Jack Tars, The

The Jack Tars are a young, energetic shanty band from Yorkshire that specialises in traditional seafaring songs and British-Irish folk classics. The tars are ready to put the audience in the old beer pubs. You can expect thrilling vocal harmonies, crisp violin lines and a breathtakingly good time with The Jack Tars at the top!

The Jack Tars will bring you music from the Golden Age Of Sail with a variety of instruments including: Melodeon, multiple Fiddles and Guitar. Specializing in Sea Shanties, you can expect a mixture of traditional and contemporary arrangements which are high energy and great fun for audience participation. Along with some good old Irish Folk songs, Jigs/Reels/Hornpipes you can expect a lively foot tapping performance. Gigs can be tailored to meet your requirements whether it be moving & interacting with your guests unplugged, or on a stage with our own full PA system and always dressed in historical costumes.

Formed in Yorkshire 2020 in lockdown the band struggled to meet and rehearse until 2021 when they first appeared at A Wakefield Cultural Heritage Event, Ripon Boat Club & Skipton Canal Basin (Boathouse Bar). Since then, 2022 has been a very good year for The ‘Tars’ as they have played successfully at a number of Yorkshire Festivals like Shepley, Holmfirth, Knaresborough, Grassington, & Robin Hoods Bay! They have also been playing local pubs in  Yorkshire venues along with private events like Birthday parties/Weddings.

2023 has been a testing but successful year for The Jack Tars. Their Debut Single & Music Video ‘Roll The Old Chariot’ was launched in Feb 2023 and can be viewed on YouTube. The follow up single ‘Shenendoah’ & EP was released digitally and as an extended limited edition CD on 03/03/23. The CD & other Crew Merch can be bought via Bandcamp or at gigs. Before the EP launch 2 members left the band and then in June another 2 members left meaning their is a new line up for The Jack Tars. Despite this, the band played successfully played further afield at Liverpool’s huge WW2 maritime event ‘Battle Of The Atlantic 80’. It was also the first time the band ventured down south to perform at Vintage Nostalgia in Wiltshire. Off the back of this the group were invited to Plymouth’s brand new ‘Tide Over Fest’ held at Morwellham Quay in July and were also granted a place at the prestigious Harwich International Shanty Festival in October