The Dunn Bay Wailers have gone from strength to strength after the group formed only a year ago.
In March 2021, The Bunbury Anchormen and The Albany Shantymen visited Dunsborough which helped launch the local group - The Dunn Bay Wailers.
The wailers practiced their craft behind closed doors at the Har Bar in Dunsborough for a few weeks before opening to public performance in April 2021.
Shortly after the group appeared at Shelter Brewery in Busselton as part of the Cabin Fever event's 'Shelter from the Sea' and went on to feature at the Albany International Folk and Shanty Festival in October and have performed at a number of local venues and events throughout the south west.
The group features community members from all walks of life who enjoy the collective enjoyment of songs of the sea which are so deeply rooted in our history.
The local shipping connection with the jetty and even before that with the whaling ships visiting Geographe Bay is strong and the songs are of the era of sail and the hard life of sailors in that time.
It is hard to sing them through a filter of modern political correctness and the wailers try not to.
Although the songs are from a male dominated time all are welcome to join in.
The group has members from Poland, France, Scotland, Wales and England and have been joined by enthusiastic Italian, Spanish and Argentinian travellers.
The regular Tuesday night session at Har Bar has grown in popularity with packed houses in late 2021.
Recent restrictions are challenging but the wailers have vowed to persevere.
The group head out to regular gigs to raise funds for equipment and attendance at festivals where songs of the sea ensure a rollicking good time.
Crowd participation is encouraged with the songbooks now replaced by QR code links to the words to sing a long to on mobile devices.
For more information check out Dunn Bay Wailers on Facebook or listen to some of the songs we perform on our Spotify song list.
