Fisherman's Friends – Lighthouse Poole

PORT Isaac's finest purveyors of folk the Fisherman's Friends treated a packed theatre to a rollicking programme of sea songs and shanties at, appropriately enough, the Lighthouse, on Thursday night.

The eight-man act, comprised of lobster fishermen, a builder, a potter and more, were in fine voice and received an enthusiastic welcome in their first visit to Poole.

The group have enjoyed widespread acclaim in recent years, from picking up BBC folk awards, to performing at Glastonbury, to serenading the Queen from HMS Belfast during the Jubilee.

But the heart of their music has little changed from its roots in North Cornwall, where they have been delighting locals and tourists alike with bawdy lyrics, stirring tunes and tongue-in-cheek banter for two decades.

And so it proved. Their set at the Lighthouse ranged from traditional Royal Navy songs, to country and Celtic-tinged folk to a jazz-laden 'New Orleans shanty' (Sugar in the Hole, don't ask).

Whether accompanied by guitar and accordion or a cappella, their 'yo hos' and 'yarrs' were delivered with gusto and polish.

And I doubt there's another musical act which can match them for chat, a very English (sorry Cornish) mix of self-deprecation and bawdy wit.

Hopefully they will be back to Poole one day, but in the meantime seek them out in their natural habitat - out by the sea.

The Friends were supported by Dorset singer-songwriter Hannah Robinson, who performed her own beguiling songs in a powerful, soulful voice.

She is scheduled to play at the Wimborne and Isle of Wight Festivals next month and is well worth a visit.

Will Frampton