Based on recent critically acclaimed CD release featuring the talents of Nick Cave, Sting, Jarvis Cocker and Rufus Wainwright, this concert consists of contemporary re-workings of traditional sea chanteys, pirate ballads and seafaring songs produced by maverick genius Hal Willner.

Mon 28 Jul 7.30pm
Tickets £15/20/25

The idea for Rogue’s Gallery germinated on the set of the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie, with actor Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski. The songs on the subsequent CD have titles like Baltimore Whores, Boney Was a Warrior (about Napoleon) and Little Boy Billee sung by the artist Ralph Steadman about eating the cabin boy. A sea chantey (often spelt shanty) is a work song that was sung on the old wooden ships. Rhythmically, they matched the activity speed of these men hauling on lines. Many of them are really filthy; many are very beautiful.

‘The ocean: it’s all about the vast blue that engulfs two thirds of the planet. The human being cast against that abyss creates an interesting bit of perspective. I think the sailors of the time were dancing with death, and these were there tunes’ — Gore Verbinski.
A number of special guests shall be announced shortly. Artists confirmed at 25 June 2008:
Pete Doherty, Martha Wainwright, Julie Fowlis, Baby Gramps, David Thomas, Keith Moline, Gavin Friday, Langley Sisters, Teddy Thompson, Kami Thompson, Jenni Muldaur, Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Robyn Hitchcock – as well as actor Tim Robbins and cartoonist Ralph Steadman. Please see below for detailed artists’ biographies.

Some of these artists will perform with the house band for the evening, which is an extraordinary ensemble of cross-genre talent: Kate St John (oboe, coranglais, saxophones), Leo Abrahams (guitar), Andy Newmark (drums), David Coulter (musical saw and many other instruments), Rory McFarlane (bass), Martyn Barker (drums).

Concert at the Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
Box Office: 0845 120 7550 www.barbican.org.uk

Artists appearing in Rogue’s Gallery at the Barbican:
Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty is best known as a singer-songwriter, formerly of the indie band The Libertines in the late ’90s which he co-founded with Carl Barat, achieving mainstream success with their debut album Up the Bracket. The band disbanded in 2004 following Doherty’s departure. Pete Doherty is currently frontman of Babyshambles, which have released two albums Down in Albion in November 2005 and Shotters Nation in October 2007. Doherty is also an artist and published writer and poet and in 2004 was voted joint No.1 with fellow Libertine Carl Barat in NME’s Cool List and in 2006 was voted No. 2 in their poll of 50 of rock’s greatest heroes. In February 2008, Doherty won the Hero of the Year award at the NME Shockwaves Awards.

Baby Gramps
American performer Baby Gramps is a steel guitar player, and has been performing since 1964. Famous for his palindromes, he plays a mixture of styles including traditional blues, labour and children’s songs as well as his own compositions. His singing styles include throat singing and he uses improvisation and audience participation during his performances. His guitar style includes flat finger picking and chording with the back of his hand and his elbow. The New York Times likened Baby Gramps’ voice to that of ‘Popeye after smoking an entire tin of Prince Albert.’

Martha Wainwright
Canadian-American folk-pop singer-songwriter, Martha Wainwright has been singing and performing on stage from a young age, but chose to study drama at university in Montreal before pursuing music. Composing and writing her own material, she earned a living performing in clubs and coffee shops in Montreal and has since toured, recorded and performed with a range of artists including Snow Patrol, Annie Lennox and her brother Rufus Wainwright. She has followed up her 2005 self-titled debut album with a 2008 release I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too.

David Thomas
David Thomas is an American singer-songwriter and musician and was one of the founding members of the short-lived punk rockers Rocket from the Tombs (1974-5) and of the post-punk band Pere Ubu, founded in 1975. He is primarily a singer, though he also plays a range of instruments including the trombone, guitar and melodeon. Thomas has also released a number of solo albums and his most recent work is an avant-garde traditional folk music project the Two Pale Boys, incorporating “post-dance technology” with Andy Diagram (trumpets & electronics) and Keith Moliné (guitars, violin & electronics ). Their most recent album was 18 Monkeys on a Dead Man’s Chest in 2004.

Gavin Friday
Gavin Friday is Dublin-born alternative rock/punk vocalist, artist and composer. He collaborated with Bono writing songs for the 1993 film In The Name of the Father and has written a number of film score for movies such as In America and the 50 Cent biopic Get Rich or Die Trying, on which he teamed up with pianist Maurice Royston aka The Man Seezer and the famous producer Quincy Jones.

Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson is a singer-songwriter and son of the folk-rock musicians Richard and Linda Thompson and brother to the singer Kamila Thompson.

Julie Fowlis
Scottish singer and instrumentalist Julie Fowlis sings in Gaelic and brings ancient songs from the Hebrides to new audiences around the world. An accomplished musician, she plays the Highland bagpipes, small bagpipes, oboe, cor anglais, whistles and the melodeon. Among a list of awards, Julie Fowlis most recently was named the BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year 2008, and at the 2007 Scots Trad Music Awards was voted Gaelic Singer of the Year and awarded Album of the Year.

Eliza Carthy
An English folk musician, Eliza Carthy is the daughter of legendary folk musicians Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson. As well as being a vocalist, Eliza Carthy plays a number of instruments such as the violin, viola, melodeon, piano and guitar. She has twice been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for UKalbum of the year: Red Rice (1998) and Anglicana (2003). In 2003, Eliza won three Radio 2 Awards for Folk Singer of the Year, Best Album and Best Traditional Track. She was also nominated for a BBC 3 Award for World Music in 2003, the first traditional English musician to be nominated. In 2004 she was part of the Oysterband Big Session, where she collaborated with a number of folk artists who produced the album The Big Session Volume One, and who collectively won Best Group at the Folk Awards 2005.

Martin Carthy
Martin Carthy MBE is one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, influencing the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, as well as Richard Thompson during the early days of the folk revival. He holds a creative collaboration with partner Norma Waterson and their daughter Eliza Carthy called Waterson:Carthy. In 1998 he was appointed an MBE and in 2002 was named Folk Singer of the Year for the BBC2 Folk Awards and again in 2005, also winning Best Traditional Track for Famous Flower of Serving Men. In 2007 Martin Carthy and long-time collaborator Dave Swarbrick won Best Duo at the 2007 Folk Awards.

Norma Waterson
Best known as one of the original members of the English traditional music group The Watersons, Norma Waterson has enjoyed collaborations with her partner Martin Carthy, her daughter Eliza Carthy, other members of The Watersons including her brother and sister Mike and Lil Waterson and has received a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize.

Robyn Hitchcock
British guitarist and singer-songwriter, Robyn Hitchcock also plays the harmonica, piano and bass guitar. He began his career in the mid 1970’s with The Soft Boys, a punk/New Wave band with an interest in psychedelic punk. When the group disbanded in 1981, Hitchcock began recording as a solo artists. His lyrics include a mixture of surrealism, melancholy and comedic songs and his influences include Bob Dylan, Syd Barrett and John Lennon.

Ralph Steadman
Cartoonist Ralph Steadman has illustrated classics such as Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island and Animal Farm. His own books include the lives of Sigmund Freud and Leonardo Da Vinci and The Big I Am, the story of God. The book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, was a result of collaboration with American writer Hunter S. Thompson with this work being the definitive book in the genre. It was subsequently made into a feature film in 1998. Steadman also illustrates Will Self’s column in the Independent newspaper and has contributed to two songs in Rogues Gallery, singing lead on one and backing vocals on another.