Apparently a good shantyman conversant with his trade was once worth ten hands on the line. As time passed, with sailing boats growing in size and crews shrinking, the shantyman’s function withered away. Fortunately the songs and stories have survived. During the 29th International Sea Songs Festival Shanties 2010, we will be able to hear many tales of the sea.

Shanties is one of those festivals which – thanks to successive editions dating from 1981 – has created its own miniature world. In spite of the passing years, the fact continues to astonish that one of the largest shanty events in Poland and Europe has dropped anchor in Kraków of all places, so distant from the sea and in a country with a weak seafaring tradition. The festival’s high reputation is evident from the Polish and foreign spectators who flock to Kraków especially for this occasion.

For four days (25-28 February) a genuine musical storm will be awaiting us at Kraków’s Rotunda. Appearing will be the best and most popular performers from the national and international shanty scene, including: Cztery Refy, EKT Gdynia, Stare Dzwony, Ryczące Dwudziestki, Mechanicy Shanty, Banana Boat and Jerzy Porębski, as well as Capstan Full Strength from Great Britain and Bounding Main from the United States.

This year’s festival will be inaugurated by Thursday’s sea ballad concert Presenting the Sea with a Poem. On Friday we can hear fo’c’sle songs. The name stems from the living quarters of early ships: mariners often whiled away free moments spent in fo’c’sles by singing. Awaiting us on the same evening is the 25th anniversary of the Zejman i Garkumpel group.

There’s more to shanties than lines, sails, squalls and storms. On Saturday, during the Yearning for the Sea and Boarding concerts, there will certainly be no shortage of themes connected with this genre, namely tales of bawdy fun and the hardships of life on deck, sea battles and pirates, lovers at every port and streams flowing with rum, couched in both traditional and more contemporary arrangements.

And at twelve noon sharp on Sunday all the sea dogs will be heaving the pawl and sailing into the future, already tacking toward the 30th jubilee edition of the festival. After a voyage of several hours, they will be returning to Rotunda port for the concert finale.

During Shanties, a little something for the youngest won’t be missing. On Saturday, during the course of a concert-show, children can familiarise themselves with the rafting trade, once commonly practised along the banks of the Vistula.

The festival has many accompanying events: an exhibition of pictures on a seafaring theme, an exposition of photographs from voyages and sea expeditions, folk violin performance workshops and macramé knot workshops, as well as a boating fair. Also awaiting us are late evening concerts in the Tawerna Żeglarska Stary Port ( Old Port Sailing Tavern).

Nothing for it but to hum away: I am sailing or What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor...

(Artur Jackowski, „Karnet” monthly)

Detailed Programme at www.shanties.pl

Organizer

Krakowska Fundacja Żeglarstwa, Sportu i Turystyki "Hals"
ul. Straszewskiego 27, 31-113 Kraków
tel: 423 22 36
e-mail: hals@shanties.pl
www.shanties.pl

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