About Us
Shanty Bass is a group of ex-rugby players turned shanty singers from Falmouth. Bonded by years of battling in the mud, long away days, and plenty of post-match singing, we now let our voices do the heavy lifting.
Swapping tackling in the driving rain for harmonies, we sing a mix of rousing sea shanties, traditional Cornish folk songs, and the occasional surprise crossover. Originally formed for a wedding, we bring big voices, even bigger hearts, a bit of light-hearted mickey-taking, and toe-tapping tunes you’ll love.
Highlights & Where We've Sung
- Performing at multiple Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festivals
- Opening the main stage at Enys Jam food festival
- Corporate gigs at venues such as the Fowey Hall Hotel
- Closing the stage at the Cornwall Christmas Fair
- Performing at numerous fantastic weddings across Cornwall
- Filling brilliant local venues like the Carwinion House, The Greenbank Hotel, The Windjammer, The Boathouse, Muddy Beach Cafe, Toast, Provedore, and more!
Our Songs
Our repertoire features around 20 songs. We love belting out the well-known shanties like 'Rio Grande', 'Keep Haulin'', and 'Mingulay', but we also dig up lesser-heard gems such as 'Rosabella', 'Marching Inland', and 'One More Day'. Expect a lively mix!
Gallery
What People Say
All the guests loved every second of the performance! We absolutely couldn't have asked for a better group to join our celebrations, thank you so much!
Shanty Bass demonstrated their professionalism from our first query to the final performance. They delivered two lively, energetic sets which encapsulated the theme of the wedding perfectly.
Shanty Bass did two slots at our wedding and it made the day even more special. Fun, genuine and musically tight, Shanty Bass is a group you'll want to sing along with.
Meet the Band
Trev
About: Trev's a man with both feet firmly on the ground - just don't ask him which direction his toes are pointing in. More useful than he appears, an all round good egg, and can always be relied upon to bring the (questionable) banter.
Singing section: Melody (he still doesn’t know what this is)
Likes: Gazing at the Scillies, feather flags, loud shirts
Dislikes: Tackling, boating shoes, democracy
Surprising fact: Has never been seen without a copy of the Financial Times
Jon
About: Jon bears responsibility for setting up the band, mainly as a way of securing cheap evening entertainment at his wedding. In his playing days was also known as an enforcer with Trev in the second row. Jon switched to singing when he realised several of his bones have the consistency of chocolate. Listen out for him leading ‘Marching Inland’ and ‘Thirty Years’ Old’.
Singing section: Bass
Likes: Pretending he’s Cornish
Dislikes: Spending money
Surprising fact: Used to be Trev’s landlord, despite being ten years younger
Mart
About: The glue that keeps all the parts together, Mart has sung in male voice and barbershop groups across the South West since boyhood. When asked by Jon to assemble a motley crew of rugby players to sing at his wedding he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. He now does know what he’s getting himself into and still does it, which is to his testament. No one has ever seen him cross the whitewash but there’s suspicion he could have propped up a few scrums in his day.
Singing section: All of them. Often at the same time.
Likes: Ollie Evans, harmonies, clogging up the group chat
Dislikes: Drunk rugby players who are meant to be singing
Surprising fact: Loves a balcony with a view
Cavey
About: Our frontman Ash is still a cornerstone of Falmouth Rugby’s front row and also shores up our melody section. An avid fan of Fisherman’s Friends’ MC Jon Cleave, Ash’s prayers were answered when he was asked to be part of the band.
Singing section: Melody
Likes: Sausage and egg, drilling pipes, flags
Dislikes: ECHR, cleaning the van, winding people up
Surprising fact: 400+ games for Falmouth RFC, still no dominant tackle
Seb
About: Seb joined the band after a spell in Perranporth shanty group the Jollygoods. He joined the rugby club as a bright eyed 17 year old athletic winger and has steadily moved his way closer to the scrum. He does a ‘2, 3, 4’ and an ‘oggy, oggy, oggy’ better than most and doesn’t take off his woolly hat in hot weather.
Singing section: Bass
Likes: Eastern European mixed grills, handy scarves
Dislikes: Trev’s driving, small portions, tight clothing
Surprising fact: Used to weigh 70kg
Josh
About: Every group needs a Scotsman, and Josh provides the musical ability and general bulk of several. A current Cornish Pirates back row and coach of Falmouth Eagles, Josh spends many a long bus trip and car journey belting out the classics much to the delight of those around him. A dab hand on both ukulele and guitar and an authentic undertone in the Mingulay Boat Song.
Singing section: Melody and Bass
Likes: Country music, Irn-Bru, Buckfast
Dislikes: Gearboxes, England
Surprising fact: Can recite Seamus Kennedy lyrics off by heart
Ackers
About: Annoyingly good at everything. Everything. And the best looking of the group by a long way. Raises the standard of both our singing and our sex appeal. Modest to a fault and not one to hog the limelight but the man’s a star with the natural talent of making everyone around him better. Ackers is also arguably the group’s best inside centre.
Singing section: Melody and Bass
Likes: Moving house
Dislikes: Nothing. He’s too nice.
Surprising fact: Went to uni with Trev and still likes him
Brad
About: Brad was a legend of Falmouth’s front row in his day and now spends his time playing golf, pumping iron and whipping the melody singers into line. With calves the size of most people’s thighs and lungs the size of swimming pools, he’s a force to be reckoned with on stage and off.
Singing section: Melody
Likes: Chewing pints
Dislikes: Skipping leg day
Surprising fact: Won golf tuition trip. Handicap remains the same
Jonah
About: Arguably the group’s best inside centre, Jonah has hung up the boots to focus on his singing. Hailing from the mean streets of Macclesfield where he learnt to rap, Jonah is the most placid bloke you’ll ever meet, unless he’s had a couple of shandies or has his rugby boots on.
Singing section: Bass
Likes: Shoeing the boot, road trips with Seb
Dislikes: Shoeing the boot, sober singing, most of Shanty Bass
Surprising fact: Rode a Vespa to Mongolia
Ollie
About: Whipper snapper of the group Ollie holds the keys to the high notes that most in the group can’t hit. Still a wiry winger for the Falmouth Eagles, Ollie holds top lines and defensive lines with impressive consistency.
Singing section: Melody+
Likes: Late night farming, balconies in Mevagissey
Dislikes: Early mornings, being interrupted by Mart
Surprising fact: Owns a digger licence
Swampy
About: Our guitarist and melody man Swamps has only moved to the area recently from the Cotswolds. To make him feel at home, select others in the group like to remind him that he wasn’t there the season we won the league. Listen out for him strumming his sweet chords to ‘Tow Rope Girls’.
Singing section: Melody
Likes: Late nights in Lithuania
Dislikes: Outdoor swimming pools, Falmouth RFC wins
Surprising fact: Ran the Stockholm Marathon
TT
About: Melody man and occasional lead Tommy was part of Sing Choir before joining Shanty Bass. Likes to think of himself as Cornwall’s answer to Pedro Pascal - but with bigger arms and less hair. His playing career saw him try out a number of positions across the pack and back line and he was once asked if he’d like to try out as a linesman instead. Always raises standards, particularly in the post-match showers. Listen out for him leading tracks such as ‘Rosabella’ and ‘Mingulay Boat Song’.
Singing section: Melody
Likes: Shirtless photos, head-first tackling
Dislikes: Clothes
Surprising fact: Not actually a hairdresser
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