Shanty Fest Vibes: Singing for a Cause and Having a Blast!

She'll shape wondrous little fashion Boys along the harder side from evil gods to wonderful heaven all the line Secure the barrels down below Bind them, tie and lash em this vessel, she is certified shipshape from Bristol Fashion.

Hello and welcome to episode 31 of Shipshape and Bristol Fashion.

I'm Oggy, your host and of course a member of the Port of Bristol Shanty cre.

And I'm joined by most of the crew.

How are you doing, chaps?

Oh, brilliant, mate.

Side of it up, I hear.

Nachoy up.

Landlord Rev.

How you doing, buddy?

We've just.

This is a bit of a mixtape of events and took part over the summer period.

And so we're here at Woodfest.

It's a bit of a private gig, that is, but there's still lots of people here.

Rev, we've just come off stage.

How was that?

Oh, it's brilliant.

This is a fantastic event.

Yeah.

Main thing is because it raises so much for our favorite charity, of course, the Teenage Cancer Trust.

And the people that run it are parents of a child who sadly, I believe, passed away with cancer and to in his memory.

And they've raised tens of thousands of pounds for this fantastic charity.

It was a great gig.

Yeah, it's a bit like.

It reminds me of my times at Glastonbury.

Okay.

Yes.

Tell us more about that.

Yeah, well, it's all not quite as big as Glastonbury.

Okay.

And I think the age range was a little bit.

It didn't.

Towards the upper end of Glastonbury.

Although I have to say, going off on a tangent as you do, when I have been to Glastonbury, there is a little group there of people in their late 70s and 80s who go every year.

Wow.

And they go around the whole site on Zimmer Flames Frames.

They are absolutely lovely people.

Anyway, sorry about that.

So it's been a great gig.

It's been a great gig.

Everyone sang their hearts out.

Nice.

I don't think anyone sang a bad song.

And we all remembered the words.

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

So.

Hello, Nobby.

Lucky you weren't with us, mate.

Arts.

You're with us, buddy.

It's nice to see you.

It's nice to be here.

I'm guessing you enjoyed the gig.

How has the summer been for you?

Because we've been really busy.

It's been hectic and last weekend there were three gigs in one day.

Firstly being at the Harbour Festival up in Bristol.

Yes.

Then racing off down to Port Said.

To sing at two gigs down there for the rnli.

Absolutely brilliant.

All the gigs are superb.

Really hot weather, hundreds of people turning out who all appreciated what we've been trying to do.

Absolutely brilliant.

It's good, is it?

And it gets us out, doesn't it?

You know, my wife, who was an avid listener, I was trying to think.

Of something different, but it just came out.

Apologies for that.

The truth just came out.

Yeah, absolutely.

I hope she's not listening to this.

She might do.

You never know.

Because you can listen to this.

Anyway, Chili, how you doing, buddy?

Have you enjoyed?

I'm very well.

Do you know, it's been a magnificent summer and we've been out to places where we never thought we'd ever be allowed to perform.

Yeah, not since the court order.

But it's just been really great to see that we can actually bring joy to people.

And it's not just the family.

When we wave them goodbye and go off to a gig is actual audience, really participate and really enjoy what we do.

So, yeah, they love it.

And people say, do you know what?

We knew that song, but we don't know where.

So it's obviously ingrained into everybody and they do start singing things.

It's very good.

And listeners, you'll hear Chilli in a moment, who will give you an update of what we're going to be doing in the next month in the Signaler.

Doc.

Last time we talk.

Last time we talked, we were a little bit tired sitting in a pub in.

We were in a pub in Falmouth.

Well, in the cellar of a pub in Farmers.

It was very lovely.

We've continued to be busy ever since.

And the sun hasn't gone down.

No, it hasn't.

It's still toasty.

It's pretty warm.

Porter's head was absolutely roasting last week.

It was.

And Arthur's nodding his head, but he snuck off home to enjoy his air conditioning while we all sat melting.

He's a local, isn't he?

He's a local.

Working.

Oh, he's working.

Apparently nodded off to sleep.

He was.

He was adding up his golf scorecard or something like that, I think, like proper work.

Proper work.

While the rest of us were out melting in the sunshine.

But it was.

It was a brilliant event.

I mean, the 85 has organized it.

They were all over it.

The.

So good.

The sound stages were both superb.

And it was lovely to see old Betty Stogs there.

I know Cornish, she was looking properly sexy this time as well.

You know, wash the socks.

It was amazing.

I think she particularly likes chili.

She loves chili.

She can't keep her hands off.

Yeah, yeah, I think so, yeah.

It's beautiful.

It's beautiful.

He is a special man.

He is a special man.

He is a sexual magnet, actually.

I think so, yeah.

To most Cornish men and women.

In fact, we were just singing a gig just now at Woodfest, where we are at the moment.

And I don't know if you noticed, but halfway through the set, a little head popped up behind that really long bush that was in front of us and it was a little lad in a chili cap.

He had a peaked cap with chilies all over it.

And I pointed it out.

Chili.

And he.

He wants one now.

I can tell he's actually on bricks now to stand on the.

Well, on that note, maybe we'll get.

A photo of you two together.

As long as the parents are comfortable with that and you can look at our socials on Facebook.

But up next, we're going to be hearing from Shanty Boy and a bit of the crew at the pretty festival.

Sam.

Sat like the fire within as the people.

So we hoisted up the anchor and.

We set the jib and spanked and.

The pilot took us to the harbour's mouth and then from the tug we.

Parted and on the ball we started with a compass reading east or west.

By south and the wind began to blow and the ship began to roll and the gallop of our hurricane did blow Idle and in yelling up the stunning from the good ship ragged nothing we thought.

Me bob I bully Bully Dimension blown the girl that I love dearly way hey, bully he's the girl that I Bully.

In the alleyway Bully in the alley.

So we're heading down to Porter's Head, but before we do that, we're going to open the Bristol Harbour Festival.

That's up next.

Good morning, everybody.

Happy rising.

It is a wonderful Saturday today.

I'm so excited to be here.

It's such a pleasure and I've been with these lovely gentlemen finding out all the powerful before you do, but I want to welcome you to the Bristol Harbor Festival.

This stage, the harbor view stage, is 13 years of this is now agency.

Now, what are you seeing?

What you.

What do you want to tell your wife?

I'm trying to tell my wife to get up in dress like this.

For a lot of fun today.

Now it is my pleasure to welcome the first act and I've brought my notes because there's a lot to say about these Charlene gentlemen here.

A little Herbie out the front.

I've Had a nice little chat.

This is a story that comes out of pure Bristol.

I think it's wonderful.

The Port of Bristol Shanty crew formed in May 2022 to sing together and raise money for the table Teenage Counter trust.

Raising over £62,000.

And that's just as 8.

Earning a 2025 ITV Pride of Britain award nomination.

Living by fun and friendship, melody and nerve, they sing shanties that's really hard to say and see songs anywhere from their local pub to the Falmouth International Shanty Festival.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome here.

And to kick off proceeding the port of Bristol Shanty Crew.

Angel.

Yes indeed, ladies and gentlemen, we are the Port of Bristol Chancy crew.

I thought I heard the the captain say Pay me my money down Tomorrow is our sailing day Pay me my money down Pay me, pay me, pay me pay me Pay me my money down Pay me or go to jail Pay me my money down soon as the boat passed the bar Pay me my money down the captain hit me down with us Pay me my money down Pay me, pay me Pay me my money down Pay me or go to jail Pay me my money down Farewell to you, my D A thousand times adieu for we're going away from the holy ground and those girls that we love True, we will sail the south so but we'll return for sure to see again the girls we love and the holy ground once more Fine girl you are the girl I do adore and still I live in hope to see the whole holy ground once more Fight girl you are See the storm arising I see it coming soon and the sky's so full of clouds that you can scarcely see the moon and the good old ship is tossed about under rig in his altar and still lie living off to see the holy ground once more Fine girl you are Big summer sky and setting sun correct singed on the Bristol run Run before the waiter's train Sailors say I burn their pain or see to Bristol town low Live down the grandio All See the rest of the town Loading down the Grandio the Grandio rolling on to the deep green day towards the hills of raked bay Put great stings upon her way from the moonlit night to the break of day or see the Bristol town Load it down with brandy O Or see the Bristol town loaded down with randy o' clock the brandy O Then the captain I heard tell that's the sand of the king rebel Steaming on by bits and throb to the brandy shed in a Bristol D Or see the Bristol town lovely down the brandy o See the Risto town lovely down the brandy o the brandy oh.

Another massive round of applause for the Port of Bristol Shanty Crow.

So next we have the Porter's Head Shanty Festival.

So we're as the port of Bristol going down to support the 85ers.

And I'm going to be doing a few sets with Kerry and a few sets with Pilcher the pirate.

I was hungry for the land I'm.

Staying right here I'll be a man of the land I'll be a man of cheese I'll be a man wherever my woman will be I won't be any captains mate I won't be servant of the seas Cuz this pretty little woman is all and I'll fall when I play the world over no, never.

No more I went into my pockets twirl our sovereign sprites and the landlady's eyes open wide with delight she says she has whiskey and wines of the.

Best well, I'm the old triangle wed jingle triangle all along the bank of the Royal Palla On a fine spring evening the lay dreaming and the sea gulls were wheeling high above the wind on the ocean.

Oh yeah, yeah.

We're the DZ Boys and we're minored lifeboat crew.

And we've been asked by the 85ers who are Portishead lifeboat crew to come up and sing.

Oh.

So what got you into sea shanties?

We got into sea shanties around 15 or 16 years ago for something to do.

And then all we used to do was sing at the boathouse on a Thursday.

It might have been the third Thursday night for around about probably a year or two years.

And then it went all torment.

And then we sort of got back together four or five years ago.

Whenever I.

After Covid and I got married, I was getting married.

Okay.

And we decided to sort of reform.

Oh.

So I sang to.

To my wife at the wedding or I got the DZ Boys back together as a surprise.

She didn't have a clue.

Ruined the wedding.

Absolutely ruined it.

But we had a great time.

That's brilliant.

Who are you?

I'm Sam.

I'm one of the crew.

I'm a sort of recent member of the DZ Boys.

But I do the press stuff for mine as well.

What do you.

What got you interested in joining the DZ Boys?

It's just a nice thing to do.

And it sort of.

It fits in with all of our goals.

It fits in with, you know, life on the sea.

And you know, there are lots of songs about life saving.

It's just a really nice thing to cement the crew ethos.

Yeah.

So as I got, as I've heard from one of your members that you all are.

You're all lifeboat crews as well.

Yes, we are, yeah.

What, what.

How did you get into that?

Well, I mean, in a small town, the lifeboat crew is kind of like a key part of the community.

And actually it's really well respected thing to do.

And some might say it's the best drinking club in town.

Drinking club.

I'm just over only 40, only 15, and I'm speaking.

I'm knowing about disgraceful behavior.

Disgraceful.

But what.

How has sea shanties helped the lifeboats from.

From your.

From your point of view?

I. I think sea shanties are something that just cements that sort of the.

The bond between all seafarers.

Yeah.

And actually the need to do certain, you know, something to save lives at sea.

Yeah.

And to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

Yeah, of course.

And like what lifeboats have done for everyone is brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant.

How long have they gone on for?

I always forget.

So the lifeboats.

Well, lifeboat organization itself was formed sort of over 200 years ago.

Thank God you asked in.

Our station has been on the coast since 1901.

So, I mean, it's a massive long history, you know, right from the early days of rowing boats and up till now we've got this modern sort of rescue craft.

But we still want to do the rowing, don't we?

Heave, haul, heave, haul.

We do when we're thinking about it, but maybe not in the sea so much.

A few of our members are keener and more energetic.

Yeah.

Okay.

What got you into sea shanties?

Well, my mate Rich.

Yeah, I joined the crew about 10, 15 years ago and yeah, we just after Covid.

I wasn't there at the start, but I was there after Covid.

And it's just a nice social thing.

To do, of course.

Like whenever I think about sea changes and how long have I done it?

I've done it for only three years now, but it started becoming less about the songs and more about the people you're around.

And would you say that's the same for you?

Exactly, yeah.

I mean, we go to a lot of.

Well, me and Rich, we go to a lot of sociality festivals like Falmouth.

And I played at Falmouth.

It's brilliant.

All of them.

Merrickissie.

Yeah.

Boscastle.

All of them.

You name it, we've been there and it's just a great social thing to do and it's all nice and safe and everybody has a good.

There's a good camaraderie.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's sort of like an extended family.

Because, like, whenever I feel.

Like whenever I'm in the shanty stuff, it always feels like I get to be my true self, is where I get to be my pure self.

Because when I'm in school, I'm a little bit.

I'm a lot different than how I am here.

Hey, mate, it's all right to be different.

Yeah, it's all right to be different.

You are different.

Yeah.

Too far.

I love my hat.

My mum made it for me.

You want to hurry up and start drinking if you're wearing that hat.

It would go really well for the point, hey, it.

Really well.

Really?

Yeah.

And it all.

It all.

All revolves around the sea and drinking and just having a good laugh, really.

Yeah.

Having.

Having a good laugh.

Having a good laugh.

Yeah.

Well, boys, it's been lovely speaking to you.

And I hear it's the DZ Boys.

No.

DZ Boys.

Oh, and it's.

There's a firing range in the Bristol Channel just off of.

Watch it.

Which the RAF use or the navy?

I don't know quite know.

And there's a.

There's a series of boys and they're called the Danger Zone Boys because the firing range is right in the middle.

So it's on our patch and that's what we've named ourselves.

So your name's the DZ Boys.

DZ Boys.

Get it right.

Sorry, sorry.

Didn't mean to get that wrong.

DZ Boys.

Lifeboat Shanty crew.

Well, it's been lovely speaking to you all.

Hope you have a lovely rest of your day.

Australia.

I was born pe away all the way South Australia on Cape Horn we're back to South Australia all the way, you rolling pigs pig away all the way all the way.

You hear me Sink.

We're psych.

Australia.

As I woke up one morning fair peak away all the way I met Miss Nancy Blair with P for South Australia all the way you rolling kings keep away all the way all the way you hailie sing we're back to Australia the smartest ship that you can find is.

Hey, how old are you?

A sonar to wave along on time still when attacking at the Boltine Run With a hay little jig and a jaunty run hey now, pole doll, you must run with a Liz laying all on my knee.

Clear away the track and let the bull guy Run.

Oh, we're a foot bound for whiskey bear.

Hey, now hold on.

You must have a doll.

I trail embers school bear.

Peer away the track and let the bull guy run with a hay raise a jig and a jaunty gun.

Hey, how old are you?

Must run with a boll Eggs a lay all on my knee.

You can search the world for pretty girls.

Your eyes go, we can dim.

Don't go swimming with a mermaid sun.

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 other part.

I did not like the taste.

Hello.

Who are you?

Who am I speaking to today?

My name is Kerry Stafford.

I'm a solo shanty singer.

I'm originally from Swansea, now living in North Devon.

Oh, no, we're talking to a Devonian.

We're talking to a Welshman.

True Welshman.

True Welshman.

True Welshman.

Then tell us what got you into sea shines.

Well, I grew up with folk music and sea shanties.

My parents had hundreds of LPs of shanties and folk music.

I just grew up on it.

Yeah.

You grew up around it?

I grew up around it.

I started going to festivals many years ago, and the last two years now, I've decided to get up and start singing myself.

Yeah.

And I'm sorry to bring this up, but how was Impfracoon?

Because I know you were setting that up.

Infracombe was a fantastic sea shanty festival.

Scuttlebut, shanty cross, crew of the local crew.

And they set that up as the first one this year.

But it went so smoothly.

The venues were fantastic.

Yeah.

So how long you been doing, like, singing seashells for?

It's about three years.

Yeah.

Okay.

That's kind of the same as me.

I've been performing sea chains for three.

For three, Two, three years now.

After I started in.

After I started in Falmouth.

So what started you to think like, oh, I want to sing Sea Change.

I want to.

Well, I would go to festivals, I'd be in the audience and I'd be singing along.

And a lot of the time, the singers would finish their set, they'd come down and speak to me and say, are you a singer?

No, I'm not a singer.

No.

I'm just in the audience.

But I was looking at them on stage and I was thinking, that looks so fun.

It is really fun.

That looks like fun.

It's very Addictive, isn't it?

Once you have that bug, it keeps going on you do.

You finish a set and you're on a high and you take it off.

I wouldn't.

Yeah.

Because one of the best sets I've had was at Falmouth, literally this year.

And I had these late men and women just go like, shiny boy and shiny man.

What am I doing?

It was one of the best moments.

It's nice when you get recognized from festival to festival and people remember you from a previous festival, you know, then or people have taken notice.

Yeah, of course.

I like with Shisha.

What drew you to them?

Like, is it specifically the songs or the people or.

I think it was initially the songs.

But the shanty community is a brilliant community.

It's so friendly, so accepting.

Especially for new singers.

Especially for solo singers.

Yeah, of course.

And they're always happy to give advice.

It's a fantastic little community.

How are you finding Porter's head?

Shining Festival.

This is brilliant.

Actually.

I came last year.

I didn't sing last year, but this is.

This is better than last year.

Last year was fantastic, but this is even better.

The venues are great.

Brilliant.

Brilliant.

I'm having a fun time as well.

We did a performance.

We did a fantastic performance in the Sirens.

That was really good.

That was fantastic.

Yeah, really enjoyed that.

What's your favorite sea Shay?

My favorite.

It's probably a hard question.

It is a hard question.

One I tend to always go back to is Randy Dandio.

Oh, that's.

Is it because you like Randy?

When I was a child, I used to read the Randy.

I don't know if that's.

I always go back to that one.

Oh, it's brilliant.

Well, it's been lovely speaking to you.

You too, Ollie.

You enjoy the rest of your day.

I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.

Thank you very much.

Next up, we're off to Forest Fest, which is a fundraiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

They invited us and many other acts to come along to raise money for that incredible charity.

We also get to talk to one of the organizers and the backstory of the festival itself itself.

Good afternoon.

Hello.

We are the port of Bristol Chanty crew.

And we are not a Melbourne choir, as you'll find out very soon.

Bristol fashion boys along the harbor side From Avon gorgeous to wonderful.

We'll even haul the lie Secure the barrels down below Bind and tie and lash em this vessel, she is certified ship shape and Bristol fashion.

From our home in Bristol, we set out from the quay.

Our ship is full of Spices bound for America.

Sugar's in the hope below and first makes up the crowd Sells unfurled in capstan's races off to sea we go Ship shape and Bristol fashion Boys along the harbor side From Avon Gorge to underfall we're heaving all the time.

Secure those barrels down below, Bind them, tie and mash em.

This vessel she is certified Ship shape and Bristol fashion.

And now we are ready to head for the horn way he roll and go Our boots and our clothes boys are all in the pool to me rollicking randy dandy O Heave a pole and heave away we roll and go.

The anchor's on board and the cable's all spoke to me rollicking roundy diamond where are me boots?

Me noggin noggin boots they're all gone for beer and tobacco Cause the soles were wearing thin and the yachts rouletting in and the hills was looking out for a better weather and it's all for me grog Me jolly, jolly grog all for me beer and tobacco.

Well I spent all meeting with the lasses Drinking gin Far across the western ocean I must wander where is me shirt?

Me knocking, knocking shirt it's all gone for beer and tobacco Cause I slew to work Cause I sleeves they were worn out and the collar turned about and the tails was hanging out for better weather and it's all for me growl me jolly jolly all for me beer and tobacco.

Well I spent all meeting with the lassies Drinking gin Far across the western ocean I must wander.

Sweet ladies of Plymouth, we're saying goodbye Roll down we'll rock you and roll you again by and by Walk around with great boys and roll down and we will roll down Walk around me brave boys and roll down at the wide bay of Biscay the sea did run high Roll down the poor sickly transports they wish they could die.

Walk around we brave boys and roll down and we will roll down Walk around we brave boys and roll down.

So, as you can, as you just heard, we are at Woodfest.

It's a bit of a private gig that we've been brought into celebrating and fundraising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

I've managed to pin down some of the organisers.

Do you want to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about you?

Yeah, so my name is Max.

I'm one of the committee members on Woodfest.

I actually used to be in a male voice choir previously.

So having the Shanta ban.

Nice.

Yeah, it's something that's quite close to My heart, it's.

Yeah, it's great.

Tell us a little bit more about what Woodfest is all about.

So Woodfest has been.

This is the second year that Woodfest has been organised.

We had our Last one in 2024.

It's organized in support of Teenage Cancer Trust.

And yeah, it's an all day event in these amazing kind of grounds in the event space that we're at.

Takes a lot of work to get all the ground I can imagine.

And yeah, it's just about everyone having a really good time and I'm raising as much money for this charity as possible.

Yeah, really good.

And you guys have looked after us really well and of course all the other bands that have come in and taken part, it's been great.

Tell us how come the Teenage Hatters Trust is close to your guys hearts?

So essentially.

So Liz and Rob, who are the founding founders of Woodfest, unfortunately they lost their youngest son to cancer and yeah, that's kind of why the.

The charity is so close to their hearts.

And they've been fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust for.

Yeah, for years and years and years.

Rob and his daughter Tash,.

In the tragedy that occurred.

It's great that to link into some fundraising and to raise such great funds for an incredible charity.

I know that that's what spurs us on, as many other people do.

And it's great that you've raised so much money so far.

Who else has been here other than just the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew?

Other bands that have been on stage.

So, yeah, so essentially we've had the first people that.

That played today were a bancle class act.

They're kind of a jazz band.

Yeah, nice kind of mellow start to the festival.

Yeah, we arrived, I think when they were playing.

It was very lovely.

We've got the AZ acoustic on in a minute, following you guys the long shots later on.

We've also then got Jacob Richardson, who's kind of solo guitarist and then finally we're kind of our headline actor, Cat Amongst the Pigeons and the Caballeros as well, which are going to kind of.

Yeah, yeah.

Show us out in style.

So amazing.

Well done you guys.

You've done such a great chunk of work to get everybody here to fundraise for some incredible charity and also have a bit of fun along the way.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Oh being a pirate is all fun.

And games Till somebody loses an eye.

It hurts like the blazes and makes.

You pull faces but you can't let.

Your mate see you cry Now a Fashionable Patch will cover the hatch to.

Make sure the socket stays dry.

Being a pirate is all fun and games till somebody loses.

Enough.

You ready?

It's all part of being a pirate.

A pirate, a pirate.

You can't be a pirate with all of your parts.

It's all part of being a pirate.

A pirate, a pirate.

You can be a pirate with all of your parts.

So next up, we're going to Easter Compton to help the Seven Whalers with their Fox Inn Shanty Day with the Kilkenny Bay steamers, the Tawny Shanty Men and.

And the Lower Deckers.

And of course, the great poor Bristol Shanty.

And silvery was her tongue, me boys.

As a big ship sailed away she said, will you remember me 10,000 miles away?

Sing blow you in Tai ho a Roman I will go I'll stay no more on England shore To hear the music play For I'm off on the morning train and I won't be back again from taking a trip on a gambling 10,000 miles away I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay My wife, she got no better My wife made darling be I sent that night My wife, she got no better she turned a sickly green I fed her Cornish pasties and rotters Clotted creams Saffron buns and Cornish cider I stroked her lovely face and I told her she'd be dandy when we reached the harbor safe hey.

Oh, me oh, my God I heard me all my cry oh, me oh my I think you're gonna die oh, me, oh my I heard me all my say I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay Told by jealous boasters and other swords like with bizarre jobs like tanker men and coasters but the Avon mud, it's in our blood and when we shift that much, sir we'll set our horse for the old black horse Till it all clogs up again, sir when the chains go bang and the buckets clang There is no vessel final From Bristol Dock to the Mumble Rocks.

Right.

As an ocean liner we'll let the farmer till the land and the cloud Stick to his leisure.

Hello.

So what is this event you're putting on?

So today was the Fox Summer Shanty Day.

It's a great film.

We started this about four or five years ago.

Just a chance to sing somewhere local.

We spent a lot of time going to events down in Cornwall, around everywhere.

The home of sea shades, of course.

Yes, of course.

Yeah.

But we wanted to do something close to home, where we don't have to travel and we can see people that we know from the shanty scene and we get all together, have a bit of a sing.

So we started the Fox Summer Shanty Day.

I think we started with four or five groups.

We tend to do about six, seven groups a day now just because we could get a nice start time, we get a nice early finish time.

We do various different charities where we've raised money for the last two years.

We've done the RNLI Little Lifts.

So what are Little Lifts?

The Little Lifts is an amazing local charity.

So if the landlady fit in the pub, had cancer a couple of years ago and during her recovery, obviously it's a really tough time.

So Little Lifts send out little gifts.

It's a little boost, it's a little lift up.

Yeah.

So as a favor, as a return for their what, their gifts that they sent.

Yeah, we raise a bit of money to help them back so they can carry on doing that for other people as well.

Oh, that's brilliant.

That's brilliant.

So, yeah, it's turned out to be a really, really good day.

The groups really love it.

The publisher supports us amazingly.

While the Fox News of Compton, John and Lou, they've been absolutely phenomenal.

Yeah.

We do summer Shanty Day.

They look after the groups, they give us all food, they give us drinks.

It's been amazing.

I've had the drinks here, they're very lovely.

Especially the apple juice.

Yeah.

And then in the winter we do a fish and chip night which is a bit of, a, bit of a favor back.

So we come in and we, we perform a night for them with some friends and that brings people into the pub on a walkway.

Would normally be a quieter night in early in the new year and helps them, keeps them, keeps their profits, keeps their, their business going well.

Yes, yes.

So yeah, it's a two way street and it works really, really well.

Yeah.

Can I just ask people if anyone listening that wants to make an event, how did you go about making this to start with?

We just message friends.

So friends in groups, local groups.

Bristol's got an amazing shanty community.

There's so many groups in a very.

Within a very short time distance.

So he messaged out and said, look guys, you fancy coming along and sing?

We'll have a bit of a fun day and coming for a sing and see what happens.

And it's just grown from that, really.

Yep.

Yeah.

And of course it's growing from there and like what sort of crews have been playing today?

So today we've had We've had an amazing bunch of cruise today.

We've had.

We started off at one o' clock with them Bristow girls.

Really good.

So they're from.

From this side of Bristol.

We had the Tawny Shanty Men from Peel.

Yep.

Always fantastic.

That's a lot Long way from Pill.

Yeah, all the way up the river.

Yeah.

We had Udagafta.

After that we had Kenny Base Demons from Portish Heads.

That's good.

Cleveland around that way, round that way.

Kilkenny Bay.

I never really understood the.

I think it's.

I think it's the.

They say the joke of is Kilkenny.

Not Kilkenny in Ireland, but Kilkenny in somewhere.

There's a beach there called Kilkenny Bay.

So that's where they got their name from so that they come up.

They've been amazing.

They've supported us for the last three or four years.

They've been really good.

We then had the lower deckers who traveled down to see us.

We first met them in Mevagisi a few years ago and they've been really.

They're really good.

I just sang with them.

They were really good.

Jamie Robinson, what a guy.

He did.

He did an event in.

In Gloucestershire.

Did.

Yes.

This guy works really hard.

He's he single singer with a squeeze box.

Sounds phenomenal.

Traditional shanty style.

Yep.

He is a ship builder as well.

So he feels like he can.

He can connect to all these songs.

He's like the single version of Kimber's Men, basically.

Exactly that.

Yeah.

And after that, after Jamie, we had the fantastic port of Bristol.

I know we have to add that in, guys.

Absolutely amazing.

So I think one of their first gigs was the.

Was.

Was this event.

Yeah, yeah.

Four years ago.

Always love having them on board and what a phenomenal job they've done raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Yeah, we have.

Absolutely.

It's brilliant.

Superb.

And then finally the Severn Wave, of.

Course, which you are part of.

Yes.

So we know.

We learned from last time how you guys started from the Bristol episode, what drove you all to see shanties.

So it was.

It was.

I think we told you before, it was a bit of a bet.

So we were in a community choir.

The local village had a ladies choir, which was really good.

Yeah.

And the.

The husbands and partners were looking for something to do to not to be left out.

So we started.

Started a choir and it really was just an excuse to go out for a get together, have the beers and sing some songs and that was it.

All fun.

And then we started doing some events and then the Founding member of the choir and the choir mistress, an ex colleague of theirs, had moved to Cornwall.

Yeah.

In fact, it's one of the Porter Bristol Shanty Crew.

Really?

Yes, yes.

WC, Mr. Collins.

Oh, yes, yeah, yeah.

WC Collins.

Yeah.

Yes.

So Thunder.

Thunderbox.

That's the one, yeah.

So he invited us down to Tyra Dreff, which is just outside of Par, to see there in Norwell Shanty Festival.

He used to sing with a group called Press Gang.

Yeah, Press Gang.

So they set up a shanty festival there.

So we went down and he kind of put a bet.

Bet you can't get your group to sing some shanties.

And we'd never thought about it, but we learned a couple of songs I.

Think we started with.

Yeah.

And apparently, from what I've heard from your.

From the set I've just heard, you seem to know a lot about sea shant shanties.

Not as much as some, but, yeah, I've absolutely fallen in love with it.

So we sang those first couple of songs as a group and we were originally a group of 10 back then.

And then we did the Shanty Day.

We sang some songs and at the end of it all the punters went home and we retired to the pub after everything packed down and cleared away and we walked into a room and it was just full of people and random people just got up and sang and it was our first ever experience of a shanty shout.

CORNISH SHOUTS and it was just absolutely blown away.

And from that moment, hooked.

Absolutely hooked.

Yeah.

And like, also this also got you to do, like, other stuff like this day, which gets more people into sea shanty.

It does.

It's an amazing community.

The sea shanty community is absolutely fantastic.

So there's no errors and graces, there's no pecking order.

You can have the.

The newest shanty group with the least experience singing with the most experienced shanty group with the best singers in the world.

And there's.

There's no errors and graces that it's all encouraging, it's all bring everybody together and that's what it's all about.

It's a real community and supportive and that's been part of the fun and joy of it.

Yeah.

And I think what's great about this day is that it's got people upset singing as well.

Like Jamie.

I've never.

I only met Jamie last year at the Fox and he's.

I've become good friends with him since then and he's an incredible singer.

So.

Yeah, we met Jamie at Sharpness two years ago, he took over the Sharpness Shanty Festival.

I mean, that's where we first met him.

Yeah, he's great.

He's got an amazing voice.

He's learned to play that squeeze box, which he sangs for.

Fantastic.

I want to try and learn how it works because I know how to play.

I just don't know how internally it works.

I want to try and figure out.

It's pretty special.

Yeah, It's a real traditional, original shanty sound.

It's lovely and.

Well, it's been lovely speaking to you and really great this day has happened, and it's really been beautiful.

And I hope it happens more.

Oh, most definitely.

And we'll see you next year and maybe have Ollie shanty.

Thank you.

And the old Mississippi has beauties of men all away from Shiloh there's parsons and lawmen with plenty of money Hauling away from Shiloh town But we keeping the hold of this old flying jet Falling away Away from Shiloh so let us drift up where she lay and the river will take her away with lo and travels in tow we're hauling away from Shiloh.

Oh, Shiloh well, dry up your tears Hauling away from Shiloh town Where we give you tails you'll be tearing for years Hauling away from Shiloh there's river rats, junkers in sailor men too Hauling away from Shiloh town But we're the boys who can pull her right through Away from Shiloh so let us drift off which he lakes and the river will take her away the suspension bridge of Clifton is the king of bridges Omalio the suspension bridge of Clifton is the king of bridges all.

Somebody oh, Johnny somebody O. Brunel's Great Western Railway is the king of railways.

Oh,.

Brunel's Great Western Railway is the king of a railway Z.

Them up and save her Crunch the.

Bones, spit them out and chew the tails.

Fish the fish gotta swish the fish Pull them in and back them in a tin Squish the fish God is fish the fish Barrel, barrel Pack them.

In a barrel, stuff them in, smother.

Them in salt Barrel, barrel Pack them.

In a barrel stuff them in, smother.

Them in salt Pilch is a mighty final Squish the fish gotta squish the.

Fish.

In a tin Squish the fish got to squish the fish Pilchers, pilchers, shiny sh of fish Catch them all, trap them in the san Pilchers, pilchers, send them all abroad Little fish going on holiday insane Pilch it or is a mighty fine squish the fish.

Gotta squish the fish.

Try to squish the fish.

So the last and final of this podcast is the Western Super Mare Shanty and Folk Festival, where you'll be hearing the great Shanty boy with the amazing Port of Bristol Shanty Crew.

Pirate Crew.

Never underestimate the method we can demonstrate to conquer an elimination.

So pack up your donkeys and get on their way.

Thank you.

This we're leaving we'll get our face we're bound on the river grand and away boys away.

On white stocking tag you.

Stand up stand up stand up to the powers and authorities we're just not giving up Stand up, stand up, stand up.

Well, if you do believe big business should be made to pay their way if you do believe that health care's not just there for those who pay if you do believe that there's a chance to see your brighter day Then put on your please stand right up and let's find a better way Stand up, stand up, stand up South Australia I was born Heave away all away South Australia and kip all the way back to South Australia all the way, you rolling kings he away all the way all the way you'll hear me sing.

We're bank for South Australia I see I walked out one morning fair Heave away all the way There I met Miss Nancy we're backside lay all the way all the way you'll hear me sing.

We're back.

So today I'm talking to one of the Steepholburn members and tell me what is going on today?

Well, this is the final day of the shanty festival.

We've just had our final shout.

My voice is somewhat croaky now, croakier than it was before, that's for sure.

We've had a load of shanti singers and folk singers up on the stage with us and it's been going on for a while.

It's been wonderful.

How was organizing this?

Because if people want to organise their own festival, what goes into organizing a festival like this?

Well, this size we start now, we start organizing for next year already.

So it's.

There's so much to do because not only we've got to get the bands registered, all the acts registered, we have to get sponsorship in and that's the hardest thing because it costs us many thousands of pounds to put this on.

And we also get income from all the pubs that we're singing in.

We've got all the bands are singing in and we get income from the traders that hire pitches on The Italian Gardens, of course.

And like, how was it in organizing this, just on your perspective?

Well, for the sixth year it's become a lot easier than it has been in the past.

But there's still last minute hiccups that we have to deal with because I.

Remember one of the shanty crews couldn't come.

That's right.

We were expecting a shanty crew from south of France.

The old shanty men, they're all expats, but they couldn't get here.

And so we had seven slots to fill at the very last minute, which was a bit difficult.

But fortunately we're shanty singers.

They just love to sing, so it was easy to fill them.

I do want to say this just in case I don't get this on the, on the podcast.

Thank you for allowing me to play at this festival.

It was really lovely.

I got to play at the Vaults.

Lovely festival.

It's a pleasure.

And I've heard good reports about you wherever you've been.

And you did a great song on the.

In the final shout.

That was brilliant.

Well, it's been a lovely festival, hasn't it?

Like generally the people have been nice, just general areas have been nice and Western is just a lovely area.

We were lucky this year.

We've had the greatest weather that we could possibly ask for.

I remember last year, the weather just kept fluctuating from rain to shine.

And then I saw people going from one end of the Italian Gardens to the other when it was raining, going to the other than going back.

But I saw one couple who was just staying there throughout the entire thing.

I say, that's dedication there, boys.

That's dedication there.

Yeah, yeah, it is amazing.

I mean, we've got, we've had 14 venues including, including the Italian Gardens this year.

We probably have to have more next year.

We've already had one of the local pubs say, why can't we be a venue?

So, which is great because we have more people.

We need more venues.

Yeah, of course.

More venues, more people, more players, more enjoyment, more drinking, as some people like.

To say, and more sets for people like you.

Well, it's been lovely speaking to you.

Thanks, Ollie.

And I hope you have a lovely rest of your day and hope the next year will be just as great as this year.

Yeah, well, I'm sure it will.

It'll be better.

I mean, it gets better every year.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

So we've just done our final gig.

It's gone really well and we've bumped into these lovely ladies who have I think one of them has definitely seen us before ourselves.

Snuffy Jacks gigs.

Ladies, do you want to introduce yourself?

I'll start with you.

Yeah.

My name's Aubrey.

My name is Lee.

And I'm Claire.

And what brings you here to the shanty festival in Western?

So we came to visit Claire, who lives here.

Didn't even know this was on, to be honest.

But once I saw you guys in the pub, I was like, I recognize those lads from Snuffies.

So I made sure that we all came to see you.

It's lovely to see.

See.

What did you think of.

Was so traditional?

And I love seeing this as an outsider.

Like, it's.

It feels like true English tradition.

It was amazing.

But chant is really popular across.

Across the pond as well.

It is.

I think it has an influence, like, coming from Tennessee, there's a big influence, like with bluegrass and everything else.

And then you can hear this kind of music up north in the northeast.

But it felt like.

It felt like being at home.

It was really great.

That's great, isn't it?

And we didn't even have to pay you to say that, which is great.

If you want.

We.

We do it for charity, you know, we do it for charity.

Your reflections on how you've enjoyed the festival.

Yeah, I mean, I'm from Western, so I have.

I have been.

You knew this was happening.

Yes, I did, and I let them know, but, yeah.

Oh, it's been amazing.

It's been really great as well, seeing kind of like the younger kids kind of coming up and following the traditions.

So, yeah, we've had a wicked time.

It never ceases to amaze me how popular this is with the younger generation.

When I first joined this gang, I thought, it's just gonna be a bunch of old people singing along with us.

But actually, it seems to resonate with lots of young people.

So it's good.

Really good.

You're a perfect example, ladies, of that.

Thank you.

Obviously, super youthful.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Well, lady, it's been great to talk to you.

Thank you very much for coming and support us and cheering along back in the background, which is great.

Joining in, which is good.

Pirate is always a good one.

Yeah.

Thank you very much.

On the restless waters and the troubled sky See that morning we down upon the southern ocean Sailing down below Cape Horn Won't you ride the wind and go White sea bird Won't you ride the wind and go Molly mount upon the southern on ocean sailing down below.

Cape Horn.

See that Molly mole Floating on his white white wings Over a lonely song he sings when he's got no compass and he's got no gear and his man can tell you.

Down.

Upon the Southern Ocean Sailing down below Cape Horn Won't you ride the wind and go high Seabird Won't you ride the wind and go volleyball?

Stand upon the Southern Ocean Sailing down below Cape Horn.

Ahoy, shipmates.

It's chilly as the signalman and I'm going to give you an update of where we've been in July 26th and where we're going to be going in August.

Give you a little zoom of where we've been.

Well, what do we have?

What do we do in July?

I'll tell you what we did in July.

We cooked.

And we can't be the only ones, but as far as gigs went, on Saturday 11th, we went to the Pretty Folk Fair, which is up on the Bendips in the little village of Pretty.

And it's pretty good.

Yeah, I played that one beautifully.

We had three venues down there and we had a bit of walking to do.

It was down in the actual.

In this, what I call the cauldron.

Very, very warm, very warm.

Almost to the point it's too hot.

But we kept.

We kept ourselves hydrated with some of the cider from some local farms and it was wonderful.

Really enjoyable.

And if you get an opportunity, it is worth supporting them because they've got everything from children's tents all the way through.

Lots of traders worth having a visit if you.

If you want to book in your diary for next year.

So on to the weekend of the 17th, 18th and 19th of July.

Why do I say it like that?

Well, it was the start of the Bristol Harbour Festival, so we initially sang on the.

Friday the 17th at the Ritorno Lounge on the V Shed on the waterfront in the harbour there.

And do you know what?

What a lovely place.

Really lovely stuff.

Staff, great crowds.

We've managed to put one of the speakers to actually terrorize.

Sorry, entertain people on the.

Who were walking past.

Great big crowds.

We managed to attract that one.

And as a.

As a lounge as well.

Well worth a visit.

Well worth a visit.

They got some beautiful beers on, if that's your thing.

Which then led us on to Saturday.

Saturday we had the privilege and honor of opening the Harbour Festival on the amphitheater just in front of the old Lloyds bank building.

And do you know what?

With 15 minutes to go and we thought, there's no crowd.

And also the doors, it was like the migrating wildebeest.

It filled up in seconds.

What a great crowd.

Really good fun.

Lots of singing, lots of actions.

We involved you quite well.

We even got the ice cream man van for the.

The van to actually join in as well.

So he didn't escape.

After we finished there, we went down to the Portishead Shanty Festival which is run by or organized by our friends the 85ers and we love supporting that because obviously it's all money towards the RNLI.

Very important role they run, they do.

But the 85ers, they're quality bunch, they really are.

So we were at the Slipway stage, if some of you managed to see us there, we packed it, which was great.

And then we stayed up until the Lock Plaza stage, which again was a great audience, great participation.

I don't think anybody could say they weren't entertained because we were.

We had to cancel the 19th which was at the Nova Scotia, our home, our home pub, mainly because it had this thing called the World Cup.

Don't get me started on the Argentinians.

I'm not saying anything else, so I'll move on quickly before I say anything naughty.

Saturday 25th, it was a private event at Woodfest at Milbury Heath.

And the.

The location, the people, Liz, by the way, she's one of the organizers, lovely lady.

We did ask if that was a French surname, but she'll know what that means.

A lovely place and really, really good receptive crowd.

So we enjoyed that one.

And when we finished there, off down to the seven Whalers, the one they organized the Summer Shanty Day at the Fox Easter Compton.

Now we've supported them for the last three years.

I think it is doing it there.

And as a pub, what if you want to have a little lamble out just past Cribs Causeway, just go down the hill as though you're going towards Peony.

It's on the left hand side.

That is a definite, definite one to go and visit.

Really, really kind, friendly people.

But what a crack.

What fun we had there.

That was a proper, proper shindig of a shanty.

That was.

That was good.

So that was August.

Sorry, that was July.

All done.

What have we got coming up in August, I hear you say.

Well, I heard it anyway.

So on the Sunday, the second, even though it starts on the Friday, we're going to the Western Super Mare Shanty and Folk festival.

Funny enough, in Western Super Mare we can't get there any sooner because we got a few other commitments.

But at one o' clock we'll be at the Old Colonial, which is a great pub.

We've sang there before.

And at 4 o' clock we're at CJ's bar.

And if there's anything go by the last couple of years with Western Soup Mare Shanti, it's worth you coming down, if you like, a bit of shanty and not too far to go from Bristol, so please come and visit us and come and see what we do.

Friday the 7th, we are doing a private event for the residents at the Catherine House Care Home and we're hoping to entertain them and hopefully see what we can do for them, which will be good.

And on Wednesday the 12th, we're at the Penny Bronze Centre, which is in Pill, and that's for a pirate themed family fun day.

You try and say that quickly.

Pirate themed family fun.

Yeah, I did it.

But it's all in aid of the Cerebral Palsy plus charity.

So that will be good if we can get some people there who want to come and see us, but also to come and support them for a very important event.

And leads us on with last two, we've got Saturday the 22nd or the Bristol Old Vic.

Yeah, Bristol Old Vic, but that is for a wedding and reception.

So to the bride and groom to be, we wish you luck and we will sing it and make you enjoy your day or help assist you make your day.

Leaves us for the last event for the whole of the month, which is Sunday the 30th, we're at the Clefton show at the Salt House Park.

So that's at 2:10.

That's quite specific in it.

2:10.

Might get there at 2:05 and see what they say.

But that would be great fun to have some of you come down and visit and see what we're all about.

Keep hydrated because we're coming into another heat wave.

Apparently we did have a touch of rain last night, which was a touch of rain, so I think somebody actually chucked a cup of water out.

That was about the extent of it.

But have great fun and be careful out there.

Cheers.

All right,.

So here we are, the end of the episode.

What a busy summer season it has been.

Here we are at the end of the Western Shanti Festival and I'm with Ollie Shantiboi.

Ollie, how has the summer been for you?

It's been really good.

Really, really good.

I just recently played my first sets at a festival, which is brilliant.

Nice.

I did two.

Two sets at CJ's bar.

One set, three brass monkeys.

And now I'm doing.

Then I'm doing.

Then I did a final at the Vaults, which was amazing.

Yeah.

Really good people up and singing.

I have to say, the crowd's really proud of seeing you as a solo performer.

And it's so good to see because I saw you a few times now that you're all.

You're doing your own thing, which is great, and it's a absolute joy when you can come and sing with us.

But ultimately you also sing with other crews and also you.

You're on your own, so it is good stuff.

It's been a busy season, though, hasn't it?

Yeah, definitely.

We've had Falmouth and literally that and everything from that.

Yeah.

And then it's just slowly gone from pretty.

Pretty was Hot and Bothered.

Yeah.

But it's still great.

Still great all around.

But we had Porter's head as well, which is brilliant.

Yeah, there was.

There's so much.

And hopefully you guys listening have really enjoyed kind of a mishmash of our mixtape of Shanti festivals for the summer listeners.

We are going to take a month off now, so there is going to be no episode on the 5th of September, because I think myself, the crew, Ollie, everyone is just.

We're all just really busy.

Shanty boy, you've got some kind of an important thing that's going on in August for you.

Yes.

So I've kind of said it last time at Falmouth, but I'm performing at Holland.

Wow.

International.

So there's this.

The group that I think nice thing with in Cornwall called Cassenion.

Yeah.

Were asked to go up to Holland to play there.

Yeah.

And then the organizers actually asked them, because they didn't.

Didn't have any contact with me, to go like, would you bring Ollie Shant?

And they were like, first he asked my mother, which is the responsible thing to do.

She is your manager and she is my manager.

And she was like, do you want to do it?

I was like, yeah, I would love to do it.

I would love to do it.

And then they asked me, do you want to do my own set?

So I was first, I was performing with Ksenian and they asked, do you want to do your own sets?

So good.

I would love to.

Nice.

I'm now doing a few sets at Holland and then.

Then from that, I'm also doing some sets with Cassenia, which are absolutely amazing.

Yeah.

No, so good.

So good.

So good indeed.

And of course you're gonna bring Sally with you.

Oh, yes.

I have not mentioned Sally.

Yeah, I've officially named my drum.

Yeah, that's good.

That's good.

Like People name their guitars.

I've named my drum Sally.

Yeah, no, that's good.

Good old Sally.

And if listeners want to kind of look you up during your adventures whilst going abroad with your passport, I'm guessing, you know, they can just.

I've got two passports.

I've got a Cornish passport and a Bristol passport.

That's good, that's good.

But I'm guessing you're going to keep your Facebook up to date.

Yes, of course.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I've got a Facebook page which is Shanty Boy.

Yeah.

And then I've got Instagram and now as a Gen Z person.

Yeah, I've got Tick Tock.

Wow.

As the Rev says Toktik, I think.

But never mind.

That's just a generational thing.

Ollie, have a.

An incredible August.

We look forward to catching up after that.

And we'll obviously see you on Facebook and.

And we'll share some of your good news of what's been going on, listeners.

Like I said, there's going to be no episode for the 5th of September, so we're taking a month off.

But don't you worry, if you pop over to shipshapepodcast.co.uk there's plenty of other episodes you can listen to in our back catalog.

Thank you so much for listening.

It's been a bumper packed episode and we will look forward to catching up with you next time that we're back.

So fair winds and following seas and we'll see you next time.

Ship shape and Bristol fashion boys along the harbor side from even gorge to underfall we'll even haul the line Obscure the barrels down below Bind and tie and lash em this vessel she is certified Shipshape and Bristol fashion so haul away me laddie boys Haul away you're free Haul away me laddie boys and save a drink for me Haul away me laddie boys Haul away your free Haul away me loudy boys and save a drink for me.