Pressgang Mutiny

Pressgang Mutiny are Toronto’s Shantymen, dedicated to traveling the globe to discover shanties, works songs and the people who sing them. They have performed extensively at festivals and venues across Canada, the US, and Europe. They were an Official Showcase artist at the 2023 Folk Music Ontario Conference and have showcased at Folk Alliance International.

With their dedication to showcasing and sharing the full breadth of one of the world’s first truly multicultural music, Pressgang Mutiny have collaborated with and learned from sea shanty singers and scholars from around the globe. Their third album, Departure, will be released in early 2026. By far their most ambitious project to date, Departure explores the musical connections between shanties and other musical genres and includes sampling, instrumentation, guest musicians – and of course Pressgang Mutiny’s signature four-part harmony.

Whether performing a rollicking set of shanties from around the world, leading educational workshops for new and experienced shanty audiences, or interviewing other artists as part of their ongoing podcast The Shanty Show, the lads of Pressgang Mutiny are guaranteed to entertain, educate, and delight.

Pressgang Mutiny are Richard Kott, James McKie, Michael O’Grady, Stefan Read, and Christan Mariyanayagam.


Tues 4th – Fri 7th August. Details will be in the Main Programme