The Longest Johns

The Longest Johns sail into Cardiff with a set rooted in maritime folk: sea shanties, coastal ballads and original songs shaped by life at sea. Born in Bristol as an a cappella quartet, they built their sound around tight multi-part harmonies, simple percussion and acoustic arrangements that keep the voices front and center. Their repertoire spans early releases like Written in Salt and Between Wind and Water through Cures What Ails Ya and Smoke & Oakum, mixing traditionals with self-penned pieces such as Bones in the Ocean. The viral reach of their Wellerman in 2021 widened the audience while leaving intact their choral, work-song energy.

At The Globe, Cardiff, on 20 May 2026, the group brings call-and-response shanties, unison hooks and story-led numbers about weather, toil and camaraderie. Handclaps, stomp and sparse acoustic textures drive the pulse; refrains open up for crowd voices. A communal, voice-forward show where old songs and new writing meet in a clear, contemporary folk frame.