Randy Dandy Shanties

This page links to posts here and elsewhere related to the singing of Shanties under the Randy Dandy Shanty Club banner at Redfern, Chippendale, Surry Hills, Camperdown, Newtown, City, Harbour and anywhere else yet to be discovered! This is my fan site. It is NOT the official site.

Here is the official Shanties site. Please do not contact me about Shanty business – I’m a fan, not a captain. Talk to them on [email protected], instagram or their web page.

By the way, The Dock has closed, and Redfern Shanty Club now sings at Arcadia Liquors, about 5 doors down on Regent Street. No matter how often I update this page with that info I still get people saying they can’t find us. It’s a mystery. Come join the mystery at Arcadia Liquors, every Monday night.

When do we Sing?

For a google diary that says when shanties is on, go here.

Here are the general principles for when we meet to sing.

Every Monday night at Arcadia Liquors in Redfern 8 – 10pm. Click here to check the details on Instagram
Every second Thursday in Surry Hills: the Nocturne bar 7:30 – 9:30pm. Click here to check the details on Instagram
Occasionally on a Wednesday at the Maritime Museum aboard the James Craig (docked) and once a month on a Friday on a tall ship in Sydney Harbour 6:30 – 8:30: Click here to check the details on Instagram (this is a paying trip, but SO fabulous and atmospheric – and you can even climb to the crow’s nest if you so desire).
Click here to find the Shanties Calendar on the official Shanties site.

Who are the Shanty Captains?

Each venue has a regular Captain. Click here to see who makes sure each venue runs properly, including images so you can recognise them in a line up.

The Captain points at people to lead a song – if you want to sing a song you need to speak with them.

Be aware that captaining a night is like a live DJ event. They may look like they’re just singing but they are also working out what comes next for the flow of the night, who has asked to sing, tricky things like gender balance and mix of new and established song leaders, and much more.

If you want to sing an upbeat song in the first half talk to them before the set starts. If you want to sing in the second half be sure to find them at break. If you’re in doubt ask someone you’ve seen lead a song tonight. Or the captain.

We’re a community recognised in Parliament

Here’s a video of Redfern Shanty Club being recognised in NSW Parliament for the work it does as a community organisation!

How to join (hint, you’re already a member)

How do you join our club?

Lyrics and songs

Original songs by our club members
Shanty Top Twenty – the most commonly sung songs at Shanties plus links to hard-to-find lyrics
Want to sing an Irish song, a Scottish song, a she-shant, a love song? Look here at the list of Songs by Category/Genre
Tips for singing your first shant
Tips on writing shants for shanties
Finding lyrics and songs

Festivals and Friends

Sister clubs and singing friends
Some highlights of recent folk festivals: Illawarra Folk Festival 2023 and here, National Folk Festival 2023 (to come), National Folk Festival 2025 (to come), Kiama Folk by the Sea 2023 (to come), Kiama Folk by the Sea 2024, Kangaroo Valley 2024.

You can find all of my shanties-related posts here.

And here’s a pro video taken at Marrickville Shanty Club (Marrickville Shanty Club ceased singing in 2024, but we live in hope that it will Rise again, like the Mary Ellen Carter).

South Sydney Herald in 2025

Go read the short write up of Shanty Club from Nigel Pennington in the South Sydney Herald.

The Australian profile in 2019

And here’s a profile that The Australian did of us in 2019. It’s interesting to see who was hanging out at that time, many of whom are still around. We have fewer noisemakers (whistles, drums), but the spirit remains.