Linda et al-

Friday and Saturday there is a scheduled late night/early morning shanty/forebitter session (following the evening concert), usually at a dance hall across the street from the Museum grounds. There is a bar in the front end of the dance hall. All Festival attendees and performers are invited to attend and many do.

It's a challenging situation for even a seasoned performer to lead a song there, given the size of the crowd and the hall, and the order is survival of the fittest. Some crash and burn but I've also seen the crowd quiet right down to listen to someone new who may not have a shantyman's roar. Most songs are done without instruments, but instruments are not prohibited. I've never seen anything amplified.

I've observed some grouping in different parts of the hall so that a lead singer might be better supported by friends familiar with the song but other times things get quite dynamic as people dash here and there to join in or even dance!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble