The Rogue Shanty Chorus

The Rogues Shanty Chorus

The founders of the Rogue Shanty Buoys – Stephen, Paul and Andy also run The Rogues Shanty Chorus.
…a unique choir who sing the traditional songs of fishermen and sailors.

We meet and sing within ear-shot of the Suffolk shoreline, which almost allows our music an accompaniment of the sound of waves and the sea, and are based at the Seagull Theatre – the most easterly community theatre in the United Kingdom.

The Rogues Shanty Chorus celebrate the culture and legacy of local seafaring communities by reviving the folk music that they created in order to celebrate the musical heritage and traditional customs of those who fished off of East Anglian coast. The groups sing sea shanties and arias about the sea as well as whaling songs, naval songs, working songs, foc’sle songs and romantic old century tunes of ne’er-do-wells, which includes refrains of seafarers, wreckers, smugglers and murder ballads.

The choir are a committed and passionate group who work with and within the community, producing and performing their own bespoke theatre shows (with seven complete sell-outs to date, as of 2022) as well as arranging and curating performances for charity events and other groups and services; including at older people’s residential homes; care groups, school fetes, W.I. branches and local community events and fundraisers, including for RNLI and the Fishermen’s Mission.

The choir formed in 2015 as part of a broader coastal cultural/heritage community project designed and delivered by The Voice cLoud – a not for profit arts and music organisation run by Stephen and Paul. The aim of the choir was to explore the social and historical importance of the folk music and work songs created by the fishing and seafaring communities of Suffolk and East Anglia. The project also included school workshops, talks and demonstrations at WI groups, scouting/guiding and social groups and delivery of one-off music workshops among other activities and engaged with over 4,000 participants.

The group are one of only a few shanty choirs in the UK (and as far as we are aware the only one free to attend) and promotes the social, health and wellbeing benefits of group singing whilst expanding the sharing of Lowestoft’s unique coastal, cultural and musical heritage.

New members are always welcome! If you would like to join the choir, fill in the form below, visit our Facebook page or get in touch for further information.


JOIN US!

Submit your details below and we’ll send you any further details that you need to join us – next session, times and location and anything you need to bring.



ANNOUNCEMENT October, 2022

The Voice cLoud in partnership with The Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft are DELIGHTED to have secured investment from the Arts Council, England to expand upon our highly popular The Rogues Shanty Chorus – to celebrate the folk music and associated heritage created by traditional fishing communities in North Suffolk.

The choir is led by trained musical practitioners who promote the social, health and wellbeing benefits of music and the creative arts whilst also expanding the sharing of Suffolk’s unique coastal, cultural and musical heritage

We are really looking forward to expanding upon this wonderful project that has seen us work with people ranging from 2 – 93 years old in Waveney over the past seven years including our wonderful fishing choir The Rogues Shanty Chorus.

If you would like to find out more about this project, including how to be involved, please get in touch with us on our Facebook page, by email contact@thevoicecloud.co.uk or call Stephen 07909 510976 or Paul on 07903 105930.


2024 sessions and rehearsals

To access more information about our rehearsal venues on Google maps, including directions, just hover your cursor/mouse over the address and click.

TUESDAY 16th JANUARY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 30th JANUARY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 13th FEBRUARY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 27th FEBRUARY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 12th MARCH, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 26th MARCH, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 9th APRIL, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 21st APRIL, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 4th MAY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 18th MAY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 4th JUNE, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 18th JUNE, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 2nd JULY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 16th JULY, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

** SUMMER BREAK **

TUESDAY 10th SEPTEMBER, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 24th SEPTEMBER, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 8th OCTOBER, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 22nd OCTOBER, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 5th NOVEMBER, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 19th NOVEMBER, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH

TUESDAY 3rd DECEMBER, 7:30pm
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, NR33 0JH


REPERTOIRE AND SONG LIST

To check out our repertoire and download or print songs so that you are ready to join us in rehearsal, please click on the button below.


PERFORMANCES

This information below is for existing choir members about upcoming performances

Sunday 14th January, 2024

2.00 – 4.00pm
Beccles Public Hall, Smallgate, Beccles, NR34 9AD

Show starts 2pm, doors open to public 1:30pm, chorus to arrive from 12pm

SONGS (Songs underlined may be removed)

.01. Rattle The Winches
.02. A Drop of Nelson’s Blood (We’ll Roll The Old Chariot Along)
.05. Sam’s Gone Away
.09. The Worst Old Ship
.10. Windy Old Weather
.63. Haul The Bowline
.47. Mingulay Boat Song
.41. Still I Love Him
.11. Eight Bells
.08. Leave Her Johnny
.12. Wreck Of The John B
.27. Don’t Forget Your Old Shipmate
.54. Fisherman’s Wife
.19. Spanish Ladies
.18. Chiosmuil’s Galley
.32. The Drunken Sailor
.31. Round The Bay Of Mexico
.48. Miner’s Lifeguard
.64. Call Of The Sea
.52. Blow Ye Winds
.60. Soon May The Wellerman Come

Encore after raffle (joined by singers from Black Deek Band)
.44. Bound For South Australia

Sunday 3rd March, 2024

‘Terms & Conditions’
7pm
(But with chance of additional matinee performance if ticket sale are popular)
The Seagull Theatre, Morton Road, Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0JH

Song list and arrival time TBC