The Rusty Tubs

The Rusty Tubs are a Gloucestershire-based sea shanty and folk group known for their powerful voices, high-energy performances, and a punk attitude wrapped in a vintage style. Drawing on maritime history and working-class song traditions, they deliver sea shanties and folk music that are as rowdy and rousing as they are rich in story and atmosphere.

Formed in the South West of England, The Rusty Tubs regularly tour maritime, folk, and sea shanty festivals across the UK and Europe. Their performances range from intimate pub sessions to major outdoor festival stages, where their reputation as a notorious band of scamps and scoundrels has been earned through sheer energy, audience connection, and unapologetically loud communal singing.

Rooted in traditional maritime music but driven by a modern sensibility, The Rusty Tubs bring a contemporary edge to classic sea shanties, protest songs, and narrative ballads. Their sound appeals to fans of modern sea shanties, rowdy folk music, and high-impact vocal harmony, while remaining firmly grounded in the traditions that made the genre what it is. Audience participation sits at the heart of every performance, breaking down the barrier between stage and crowd in true shanty fashion.

The Rusty Tubs have appeared at leading folk and maritime events, including the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival (UK), Harwich International Shanty Festival (UK), Oostende voor Anker (Belgium), and Bie Daip (Netherlands), alongside regular appearances at festivals and venues throughout England and mainland Europe.

With a growing international following and a focus on quality performances over quantity, The Rusty Tubs continue to champion sea shanties and maritime folk music as living traditions — raw, inclusive, and very much alive.

Get ready to hoist yer tankards!