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Bristol’s inaugural sea shanty festival to take place in October
Ten crews will be performing at two venues as part of Bristol’s first sea shanty festival.
Brunel Square and Underfall Yard will be the locations for the inaugural Bristol Shanty Festival, coinciding with Docks Heritage Weekend.
Crews confirmed to be playing so far include the Barnacle Buoys, the Roaring Trowmen and the Severn Whalers.
is needed now More than ever
Sea shanties leapt into the mainstream in 2020 thanks to the viral success on social media of bands including Bristol’s very own The Longest Johns.
Festival co-organiser Phil Gibson, who also sings with High & Dry, said that Bristol should have its own sea shanty festival.
He said: “There are major festivals to celebrate these great songs of the sea across the UK, Falmouth, Harwich and Mevagissey to name but a few.
“Arguably though, there is no city in the UK with a stronger maritime heritage than Bristol and yet we don’t have our own festival.
“This year is the first step to put that right, with ten or more crews performing across four great open-air venues, from lunchtime to early evening.”
Outdoor stages on Brunel Square next to the SS Great Britain and at Underfall Yard will feature live music from midday to 6pm on October 10. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/BristolShanty
Main photo: SS Great Britain
Read more: The Bristol band at the centre of the global sea shanty revival
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