Dorset Wrecks

The Dorset Wrecks are a singing group based in Weymouth, performing sea shanties and songs of the sea.

Dorset Wrecks sea shanty group were formed in the middle of 2013 whilst drinking in our local public house. The members consisted of Bob, Grahame, Selwyn and Jon. Jerry and the rest were conscripted later and after some practice sessions we started gigging in April 2014 at the Weymouth Pirates Festival. Later 2014 appearances included Weymouth :- Wessex Folk Festival, Fayre in the Square, Waterfest, Mayor of Weymouth Charity Fete, Wyke Fest and four nights at the Son et Lumiere at the Nothe Fort, and regular gigs at the Wyke Smugglers. Since then we have performed at various festivals including Weymouth & Lymington Sea Food, Camp Bestival, Teignmouth Festival, Seven Seas, Bridport Folk, as well as Fair In The Square, at weddings, Trafalgar nights, and supporting Lifeboat events, various charity events and performing in care homes. It may have been the beer talking but the upshot was the nucleus of the Wrecks. The rest of the band was basically press ganged into joining! Only two or three of us had ever done any performing in public before, the rest had no idea how to sing or indeed behave in front of an audience or anywhere else as it happens. Somehow we manage to sing generally in tune and to our surprise actually generate some harmonies on occasions. The performance is directly related to the amount of beer consumed, or at least we think it sounds better after a few wets. On a good night we can muster twelve crew members and make quite a lot of noise! There is some difficulty on the organisational front as all but the lad Piers, is over 60 and can be somewhat cantankerous. It has been likened to herding cats, and makes an interesting task for our “Musical Director”, Nick. It’s a strange thing that happens with a band like ours. We are all very different characters and mostly did not know each other until the group formed and yet when we are practising or performing it’s almost like we are brothers. We rip the micky out of each other mercilessly, share stories and troubles, consume lots of beer and cider together and then at the end of it we quietly drift back to our own worlds until the next time. We have a great time together.