Tag: shanties

Let’s celebrate seafood!

Allison

We were invited to perform for a few afternoons at the Prawn and Seafood Festival this summer (May 17-June 16). We’d not heard of that event before, but Steveston is a great little corner of the mainland and seafood deserves its own festival, so we said yes, without knowing much about what to expect.

Our first afternoon was Saturday, May 18. There was an awning set up for us, and banners waving all along the boardwalk. We sang three sets while trying not to be distracted by the scent of fish and chips, or the sight of fishing boats, or people on the boardwalk with their cute dogs and kids, tantalizing ice cream cones, or bags of sea urchins and spot prawns fresh from the fishing boats!

We came with our favourite shanties and just passed the songs around and around, repeating some in the next set, or running through our lists for more options. It was fun to take a looser approach to the presentation and it kept us on our toes, musically, as we weren’t sure exactly which tune the next singer might choose.

Singing outdoors is always a challenge, but the location made it worthwhile. We get to do it all again on June 8, the official Spot Prawn day.

I can hear everyone at once!

Allison

When the dark, wet winter drove us from singing in the outdoor public parking garage, we reZoomed online practice sessions without much enthusiasm. When spring turned to summer, we cautiously tried in-person sessions again, this time, at home in a large kitchen with patio doors open, air purifier humming away, singers masked except when leading a shanty, and physically distanced. It was encouraging to see real faces attached to bodies, but the sense of camaraderie was not at our previous level. And then we received The Invitation.

A friend was helping to organize a Wooden Boat Show and Open House for the Hollyburn Sailing Club in which he was a member and wanted to know if we could come and sing for an hour or two. We’d get a free lunch, and alternate with one other act — a group of guys in matching Hawaiian shirts covering pop songs on ukuleles. This was an ideal re-entry for live performing. After discussing our COVID-19 concerns and precautions, we agreed and showed up at the boat club on a sunny afternoon.

Under the protective canopy, we stepped away from ukulele band’s electronic gear, lined up, and sang for anyone who strolled by, but mostly for ourselves. We rediscovered live harmonies, adjusted volume on the fly, listened closely and watched one another for those little cues you miss from across the kitchen. We were finally singing as a group again and it was a wonderful feeling!

At the Open House for the Hollyburn Sailing Club for our first live performance since COVID hit.

It gave us so much confidence that we agreed to lead some shanties at Folk Music at the Beach on September 9 at the Hollyburn Sailing Club. It will be like old times — almost.