Fisherman's Friends

On 19 March 2027 at Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, The Fisherman’s Friends bring their Cornish shanties to the stage. Formed in Port Isaac in the mid-90s, this group of singers draws on sea shanties and maritime songs shaped by fishing, lifeboats and life around the harbour. They began a cappella, then gradually folded in a light folk instrumentation that leaves the voices and stories at the centre.

Live, the focus is on close harmonies, strong leads and communal refrains built for chorus singing. The repertoire moves between traditional working songs and pieces recorded across their catalogue, from Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends and One and All to Proper Job and Sole Mates, with nods to material heard in the Fisherman’s Friends films. Call-and-response, steady rhythms and plainspoken tales give the music its pulse, tracing everyday scenes from the coast and the camaraderie that comes with them. A straightforward, warm set that carries these songs from a Cornish village to a Sheffield hall.