Venue: Finsbury Avenue Square
The Ballina Whalers (pronounced Bal-en-a) are Pete Truin, Jamie Doe, and Sam Brookes – three musical barnacles clinging to the creaking hull of a musical tradition stretching back over hundreds of years. Using just their voices, they explore ballads, shanties, and seafaring songs that tell tales of whaling ships, lost loves roaring storms, and hardship out at sea. Fast becoming one of the most sorts after shanty bands around, known as much for their heart-rending three-part harmonies as their lusty approach to singing shanties, the last few years have been extremely busy for the boys, seeing them playing folk clubs, harbour sides, beaches, boat sheds, and festivals up and down the country.
‘Definitely love at first hearing for me’ Fiona Talkington, BBC Radio 3 Late Junction
‘Stunning voices that blend so beautifully, a real knock out’ Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
‘The Ballina Whalers are by far the sweetest honey-toned shanty men we have ever heard bringing a whole new dimension of masculine beauty to this age-old tradition’ Sam Lee, The Nest Collective.
