Brise Glace (Canada)​

This year we welcome the wonderful Canadian group Brise Glace  (Icebreaker) playing and singing together since 2014 the group is comprised of two Bretons and two Quebecers.

Brice Glace have a treasure chest of experience in maritime song to share with you. Armed with a guitar, a banjo, an accordion and four voices, they will breathe life into both traditional and contemporary maritime tunes and songs.

Brise Glace FB Page

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Les Souilles de Fond Du Cafe
(France) ​

Les Souilles de Fond Du Cafe (France)  have a wonderful repertoire which mixes invigorating traditional and contemporary maritime songs and ballads, all seasoned with their unique warmth and Gallic emotion, humour & laughter. 

Les Souillés will take us on a musical voyage  across the Channel around  the shores of Brittany,  and out to all the seven seas.

Les Souilles FB Page
Les Souilles webpage
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Trim Rig & a Doxy
(NW England)

Derek & Julia are mainstays of the UK shanty scene renowned for their wonderful warm, dramatic performances and stories of the sea.  Pre Pandemic years they ran the international sea shanty festival in Liverpool and have just reinitiated a regular monthly shanty session in that spiritual home. 

​For those who love traditional music delivered with strength, clarity and simplicity this couple will never fail to delight.

​Trim Rig & a Doxy Website
A recent perfomance
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Loctup Together
(NW England)

28 year veterans of the shanty scene, Chris Lock & Ian Tupling collectively known as 'LocTup Together' sing songs traditional, contemporary and self-penned songs with powerful voices in close harmony

Their wonderful vocal style and biting sense of humour :) have made them very popular at folk and shanty festivals at home and abroad. They have performed both as a duo as LocTup Together and with a larger group known as Four n' Aft in Poland, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Ireland, the Channel Islands, Norway and the Åland Islands (Finland) plus festivals in the UK we are absolutely delighted to welcome to Oban for this year's event.

LocTup Together FB Page

Steve Turner
​(England)

Steve Turner is known as a pioneer of highly sophisticated English concertina song accompaniments, stretching the boundaries of traditional forms.

Steve has one of the best voices in the business and is a skilled multi-instrumentalist, who also accompanies himself on the cittern, and also plays mandolin and tenor banjo.

His 9th album “Curious Times” featuring Martin Carthy was released in spring 2023.


Steve's Website

The Jolly Grogsters
​ (England)

Mhe Jolly Grogsters are a musical group known for their spirited performances of traditional and original folk songs, particularly in the sea shanty genre.

Despite being formed far from the sea in their hometown of Oxford, they’ve made their mark with their fresh and innovative approach to these timeless tunes

Their repertoire includes the haunting “Mingulay Boat Song,” penned by Sir Hugh Robertson in the 1930s, which tells the tale of the islanders of Mingulay evacuating their homes in 1912

Group FB Page

Muldoon's Picnic
(Scotland)

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Muldoon's Picnic is a five-part harmony singing group based in Glasgow. Their repertoire is highly eclectic and ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous, specialising in unaccompanied traditional and world harmonies, presented with a sense of fun that has won hearts across the UK

Group FB Page

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​Glasgow Voicemale
(Scotland)

Voicemale are a singing group from Glasgow who specialise in shanties and songs from many different cultures, nationalities and time periods.

​They are led by Harry Campbell from Muldoon's Picnic.

To find out more about Glasgow Voicemale click here

Hans Weishuisen (Netherlands)

​​Hans Weehuizen from the Netherlands is a regular performer at  shanty festivals throughout Europe, accompanying himself on concertina and melodeon he is also an expert on playing the bones a skill he often shares and teaches in workshops at festivals.
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​Hans recently started a fantastic YouTube channel showing how to play the bones which you can view here but, even better you can have personal instruction from 'Mr Bones' himself at the festival.

Na Maighdeannan-Mara

​(,Scotland)​

Would you like to have fun learning an easy Scottish Gaelic song of the sea? We will be running a (two) workshop(s) to introduce you to Gaelic working songs and so you can learn a seafaring rowing song and a luadh (tweed working) song with a sea theme. 
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​Everyone will get a chance to participate in experiencing a demonstration of the working songs. Please bring an  apron / pinafore and or scarf / flat cap to enjoy the joining in. Extra pinnies will be available too. Words, translations, and phonetics will all be provided to help you learn the songs, and to take away and keep. Linn Phipps has led around 60 learn Gaelic-song workshops and she and Catherine perform and teach together as Na Maighdeannan-Mara (the Sea Maids/ Mermaids).

Linn's Website 
Linn's YouTube Page

The Disclaimers
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(Oban, Scotland)

​The Disclaimers, from Oban, are a five piece band playing a wide range of covers given a folky twist along with some original songs. The band have been performing in pubs in Oban, Fort William and surrounding area for 4 years

The Disclaimers FB Page

Shona Cowie - Storyteller

(Scotland)

Reports say, during lockdown magical beasts became braver and ventured out of hiding. For your protection, storyteller Shona Cowie will use really excellent traditional tales and songs, as well as masterful audience participation to teach you how to avoid being squashed, chomped or turned into a nugget. 

​These interactive sessions will last  around 55 minutes. Youngest monster evaders (ages 3+) are encouraged to come along on Saturday, while those with more beast experience (ages 7+) may appreciate Sunday’s session more, though all the stories will be suitable for the whole family from the wriggliest to the wrinkliest!