Shanty Bass Logo
Shanty Bass Logo

Ex-rugby players turned shanty singers from Falmouth, bringing big voices and even bigger hearts to every performance.

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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. We bring big voices, even bigger hearts, a bit of light-hearted mickey-taking, and toe-tapping tunes you’ll love.

Shanty Bass group photoShanty Bass singing
Highlights & where we've sung
  • Falmouth international sea shanty festival performances
  • Enys food jam festival main stage
  • Corporate gigs at venues such as the Fowey Hall Hotel
  • Closing the Nutcracker stage at the Cornwall Christmas Fair
  • Performing at weddings across Cornwall
  • Boosting the local music scene, filling pubs and venues!

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!

Sample repertoire
  • Rio Grande
  • Keep Haulin'
  • Mingulay Boat Song
  • South Australia
  • Sloop John B
  • Little Liz
  • Fat Bottomed Girls
  • Marching Inland
  • Rosabella
  • One More Day
  • Retirement Song
  • And many more...

Upcoming gigs

Come and see us live! Here's where you can find us next.

St Ives Shanty Shout
21st-22nd November 2025
19:00
Cornwall Christmas Market
14th December 2025
14:00
Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival
12th-14th June 2026
12:00

Meet the band

A motley crew of singers, raconteurs, and questionable decision-makers.

Photo of Trev
Trev
Trev is a man with both feet firmly on the ground, just don't ask him which direction his toes are pointing. 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

Photo of Jon
Jon
Jon bears responsibility for setting up the band, mainly as a way of securing cheap evening entertainment at his wedding. In his playing days, he 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

Photo of Mart
Mart
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 knows what he was getting into and still does it, which is to his testament.

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

Photo of Ash
Ash (Cavey)
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

Photo of Seb
Seb
Seb joined the band after a spell in the 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

Photo of Josh
Josh
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

Photo of Ackers
Ackers
Annoyingly good at everything. Everything. And the best looking of the group by a long way. He 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

Photo of Brad
Brad
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 a golf tuition trip. Handicap remains the same

Photo of Jonah
Jonah
Arguably the group’s best inside centre, Jonah has hung up his 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

Photo of Ollie
Ollie
The 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

Photo of Swampy
Swampy
Our guitarist and melody man, Swamps, has only recently moved to the area 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

Photo of Tommy
Tommy (TT)
Melody man and occasional lead, Tommy, was part of Sing Choir before joining Shanty Bass. He 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.

Singing Section: Melody

Likes: Shirtless photos, head-first tackling

Dislikes: Clothes

Surprising Fact: Not actually a hairdresser

What people say

Don't just take our word for it, here's what people think of Shanty Bass.

T&A
Tim & Alastair

Wedding

"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!"

H&S
Harry & Steph

Wedding

"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."

T&B
Terry & Becky

Wedding

"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."

Get in touch

Looking for a unique sound for your event? We'd love to hear from you!

For bookings, enquiries, or just to say hello, you can reach us via Instagram DMs or email.

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