Bristol Shanty Shout: Beer Panic, £30k for Charity & the Secrets to a Bangin' Shanty Weekend

We kick off season two live from the Bristol Shanty Shout, right in the thick of the singing, with loads of live tracks, crew banter and proper behind‑the‑scenes chat about what keeps shanty life ticking. I’m Oggy and we give a quick primer for anyone new — shanties are old maritime work songs, usually sung a cappella to sync the crew and lift the mood, and you’ll hear how they sound when the whole pub (or dockyard) joins in. We’ve got Chilli’s Signaler roundup — all our recent gigs and where we’ll be next — plus extended chats with crews like Stunsels, Beaufort Scale, Missing Tackle and High and Dry, who share tour tales from mine shafts to the SS Great Britain. I also sit down with Phil, the festival organiser, who walks us through the festival’s history, logistics, and the charities we support (yes, proper good causes like RNLI and local prostate support). Expect a lively mix of songs from stages and ships, sticky‑voiced humour, salty anecdotes and a big focus on community — why we do this, who we meet, and how the scene keeps growing. If you love maritime music, or fancy a whistle and a laugh, come sail with us — winds and following seas, and we’ll see you next time. For the music nerds and the curious alike, we serve up a deep-dive into the songs, styles and stages. I narrate our live recordings from the Bristol Shanty Shout — everything from rollicking “South Australia” and “Farewell to Nova Scotia” to more local, Cornwall-flavoured numbers — and explain the basics: shanties are work songs, often call-and-response, designed to set a rhythm for hauling, heaving and other shipboard tasks. You’ll hear the difference between a pub sing (fast, punchy, foot-stompy) and a church-set (slow, harmony-rich, goosebump-inducing). We spotlight crews like Stunsels (rowing roots), Beaufort Scale (close-harmony fellas), High and Dry (who’ve morphed from garden-fete starters into full-on festival regulars), and Missing Tackle (theatre-to-shanty storytellers), each bringing their own flavour to the same old sea-tales. Beyond performances, I chat about arranging a cappella harmonies, how crews adapt songs for different venues (from the echoey Underfall Yard to the cosy Nova Scotia Hotel), and why singing together literally helps with breath and community — yes, it’s wholesome and slightly muscular. We wrap with invites to upcoming gigs, a call for listener feedback (take our survey if you fancy), and a tease for Dean Callan’s new maritime-music segment. If you love music that’s raw, human and full of history — and you like your storytelling served with banter and a beer — this summary’s for you. Links referenced in this episode: - www.shipshapepodcast.co.uk/survey Sponsored by Nova Scotia https://novascotiabristol.com/ Port of Bristol Shanty Crew Merchandise Shop https://pobshantycrew.co.uk/merch Subscribe to our newsletter www.shipshapepodcast.co.uk/newsletter Join our Facebook crew https://www.facebook.com/groups/www.pobshantycrew.co.uk/ Donate to Teenage Cancer Trust https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/POBShantyCrew Theme song provided by Kale A. Dean Cover composite illustration - Clifton Suspension Bridge; Shanty Crewmates © Matt Jeanes Professional Artist Copyright © 2026 Port of Bristol Shanty Crew - All Rights Reserved