Burning Glass are well-known local multi-instrumentalists Mick & Penny Verrier, accompanied by family and friends.

Billy & Kathleen are returning after an absence of a few years in order to enchant further audiences with amazing stories and to deliver a variety of workshops connected to our signalling theme for 2015. Be sure to attend the instructional Morse Code workshop, which will also help you to train your mind and listen out for Kathleen’s beguiling singing and artistry.

From Enkhuizen in the Netherlands these five singers  perform mainly Dutch and English Shanties, mostly acapella but occasionally accompanied by guitar, melodeon, concertina and bones. One of their members, Hans Weehuizen, will be running Bones Workshops during the weekend so pop along to find out how to play these traditional rhythm accompaniments.

Three voices (Liz Randall, Roger Resch and Derek Seed) sing all manner of sea songs to accordion, whistle, concertina & autoharp, with plenty of choruses. At the Harwich Shanty Festival Liz will once again be running her popular “Singing in Public” workshops.

Fresh from his triumphs at the Albert Hall for Remembrance Services, Jim, who is a regular at the Festival, will be hosting a special show with wartime reminiscences, interspersed with songs, some self penned. During the 2nd World War, Jim worked on the Rescue Tugs, which were based at Harwich and has previously hosted film shows about the Tug Service’s work.

Kaap Hoorn are old friends of ours and we are very pleased to be able to welcome them to the Harwich International Shanty Festival for the first time. 2015 sees them celebrating their 20th Anniversary and the trip to Harwich is part of their celebrations. The 30 strong choir sing in mainly 3 part harmony, accompanied by accordion, mandolin, guitar and violin. The choir come from the town of Hoorn in the Netherlands and of course the famous Cape Horn was named in 1616 by a Dutch explorer from their home town.

We are very pleased that Keith has been able to step into the breach and help us out at such short notice, due to Patrick Denain’s illness.

Keith has of course performed at Harwich Shanty Festival previously as one third of the group “Three Sheets to the Wind”, but he is also a respected performer in his own right, of both folk and sea songs. He is also one of the finest concertina players in the U.K. and a worthy addition to our 2015 Guest List.

Back to entertain us again, Gideon and Nigel will be making the long trek from the West Country to sing songs of the sea, both Cornish and otherwise. Kernow Buoys are one of our most popular acts. Watch them at one of their many appearances and you’ll find out why.

Trapped in the capital, far from the sea, the London Lubbers inflict their love of shanties, sea-songs and questionable humour upon local folk clubs. A shifting (and somewhat shifty) crew, they are delighted to voyage up the A12 to Harwich once again.

All the way from  St. Austell and keen to preserve the heritage of their native county, Press Gang sing tales of Cornwall and the sea with humour, harmonies and fun. Apart from a memorable “flash mob” appearance at Gatwick Airport, they rarely perform east of the Tamar, so we are privileged to welcome them to Harwich this October.

Our first group from Norway! And we are very pleased to welcome Riggerloftets to the old town of Harwich. They come from the oldest town in Norway and sing both English and Norwegian Shanties. They have travelled extensively and performed at many festivals at home and abroad.

Roaring Trowmen were a huge success at last year’s Harwich Shanty Festival and have been making waves at other festivals and events throughout the U.K. so we had to have them back. They mix musical excellence with on stage humour and personality and are an act not to be missed.

Danish Shanty Crew Stork Ejlaender come from the island of Fano off the Danish coast. They call themselves after the storks which return to the island for the winter, just as the sailors did in days gone by. Their style of singing is as authentic as possible to the shanty singers of the past.

A Shanty and Folk band from the North Norfolk coast, the Old Wild Rovers started life some years ago over a few pints in a local pub. Since then they have organised and performed at many charity fundraising events and can proudly boast in excess of £165,000 raised for various good causes. They attended the festival last year in an unofficial capacity and we are very pleased to welcome them onto the Guest List for 2014.  

John Conolly found folk music, like a lot of people of his age at that time, through the skiffle route. He is another artist whose songs have been so far absorbed into the tradition that many refuse to believe John himself wrote them! Long time resident on the East Coast of England, many of John’s songs reflect the challenges presented on our treacherous shores.

When Vagrants Crew first attended the festival they were an instant hit so we knew we would have to have them back. Their music is lively and their enthusiasm and enjoyment catching, making everyone want to join in. In addition to our own festival, they will also be attending the Baltic Shanty Festival which co-incidentally this year is held in the home town of our Finnish group, Tidens Brus.

Our first Shanty singer from Scotland, Gaye has sung on schooners, barges and in castles and has performed in concerts and festivals throughout the U.K., Brittany, Poland and the Netherlands. With a warm mature voice singing with guitar or unaccompanied, Gaye takes her audience on a musical journey at maritime and shanty festivals with songs of the sea and the fishing that include her own compositions,  songs by other song-writers and traditional ones as well.

Colchester based Shanticleer have been singing together for about two years. They focus on sea songs that give them the opportunity sing in in a wide range of acapella harmonies.

A stalwart supporter of the festival we look forward to welcoming Pete for another year. His love of shanties, sea songs and all things nautical shine through all his performances. Often performing in tandem with Malcolm Ward. Look out for Pete in 2014.

Another regular at this festival and others, Malcolm has a melodious voice, plays sensitive concertina and together with partner in crime, Pete Stockwell, will be entertaining audiences throughout Harwich.

Kerry & Mandy Hearn with Stuart Pendrill are Quidnunc. They play and sing a wide range of maritime songs, both traditional and self penned. Veterans of many other clubs and festivals, Quidnunc deliver a lively set guaranteed to engage with their audience.

Quidnunc have played at many festivals around the country, Deal maritime festival, Hastings shanty festival,  Elsmere port festival Liverpool, to name a few. They like to involve the audience and have fun. Oh and by the way, Quidnunc is Latin for what now, but also means  a gossip!

If ever two voices were meant to go together it must be those of Tony and Lesley Petty, whose amazing two part a cappella harmony singing has been enchanting audiences at clubs and festivals since 1996. Their songs are a mixture of traditional and contemporary, delivered in a relaxed and witty style with audience participation always encouraged.