The Longest Johns, makers of raucous merriment, came to London during the last week of April 2022, playing at Scala in King’s Cross, in North London. Digital Journal was present and bopping along.
For a different musical experience, The Longest Johns offer thrilling tales of sea and tales of land, stories of pirates and greedy bankers, of working people and the love of beer. Much of their music is in the traditional folk style, some of it in the form of ballads, others as barnstormers, with a few sea shanties throw in.
Quiet folk music this is not. The beat is loud, the voices fill the room, and the music provides plenty to jig to. This is folk, connected to its traditions, but designed for the modern age, and impossible to stand still to.
On stage, the regular four piece of Jonathan ‘JD’ Darley, Andy Yates, Robbie Sattin and Dave Robinson, were supported by two other musicians on double bass and drums – when needed. Some of the songs are performed a cappella, others rock loud.
Mixing rocking maritime songs alongside the more unusual and less traditional, but equally captivating, folk tunes, Bristol’s The Longest Johns played a 90-minute set. The main event was proceeded by a folk singer called Mike Dennis, who mixed rap while playing a fiddle – which somehow works in a delightful way.
The set-list included Soon May The Wellerman Come (or just ‘Wellerman’), which reached number 33 on the Official UK Singles Chart (after going viral on TikTok). This song is a classic sea shanty, originally written and sung by the crews of whaling boats working for the biggest whaling and export company out of New Zealand (Weller).
Another rousing song from the set was a cover of Ed Pickford and Dick Gaughan’s influential homage to the wage-earner: Worker’s Song. Other standouts from the evening were the tubthumping Pride of the White Star Line and a passionate rendition of Nantucket.
Several of the songs performed came from the group’s recording Smoke + Oakum, which their fourth album and their debut under the Decca label. Other classics were added to the mix, including the land-based variation of Rudyard Kipling’s stirring poem Oak & Ash & Thorn.
The evening was a joyous mix of standards, originals, sweet harmonics. This was a 10 out of 10 concert and The Longest Johns are a band well worth catching.
