31st International Sea Songs Festival Shanties 2012

Under the Polish Banner

Chin up! Between 22-26 February, we set off once again for a cruise singing sailors’ songs. The Shanties 2012 festival will open the fourth decade of maritime adventures and tales.

A performance by the legendary group Packet, a concert of sailing and tourist songs, and a chance to win sailing cruises will be the main attractions of the 31st International Sea Songs Festival. The leitmotif of this year’s Shanties will be Polish Sailing Ships, as 2012 is rather special in this regard. It marks the anniversaries of the raising of flags on “Dar Młodzieży” and “Iskra” (30th), and “Fryderyk Chopin” (20th). We’ll also recall the histories of “Zawisza Czarny II” and “Pogoria”, which marked the beginning of Polish sailing schools. Another highlight will be provided by competitions on each of the sailing ships held during concerts; prizes will include cruises sponsored by shipowners.

The festival’s main haven will traditionally be Rotunda; however, this year for the first time singing seadogs will also down anchor in Studio. So let’s move onto the details. Starting with the big guns… On 22 February we’ll experience a true trans-Atlantic journey: the concert From St. Petersburg to New Orleans will feature Andrzej Korycki and Dominika Żukowska, and Jerzy Porębski with the living history of Cracovian and New Orleans jazz, Old Metropolitan Band. The next day at Rotunda, all generations of shanty fans will gather; it will be a rare occasion to see the cult Tricity group Packet. They’ve been playing together for a quarter of a century, scoring numerous successes; the group has been awarded main prizes at almost all festivals of sea songs and shanties in Poland. It also created numerous hits over the years: Fregata z Packet Line, Mona, Ławice Newfoundland and Bluenose. Nowadays they rarely perform live – the musicians only gather together for special occasions. But what better excuse than the opening of the fourth decade of Poland’s largest sailing song competition? The legends of Polish shanties will be accompanied on stage by Słodki Całus od Buby, Grzegorz Tyszkiewicz, and Waldemar Mieczkowski.

Friday 24 February will give us a chance to tack around a bit. The day features three concerts: Routes Beyond the Horizon (contemporary sailing songs) and Merry Life in Sailor Town (forecastle songs) at Rotunda, and It Happened on 24 February (shanties and rock) at Studio. The latter, in a slightly hotter format following last year’s successful debut, seems to be becoming a regular part of the programme. And no wonder: both shanties and rock music – especially originating from the British Isles – often resound with similar Celtic harmonies... This year the musical storm will be provided by Mietek Folk, Nor Folk, Orkiestra Samanta, Smugglers, Strefa Mocnych Wiatrów, and Les Dièses. There’ll be plenty of wind in the sails!

The storm will calm down a little on Saturday. On 25 February, Neptune-inspired songs will intertwine with a polyphony from the lands of calm. Anyone who enjoys mountain hikes – such as through Wojtek Bellon’s beloved Ponidzie – knows that sailing songs carry equally far there, and are just as popular on dry land. At Studio, the sailing and tourist song concert Rivers Are Running Roads will feature EKT Gdynia, Formacja, Klang, Mirosław Kowalewski, Słodki Całus od Buby, Siudma Góra, and Wolna Grupa Bukowina. Nothing but sail, sail, as far as the horizon.

Back in the day superstitious sailors were reluctant to allow women on board their ships. Their instincts told them that the presence of the fairer sex where hundreds of men were cooped up for long periods only led to scuffles and lax behaviour. Things will be rather different: on Saturday night, the helm will be taken by a certain lady. The concert Sail Szczecin will be directed and led by Monika Szwaja; the popular author often uses her novels to tell tales of true love for the sea, shanties and their creators, as well as proper mariners’ liquors… Her books take their readers to the Polish seaside, further, to the Caribbean, and recently to Brittany. This time our journey will be accompanied by performers such as Dair, Mirosław Kowalewski, Les Dièses, Ryczące Dwudziestki, Stare Dzwonnice, and Stary Szmugler. If you want to make sure you avoid all sandbanks and stray rocks, be sure to spit over your left shoulder and scratch the sail!

Anyone whose unbroken masts allow them to sail as far as Sunday will be able to pay homage to Stan Hugill. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of this sailor, historian and folk musician known as the “Last Working Shantyman”; he visited Kraków on two occassions. The concert will feature artists such as Brasy, Cztery Refy, Prawdziwe Perły, Cris Rickett, and Pat Sheridan.

So then, landlubbers, it wasn’t all that scary after all! We’re reaching the end of our maritime escapades. A real Great Armada awaits us during the final concert Polish Sailing Ships. The performance, starting at 5pm at Rotunda, will include Atlantyda, Banana Boat, Andrzej Korycki, Waldemar Mieczkowski, Ryszard Muzaj, Jerzy Porębski, Ryczące Dwudziestki, Stare Dzwony, Stare Dzwonnice, Marek Szurawski, and – take note! – the Choir of the Maritime Academy in Gdynia.

Anyone hasn’t yet had enough tales of sea battles, pirates, different lovers in different ports, and the ever-flowing rum? Come along to the after parties, every evening at the Tawerna Żeglarska Stary Port.

Of course, Shanties will also have plenty for the youngest sailing fans. At midday on 25 February, Zejman and Garkumpel will take our offspring on a journey across Zejman’s Oceans of Dreams in Studio. Those who can’t wait that long should come along at 11am on 10 February to Rotunda, for a pre-festival concert for children, featuring Klang.

And there will also be exhibitions of photos from cruises, screenings of films made on yachts, and meetings with captains and shipowners. Ahoy! (Artur Jackowski, "Karnet" monthly)