The AudeShantyMen back on deck!

Hear them in Gruissan on Monday 13th August from 19H00

The Crew to join ArVag at the Lifeboat Station

The doors of the Lifeboat Station SNSM de Gruissan will be thrown open to the public from 5-7pm on Monday next, the 13th August. Entertainment for locals and visitors alike will be provided by the shanty choir of Gruissan, Ar Vag, under its dynamic leader Pierre Cloarec, and by the AudeShantyMen who are looking forward immensely to meeting up again with the many friends they made on their previous visit in June. A grand evening in prospect!

AudeShantyMen take some shore leave !

The Crew have decided to take a month's break. Greybeard is celebrating a big birthday - and it will probably take him (and us) at least three weeks to get over it! Bully in the Alley all round!

AudeShantyMen back in home port !

Chez Bart, Villelongue d'Aude, 6th July 2012.

Home from the Sea 

After a lengthy spell on the ocean waves it felt good to all the AudeShantyMen to have their feet on firm ground once again last Friday evening. And how their faithful fans and friends came out in force to welcome them back! The Crew ran through a lively programme on this surprisingly cool evening in the Razès, ensuring a warm and convivial atmosphere amongst all those packed to bursting point on the newly created terrasse nestling at the foot of this ancient village's fortified mediaeval church. 

The Crew would like to express their gratitude to all those who gave so very generously. A fantastic sum of €220.21 was raised and every centime will be dedicated to the RNLI.

If any one has photos of this special evening please don't hesitate to send them through for posting on the Blog and on Facebook.

Magellan

Fete de la Musique - 21st June 2012

Stop Press !!

The AudeShantyMen will be making surprise appearances at Cailhavel, Belvèze du Razès and Gramazie during the course of the evening.

AudeShantyMen fall under the spell of El Cau !!

Magical setting enchants Crew on first international gig

Inspired performance captivates Spanish and British alike

The  tiny, traffic-free hamlet of Esclanyà - its narrow streets almost lost in the mysteries of time - played host to the AudeShantyMen on Saturday night. The honey-coloured houses surrounding the church square echoed to the strains of the Crew who sang their hearts out at this, their first, concert beyond the border. 

Hosted by the inimitable Tere Axon, and her personable husband Tony - the formidable team who formerly owned the renowned "Star" in Lidgate, twice voted UK Pub of the Year - the 80 strong sellout audience wined and dined on the exquisite Catalan cuisine which is Tere's hallmark.

  

As the last rays of the setting sun gave way to the soft  blue velvet of the Costa Brava night, the AudeShantymen dipped into their extensive repertoire of rousing shanties, humorous ditties and appealing songs of love in bygone times. Somehow everything seemed perfectly suited to these fabulous surroundings and, despite the barrier of language, the Spanish members of the audience became more and more animated and involved as the evening progressed. 

Sharing the entertainment duties with the AudeShantyMen were the talented singers Els Mariners de Riera, a well known group in Catalunya who have been charming audiences since their formation in 1982. With their tender songs of love and life - the "habaneras" of Cuban origin -  delivered in perfect harmony to the haunting accompaniment of a sole acoustic guitar, Els Mriners provided the ideal counterbalance to the Crew and ensured that their British audience received a perfect introduction to this important musical genre. We hope that this will not be the last time that the AudeShantyMen have the pleasure of sharing an enthralling, melodic evening with our Spanish friends.

HASTA PRONTO !!

AudeShantyMen go international !!!

Crew to sing on Costa Brava in Spain

Saturday 16th June at Restaurant El Cau in Esclanyá for one night only - a unique evening of songs of the sea from two great ocean-going nations featuring Els Mariners de la Riera and the AudeShantyMen.

For possibly the first time, two outstanding nautical traditions will be presented side by side. Catalunya's "Habaneras" and the "Sea Shanties" of the United Kingdom have a good deal in common. They tell of work aboard, voyages to distant lands, life in foreign climes and loves lost and found ...

In Britain the sea shanty is part of the national fabric. The same is true in Catalunya of the Habaneras (the name, but not the music, comes from La Havana, Cuba's great port). Indeed, the Habaneras Festival held every summer in the nearby seaside town of Calella attracts thousands of visitors and is broadcast live on national television.

"The El Cau restaurant in Esclanyá is delighted to welcome these representatives of two great choral trtaditions. This is more than just an evening of singing songs. Not until that evening will each choral group become aware of the richness and depth of the other tradition. To join in the fun, book a table and tell your friends. You'll all enjoy it! "

Three course menu at €20.00 or à la carte. To reserve your table for this exceptional evening phone Tere on +972 30 51 56 or 661 357 475 

AUDESHANTYMEN add to ENTENTE CORDIALE at GRUISSAN !

Sea Shanty Festival a Massive Success !

The AudeShantyMen delighted audiences throughout a day-long event at the port of Gruissan last Saturday. They sang in the company of the 40 strong choir AR-VAG, who were hosting on their own patch, and a 30 strong group of shanty singers from Prades. In warm sunshine the three groups mingled freely, singing from their own repertoire to each other and the growing crowd of holiday makers. After a musical apéro the singers enjoyed lunch at La Rose des Sables before re-assembling to sing out the afternoon onstage.  Highlights aplenty but surely the outstanding memory will be of the many new enthusiastic friends the AudeShantyMen have made on this, their first and long-awaited, visit to the Mediterranean coast.

AudeShantyMen make Donation of €500.00 to SNSM Gruissan

Barry (Greybeard) Barcock presents the cheque to SNSM's Louis Labattut

At the start of proceedings it was with enormous pleasure and pride that the AudeShantyMen handed over  a sizeable donation to the local lifeboat station to help their vital work. We should like to thank all those who have so generously contributed at our gigs - particularly in Ginestas, Alaigne and Léran -  for making this possible. In the months ahead our fund raising efforts will be directed towards the RNLI.

Snippets of recent  AudeShantyMen news

We recently bade a temporary farewell to Graham (Gangplank) Dale who is currently enjoying a holiday in South America before flying off to work a short-term contract in the Republic of Georgia. We shall miss his irreverent witticisms - on and off stage - and look forward to his safe return towards the end of the year. "Bon voyage", Gangplank!

Happily to report, Ron (Albatross) Young is back from his travels around the world and is roosting for a spell in Alaigne. His harmonies have helped us maintain our musical level. Our ranks have also been swelled by the arrival of a new shantyman, Phil (Columbus) Glasson, whose voice we have admired for some time. We are delighted that he has come aboard. It was grand that he was able to make his début at Gruissan and we wish him many more pleasant voyages as a member of the Crew!

 

A Dream Come True!

The AudeShantyMen invited to sing on the Med!!

Sea Shanty Festival at Gruissan on Saturday 2nd June

The Crew will be ashore at this pretty Mediterranean port for more or less the whole day thanks to an invitation from AR-VAG, the host shanty group of this gathering of musicians. After a musical lunch in one of the many restaurants around the marina they will be performing in a free open-air concert in the afternoon along with other singers and  Breton folk dancers. 

Watch this space for further details. Why not have a day out on the coast and come to hear us entertain you? For the AudeShantyMen it is the fulfilment of a long cherished objective. And it promises to be a memorable day!

Be there!

All aboard at le Calice des Muses!

Rose and José hosted the AudeShantyMen at their impressive Bar à Vins Culturel in Alzonne last Friday evening. In the intimate setting of what could easily pass for a "speakeasy" the Crew captivated their audience of new listeners, including all the native French speakers who were present. Rising energetically and jovially to the occasion, the AudeShantyMen caught the atmosphere of this remarkable venue and were called upon to sing several encores before being allowed to leave the stage. The thunder and lightning outside the Bar that night were as nothing compared to the fireworks inside!

FUN EVENING IN LIMOUX

It is good to report that our efforts last Friday night on Deirdre and John's behalf as they endeavour to get "Les Cars" up and running were fully appreciated. The Crew was in jovial mood and fine voice in front of a new audience which included some fascinated (and bemused!) French folk. It was a welcome opportunity to give an airing to several new shanties, including a couple in the native tongue.

First Landmark Contribution

While he was back in the UK in January, Greybeard contacted the RNLI and handed over a cheque for £50.00 to this vital organisation whose lifesaving work the AudeShantyMen are seeking to support, thanks to the generosity of the audiences they entertain. This will, we hope, be the first of many donations to the RNLI and its sister charity in France, the SNSM.