the scale of all the different groups.

You know, I can just see the, the, the, the.

The group from the Orkneys that come down.

I mean, it's opposite ends of the, of the, of the British Isles as much as you can pretty much get.

Really.

So good and, and good for Falmouth as well.

You must get you know, because your role is not just to live shanty.

You've got a role with Falmouth.

Absolutely.

And so, you know, you must be always busy with that too.

Yeah, it's a town manager role, working for the town council.

And then Karen works at Falmouth Bids, it's a business improvement district.

So we work very closely together from a public private partnership to try and do the most we can for the town.

There are challenges.

We're always quite open and honest about it.

It's never going to be straightforward in the current climate, but things like this really puts Falmouth on the map, gets lots of people out.

Key part of why these festivals have been so successful is they're free to attend.

Yes.

That is the hook, because then people will hopefully go and spend in the business.

Maybe not in every single business, but in a lot.

Yeah, yeah.

Good footfall.

Right, well, thank you for talking to me.

It's been such a pleasure.

And yeah, once again, thank you on behalf of the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew for inviting us.

And I'm assuming now you've got plenty more things that you need to do, more importantly, a drink.

You need a drink.

Absolutely.

A drink.

And.

Well, enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Okay, so let's take a quick break.

Of the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival and head over to the Signaler and voiced this month by Chile, who will.

Catch us up with what we've been.

Up to within the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew.

Hello, all.

It's.

It's chilly here.

Standing in for Ash again on the Signalman.

Just give you a little idea what we've been doing, what ports of call we've had for June, and then tell you what we've got coming up in July.

So where do we go?

June 6th we went to Thornbury Sailing Club, which is Albury on Severn.

Really lovely club.

Very blowy, because obviously you want a blowy club to get the sailing going on.

So that was wonderful.

Very supportive.

They really enjoyed it.

We really enjoyed them.

So that was great.

Which led us on to the Pistol resistance.

Friday the 12th to Sunday the 14th of June.

Oh, yes, we were at the Falmouth International Shanty Festival performing seven gigs over the three days.

We.

On the Friday we played at the Grapes and the.

In the evening we played at the Palacio Lounge.

On the Saturday we played at the Games Room and we did the Green Bank Hotel, main stage.

I like that one.

And on the evening we then played at the St. Michael's Resort, which is fabulous place really is a lovely hotel.

Some of us stayed there, luckily, which was really nice.

And then on Sunday, Sunday the 14th, midday, we were on the Sea Salt main stage.

Two years running we've done the main stage and it did not in any way go anything other than fantastic fun.

Great crowd, really got them going, really enjoyed.

And it's nice to hear some of the actual vendors from around the actual main square who, as I said, we're a little bit chanted out because there's been a whole weekend of it, but.

But you lot were absolutely superb.

The entertainment value was brilliant because you're very much different to all the others who played.

So we thank them, hope they had a successful one and see them again next year.

And we ended up at the Chain Locker, which is again a very nice little pub.

Great fun, great singing and we really enjoyed it.

The voices managed to survive, which was even better.

So Saturday the 20th, that was the following weekend we went to the West Pennard Village hall, which is just outside of Glastonbury.

And again, what lovely people they are.

So friendly out that end of the world.

They really are.

And we'll do anything to do to support them.

They were discussing that they need to raise funds urgently for their local church and we've said we'll support them in any way possible.

So keep a lookout for that one.

It might be next year, start of next year, but we're going to do a group, we're gonna do a little concert for them because they deserve it.

And it's a beautiful church, very old, some wonderful stained glass windows in it as well.

And then we ended up on the Wednesday the 24th, the feast of St. John at the Aqua on Welsh Back, which is an Italian restaurant, air conditioned.

What great fun.

That was some wonderful people.

We sang to some great old boys and they had a little collection for us and he raised 415 pounds just collecting, just sort of people from generosity on the tables.

So thank them very, very much and we'll be back next year.

So what have we got coming up in July?

So Saturday the 11th, we're at the Pretty Folk Fair now, as is on Top the Mendips.

You're not going to get much phone or WI FI signal, so if you come to listen to us, we've got you.

You're trapped.

You wait till we finish.

No, we're joking.

We're at 12 o' clock at the church, 2 o' clock on their main stage and at 5 o' clock we're at the family tent.

So please come along and Join us and support them.

It's a beautiful place, pretty.

And hopefully it won't be as hot it is at the moment, because I said I was sat next to two baked potatoes.

I think was about 190 degrees out here.

It's wonderful if you like that sort of thing.

It's too hot for me.

Sweating.

So what have we got after that?

The Retano Lounge, which is on the V Shed.

So we're there at 7 o' clock on Friday the 17th.

Air conditioned.

Lovely place.

We have sang in there before and you know what?

It is, it's worth a visit.

Come on down if you're in Bristol.

That really is nice.

And when I say about harbours in Harbour festivals, Saturday the 18th at 11 o', clock, guess who are the opening act at the Amphitheatre stage for the Bristol Harbour Festival?

It is us.

We will be there to entertain you.

So please come on down at 11 o'.

Clock.

We'll be just getting started for a lot of people, but get down there.

We will guarantee you'll have a great laugh, you really will.

But then in the afternoon, we have to hot dog it all the way down to Portishead because we're doing the Portishead Shanty Festival supporting likes of the 85ers and things.

So 4 o' clock there, we're at the Slipway Stage, which is behind the hall in Woodhouse Pub.

That's a nice place.

And at 8 o' clock we're at the Lock Plaza stage, which I think is near the Lock, because you got a plaza and I think it's got a stage.

Yeah, sounds right.

The following day.

So that's three days on the trot.

Sunday the 19th, we go to our home, the home in Bristol, which we've got, which is a Nova Scotia hotel.

Sam Gregory and the wonderful staff they've got there always look after us.

Sam sponsors the podcast, so he is revered with us.

He's a great man, he really is.

So that'd be a good one.

Probably in the evening, probably about 7 o'.

Clock.

Be there, be entertained.

Get some beer down here, it's nicer.

Saturday the 25th at 2 o', clock, it's a private event.

That's by invitation only.

We're doing Woodfest, which is at Milbury Heath, and that is an event solely for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

And as you know, we.

We raise money primarily for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

And before we got to the.

I'll break this one up.

Just before we got to Falmouth, we managed to Break.

Wait for it, the 60,000 pound target which we had.

And that's been four years of us singing and people sponsoring, his, supporting us giving donations.

And we thank all of you from the bottoms of our heart because it does make a massive, massive impact for those families and those sort of teenagers who unfortunately have got cancer or cancer within the family and they do a wonderful job, the Teenage Cancer Trust.

And obviously we do it for Harry, who we call Flash Harry, who's one of our honorary members.

Lovely lad.

Keep at it, Harry.

Love you, mate.

And then we end up at the end of the month.

Well, in fact it's later on that day actually.

So Saturday 25th, 2 o' clock, we were at Woodfest.

And at 4 o' clock we're at the Fox, which is at Easter Compton for the Seven Whalers Summer Shanty Day.

You try saying that fast.

Seven Whaler.

Sham.

Sham.

Yeah, that.

It's going to be really good.

It's a lovely pub.

It's when you come down the hill from Cribs Causeway going down towards Pilnin, it's on the left hand side, Loads of parking, really nice pub.

Great food in there as well.

And we'll be there to perform for you.

So hopefully that's it for the moment.

Keep hydrated, keep out the sun, if that's your sort of thing.

If you're in the sun, enjoy the sun, but don't get burnt.

And we'll speak next month.

Have a good one.

Cheers.

Bind and tie and lashen this vessel she is certified chip chip and Bristol.

Fashion From our home in Bristol we.

See set out from the key Our ship is full of spices bound for.

America Sugar's in the hope below and.

First makes up the crow sells unfin.

And capstrais off to see we go.

Ship shape and Bristol fashion boys on the harbor side from maven glories to wonderful.

Lord Nelson knew the perfect way to cure your Maldemare and if you pay attention his secret I will share to any seasick sailor he give this advice for free if a feeling she sit sit underneath a tree so I'm marching in land from the shore over me shoulder I'm carrying an ore when someone ask me what is that funny thing you got then I know I'll never go to sea no more no more then I no one ever go to sea the war I thought I heard.

The reverend say oh today's a fanty day.

We're out we found at break of.

Day.

We're outward bound For Catipe Tonkanakanaka.

July.

O2I Akalaka July.

When I was a young man in a fishing town.

An old man said to me.

You can spend your life and your Johnny life sailing on the sea.

You can search the world for pretty girls till your eyes grow weak and dim.

But don't go swimming with a mermaid sun if you don't know how to swim.

Cause her hair was green as seaweed.

Her skin was blue and pale.

Her face, it was a work of art.

I love that girl with all my heart.

But I only like the upper.

I did not like the trail Twice.

Signed onto a sailing ship the very first day at sea.

I seen a mermaid in the waves reaching out for me.

Come live with me in the sea, Said she down on the ocean floor.

And I'll show you a million wondrous.

Things you've never seen before.

Seaweed.

Her skin was blue and pale.

Her face, it was a work of art.

I love that girl with all my heart.

But I only like the upper part.

I did not like that.

We are the Barrel Seagals from Bude.

Bude, where is that, like, part of Cornwall, is that.

It's in the north of Cornwall, Yeah.

North coast.

Right.

Lots of people think we're not in Cornwall.

They call us in Devon.

But we are definitely.

You are all in Devon.

Whoa.

We do not want Devon.

No.

It's always Jam first, definitely.

Yeah.

Jam first.

Got a lady up in Newport and actually she's here today that has a petition that says Jam first,.

Richard.

Gotta say, she's lovely to talk to.

What got you all into Sea Jane?

I must ask a friend of ours who's not actually around here, she's disappeared off at the moment.

Mrs. Rosser.

Deborah.

She decided that.

Well, she'd been talking about it for a long time about wanting to set up a shanty group.

All female, of course.

Of course.

And she got all of us together and then she asked Georgina if she would come and help do the musing music side for us.

Yeah.

And we've been going just over three years now.

Three years, yes.

Nearly as long as us.

We.

We started out as a community group.

It was just a group to.

We started out as a community group.

It was just a group of girls singing together.

And then we did a.

We did one concert which happened to be recorded for BBC Television.

And then all.

And then Jane in.

In her own inimitable fashion said, all right, let's do a few gigs.

So we ended up at Port Isaac Shanti Festival.

Yeah.

And after that we just wanted to keep going, didn't we?

Yeah, we've gone viral.

Yeah.

Is that.

Is that the right expression?

Viral?

Are you.

How.

How's.

What's been your best part being about of this, Marist?

Oh, it's together, our friendships that we've made going.

Yeah.

Doing this.

And the support and friendship as well.

Yeah.

Yes, we will make good friends.

Yeah.

That's kind of going with me.

For me, it's the songwriting.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We do quite a bit of songwriting.

Brilliant.

Yeah, we do collectively in the group.

There's a group who do all the songwriting.

And then.

Yeah, we all come together.

Yeah.

And I think maybe it's just me.

And I've noticed this while I've been performing Sea Change.

And I'm gonna be saying this to.

Sorry to you, but it's been less about the songs and more about the.

The people that you meet.

It's.

I know it starts out as you listen to the songs.

You start loving the songs, and you start, like, really getting into it, but you.

Then you start performing it, and then you see, like, people like you.

Yeah.

And you just think, it's not about the people anymore.

It's not about the songs anymore.

It's about the people that you make along the way.

It's not the journeys, the people that you make along the way.

Like.

And I think I've made the best people here as well.

And I think the festival this year has got a real festival vibe to it.

I haven't seen anybody anywhere being out of order.

Everybody's really friendly.

Everybody's rubbing along together and enjoying everything.

Yeah.

I think as a festival, this is one of the best ones.

I think, definitely, as shiny festivals go, this is a good one.

And I. I actually started in this festival, but I think I spent more time wanting to come back to this festival more and more, because this is where I started.

I mainly did fully start in Real Air.

Shiny Festival.

This is where I first actually sang to a group of people, which is really great.

I love.

Which makes me be able to see some lovely people like you, I think.

Oh, thank you.

It was lovely being on the stage with you last night.

You're the.

I love singing.

The same with you last night.

My sketch is still stalled from playing.

I'm not surprised.

So what is your favorite Sea Shame, I ask.

You've sang so many.

I was asked this a little while ago, and I struggled to find my favorites, actually.

Everyone does it differently, you know, and.

Yes, they do.

They do.

I've got.

I. I couldn't pick one which is my particular favorite I think I like quite a few.

Yeah.

So.

And we've got some new songs as well that have been written and we also.

Because we sing some of the songs we sing from the female perspective.

Yeah.

And so some of those that I quite like.

But yeah, sorry, yeah, no, it's fine.

But would you.

If they.

If someone asked you.

Yes.

To come on the stage like me.

It's a.

Just randomly to you come up on stage.

What would be like your go to Sea Shane to sing and like your backup Sea Shane to go and sing.

Right.

We're going to try and get a drink.

My Sea Sand Shanty to sing.

So my first would probably be Marching Inland.

Oh, I love Marching Inland.

And as a group we don't sing it.

Yeah.

But I love it.

Yes.

And actually I sang that with Tom Lewis actually a couple of weeks ago.

Oh no.

Yes, I did.

Really?

I sang.

I was playing at the Real Island Shanty Festival and on the.

On the 9th and 10th of May and which you can go to, if you really love it, to go to next year.

But I sang with Tom Lewis.

I sang with Tom Lewis.

Wow.

Amazing.

In fact, I think I saw a photograph actually on social about that.

I'm on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok.

Wonderful stuff there.

Wonderful, wonderful.

So it was lovely speaking to you all.

Thank you so much.

I hope to see you a lot more over the.

Over the past weekend.

Yes, yes, I'm sure you will.

I'm sure you will.

See you exactly.

Yes, will do.

Okay, so wandering around, I've met up with another crew.

I got to listen to them last night and you guys are great.

And ultimately one of the good things about your crew is that you represent a community that's so important to you guys and so important to the wide world to see.

Introduce yourself and who are you from?

Yeah, so I'm Ben and my crew is Seaweed in the Fruit Locker.

And tell me a little bit more about your crew.

So Seaweed is based in Plymouth.

We were formed in 2022 by a local artist called Rees Morgan who does videography and community based projects.

He had some funding from some local galleries and arts council England to essentially put together a community based project.

And he grew up in coastal areas and always found the sort of dichotomy between queer life and sort of stereotypical shanty cruise to be interesting.

And so just did a call out into Plymouth to see if anybody wanted to come along and give it a.

Go and clearly that works.

Yeah, strong.

Yeah.

We managed to make a really lovely community of People, we sort of sing your traditional shanties as they are well known, some of them.

We do little rewrites to give a little bit of a queer twist to them.

We try to sort of decolonize them as well.

So because of the time that a lot of shanties were popular, there's a lot of, you know, colonial language, a lot of misogyny and things.

And we're.

We're a mixed gender crew people, lots of different identities.

So we try and sort of put a left leaning take on shanties, but keeping them fun.

So we use a lot of sort of course, coded language to try and be a bit tongue in cheek.

Yeah, I think that's really clever.

I think we know as Ashanti Crew, as well as many others is it's really sometimes challenging to sing some of these songs when they date back to a time when things were somewhat troubled.

And actually, I think it's really refreshing to have a shanty crew that their mission is to do what you're doing.

And so well done.

Yeah.

We're not trying to take the fun out of shanties, though, which I think some people, they hear about a queer shanty group and, you know, we do things like with Santiana, we kind of criticize him as a character instead of build him up as this sort of like urban legend.

Okay.

Yeah.

And we have had some people say to us, you know, oh, it's woke nonsense, or, you know, you're trying to ruin our fun.

And that's not what we're trying to do.

We're just trying to give a different perspective to this amazing medium.

And I think it's important that especially when we're sharing these songs at family events, that people recognize that some of the language that is used does have context behind it that isn't great.

Yeah, I think that's so good.

I think what's really important to recognize is that the shanty world is so welcoming to many different talents and varieties of people.

And you are rightly placed in that community to do what you do.

So it's really good.

Yeah.

I would say that the negative criticism is very minor.

Whenever we come to Falmouth, we always, always meet a different crew like yourselves.

We've made good friends with Seagulls, who are an all female crew based in Totnes, the Rusty Tubs, who are based in Oxford.

You know, we've always found it very welcoming.

And we really do have a good laugh as well, which is great.

And to give it context, I think even as a shanty crew, we'll get comments from people who feel that we're singing things inappropriately and they.

And they are a little bit too close to the line for some people.

So you're just experiencing the same but on the other end.

And it must be challenging because of course we live in a world where woke is thrown around everywhere.

Yeah.

It's like a trigger word.

It is, it is a little like.

No, but actually for what you stand for is clearly really good and hopefully you resonate with maybe a new community that want to come to Shanti World.

Yes.

Yeah, it's.

It's nice to see people who, like I've heard recordings of, who have been doing it for years, have a positive reception to us.

That's really nice.

Really validating to see that we've been able to come into a community and share our perspective with respect and also get respect back from people.

It's really lovely.

Really good, really good.

Well, thank you for spending the time talking to me here at Shipshape and Bristol Fashion.

I know you've got to race off to another gig now, but I know that you watched us on the main stage, so thank you for spending the time doing that.

Was it all right?

Fantastic.

Yeah.

It's really, really good to catch you finally.

Yeah, it's funny, isn't it?

We, it's one big community but sometimes you just don't see each other, especially on these gigs.

Cuz you just miss so many people.

Be on stage and then you want to feed yourself and you want to get a drink.

Of course.

Yeah, yeah.

Then you've got to be at your.

Next gig and it's crazy, isn't it?

Anyway, thank you so much for talking to us and have a great gig.

Cheers.

Cheers, mate.

Lost.

For many a year and I spent all my money on whiskey and beer.

So we are now at the end of a very busy weekend.

We're sitting in a beautiful pub, just about to do our last set.

We're having one final bite before we start and I'm with Doc, who I'd love you to tell me, how have you found the weekend buddy?

Well, it's been a brilliant festival yet again.

I mean, you can't really fault the organisation with the Falmouth Shanty Festival, to be honest.

And we're very privileged to have been asked back to come and sing again for our third year.

I missed it last year because I was away, but it's been a fabulous weekend.

Thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it.

My.

My second favourite gig was the first one, which was in the Grapes.

Proper pub atmosphere.

Nice cosy environment, rammed because it's a relatively small venue, lots of people in it, but the audience engagement was great and that would have been my favourite gig of the weekend.

Except obviously today we've got a full crew and we don't get a full crew together very often, so when we do, we just.

So much more fun.

Our sound is immensely better when we're running at full capacity and it's just nice to see everybody.

And the weather is frankly stunning.

Whatever Rev did yesterday, and he had a word with the man upstairs, he certainly blessed us.

And the weather has brought everybody out in droves.

So I think the gig on the main stage had to.

Had to have been the highlight for us and we got such amazing feedback from people afterwards.

A lot of the stall holders that have been in the arena around the outside and, you know, have listened to a lot of shanty crews over the course of the weekend were really, really complimentary in their.

In their feedback, which is.

It just makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it?

So.

So yes, it's been.

And it's been fun.

I'm pretty exhausted and I've got a flight up to Glasgow at four o' clock in the morning, so that's going to be.

That's going to be fun.

But.

But it's been a great.

A great weekend and thoroughly worthwhile and hopefully they've raised a significant sum of money for the RNLI as well.

I think one thing I've observed is the pure volume of people that have come along and I think they're clearly talking about record numbers.

I know it's hard to judge because it is a free event, but, you know, yesterday they had WI fi and mobile phone signal issues because of the volume of people that were here.

And it's.

I think what's really good is to see a lot of the new kids on the block that, that we've maybe not seen before that are coming to these events and they've referenced our podcast and they've referenced us and so it's quite nice to inspire the new generation of chantising coming through.

We got a bit of extra publicity yesterday with the parade, obviously, because we.

We rolled out our new banners, our feather sails, which the old one was looking a little bit tired and it sits in my garage.

So we decided to have a revamp of that this year with a.

With a recoloring and.

And then we produced one for your podcast as well.

So we had two.

And.

And they're quite.

They're quite prominent.

So it was.

It was Nice.

When we ended up in the.

In the main square at the end of the parade, you.

You certainly didn't miss the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew.

And it.

It was nice because some people that we haven't seen for, oh, 16 years saw the banner, recognized the name, and found us and came and said hello, and we'd have missed the them otherwise.

So it's really cool.

So good.

Yeah, no, absolutely.

I'm very grateful that we've invested in that for the podcast as well as the.

As the crew.

And.

And, yeah, and back to what you said originally.

Isn't it great today to have such a full complement of crew?

You know, actually we can have all the.

All the tones, all the frequencies, all the.

All the songs that we sing.

I mean, Chua brings a whole new dynamic to our repertoire.

It's so great.

Good to have them all here, isn't it?

Yeah, I think.

I mean, we do miss that when he's not around, because the depth of the bass does give the sound, you know, proper grounding, doesn't it?

It gives it a much greater kind of depth and stability.

And it then means that when we've got the boys with the high voices, it gives us a little bit more balance.

Definitely.

I guess one thing I've observed is it's.

It's so really hard to see other crews.

Have you managed to see any other.

And if you've got any particular one you've really enjoyed or you've been like me, you've not seen masses of ma.

We saw.

We stayed in the Palacio Lounge or Palatio Lounge, whatever, however that's pronounced.

After we sung, there was a crew there called the Sloop.

I can't remember what they.

What their name was, but they were really, really good fun, really entertaining.

We caught up with the Barnacle Boys briefly yesterday and briefly saw the 85ers, and we bumped into people in the street.

I mean, we bumped into the Rusty Tubs because they're very recognizable with their very clear brand identity.

So it's easy to sort of single people out, but it.

It's just nice to kind of sit down and.

And catch up with them with everybody else.

We've just listened to Falmouth Shout before we.

Before we came down here for this gig.

They're a big crew as well, and they've got some range of voices from, you know, soprano, alto, down through 10 of baritone and bass, so they've got the full range of choral performance.

And.

And then Katrina went to see the Hay Shanty Men yesterday, who who were the people that we haven't seen for 16 years?

They left Bath and moved to Hay on Wye and, and Robin joined the.

The crew there and yeah, she really enjoyed that but unfortunately it clashed with us, so I couldn't go.

No, of course, no.

The Farmer Shack, they're a great gang.

I think I spoke to them last year about how, you know, they're the original organizers of such a thing and at some point they needed to hand it all over to the Falmouth Town Council to lead it to where it is today.

And probably a good call because there's only so much that shanty crew can run a festival like this.

I mean, maybe that's our future with the real ale and shanty in Bristol, but.

Yeah, no, they're a good gang.

No, it's good, really good.

No, I've really enjoyed seeing just the community by walking in the streets, which have been rammed at many times, just saying hello to people like the Severn Whalers and people who just disappear.

Distinctive faces within the shanty world.

That enhances that, that rich community that you find within the shanty world.

It's good.

I think.

I completely agree.

I mean, when the, when the local authority get, get behind it and support it and as you say, take over organizing of it, it makes the whole thing much more deliverable and much more structured and better organized.

And it would be lovely if we could do the same in Bristol.

I think, you know, the Bristol Shanty Festival organised by Highndry has.

Hasn't had the same support from the local council there and, and therefore has.

Has actually shrunk in its size rather than grown, which is disappointing.

But, but hopefully people will realize the potential.

I mean, you know, when you look at the volume of people that have come down to Falmouth this weekend, it is staggering how busy the town is.

It's a really small place, but all of the local businesses are thriving because of the, of the footfall that is coming up and down these cobbled streets.

All of the vendors, you know, made an enormous amount of money through, through food and, and drink sales.

The restaurants are all rammed and the sponsorship from, from, you know, Sharps Brewery and all of the other organizations that have got behind it and it's just great publicity.

So, you know, if we could do something on, on this scale around the Docklands of Bristol, it would be frankly amazing.

I mean, you know, I couldn't.

I couldn't honestly think of a better place to host a shanty festival than around the Dr. Bristol.

Absolutely.

Just need to get behind.

Yeah, I mean, we heard earlier the, the chairperson spoke to us and said, look, you know, they're so motivated to make this a significantly free event because it brings in so much trade to the local pubs, clubs, the local traders, they really do benefit from it and that's a massive motivator.

So, yeah, really good.

You can't get a hotel room for love nor money if you leave it to the last minute to try.

I had to put mine a year in advance for this.

The closer you get, the more you need a second mortgage.

But anyway, we're at that point where we probably need to start getting ready to go upstairs.

Listeners, thank you for listening to this episode of Shipshape and Bristol Fashion.

It's been great to have you on board and please do ensure that you share this episode with your friends, with your community within the shanty world.

Because no matter how much we use social media, we know in the world of podcasting, the word of mouth is the really only way to share podcasting.

So please do share with your friends and I hope you have enjoyed this episode.

So fair winds and following seas and we look forward to greeting you back again next time.

From even gorge to underfall we'll even hold the line Secure the barrels down below wind and tie a kitchen this vessel she is certified ship shape and Bristol fashion So haul away me laddy boys haul away you're free Haul away me laddy boys and save a drink for me Haul away me laddy boys Haul away your free Haul away me li boys and save a drink for me.