The Longest Johns Announce New Album & Release New Single

Internationally renowned Bristol-based sea shanty sensations The Longest Johns will release their brand new album Voyage on February 9th 2024. The album is available to pre-order now here.
 
The fifth studio album from The Longest Johns is a unique take on traditional folk and shanties which is their “most fantastic splendiferous journey yet”, according to the band members Jonathan ‘JD' Darley, Andy Yates and Robbie Sattin.
 
The record is informed by seafaring history, inspired by key moments and landmarks which have sparked stories, tales, and legends throughout the centuries. The first taste of the album comes with new single ‘Shawneetown', an infectious foot-stomping acapella track out now and available to listen to here.
 
Regarding the single Andy says, “Shawneetown, in Southern Illinois, was a major trading centre back in the day. Located close to where the Ohio River meets the Wabash. Keelboats were an extremely efficient transport for trade then but had to be pulled upriver against the current on the return trip. I can only guess how gruelling the work would have been for the crew.”
 
Voyage comes 10 years after the band first met in Bristol and embarked on their thrilling journey which has seen them ride huge waves of success and carve pivotal chapters in their distinct career.
 
Funded entirely by their loyal fanbase and to be self-released across all formats, Voyage has been recorded across three studios in sessions planned between tours and festival dates over the last 18 months. The fully DIY release will be available on coloured vinyl, compact disc and cassette with a plethora of added extras, including merch, artwork, and the beautifully crafted companion book that features all the lyrics and seven short stories written in the world of Voyage alongside a wealth of insights and anecdotes.
 
“The music and artwork have sparked the creation of an entirely new universe for us,” explain the band. “We hope the album and its artwork will ignite everyone's artistic endeavours too, whether in music, painting, storytelling, or any other form of creative expression.”
 
Although The Longest Johns have travelled many seas delivering their contagious sound to many lands, on Voyage home makes a regular appearance. Before Bristol, Andy and Robbie originally called Liverpool home, and the important shipping city is regularly referenced in the likes of the honky tonk anthem ‘Leaving Of Liverpool', or the musings of “He gave me a dish of American hash and he called it Liverpool scouse” on ‘Paddy West' which closes the record.
 
"Liverpool was a very famous port town in the great days of sail and so many of the songs reference Liverpool as it's the port they would have sailed into as the sailors returned home,” says Andy.

The Longest Johns have already laid their marker with nine full-length albums, four EPs and ten singles, among them the 2021 version of 'Wellerman', which saw the band kick start an inescapable sea shanty craze on social media. The Longest Johns took the 150-year-old folk song from New Zealand and turned it into a worldwide viral sensation, which swept the group to No.2 berth on the US Spotify Viral Chart and No.5 globally.
 
Throughout history the UK's greatest seafarers have been doted by royalty, and the same can be said for The Longest Johns who performed for the late Queen's birthday party at the British Embassy in Paris in 2022, which is just one of their many unique and wonderful shows around the world.
 
Bullion aplenty has bestowed the band, however The Longest Johns cast away such things. Upon surpassing 300 million streams, the band rejected the traditional gold disc in favour of an environmentally friendly wooden disc made by music industry legend Gold Disc Dave using recycled ship's timbers. And now with more than 500 million streams across all platforms, over half a million YouTube subscribers and some 200,000 hours watched on Twitch, The Longest Johns are set fair to continue pitching and rolling in fraternal harmony on their way to the horizon.
 
The band embark on their latest world tour in February 2024, starting with an extensive run across Europe before hitting the UK in March which is then followed by the US in May. Full dates are listed below. Tickets and more information can be found at thelongestjohns.com

2024 LIVE DATES

EUROPE
18 Feb     De Wildeman    Arendonk, Belgium
19 Feb    Im Wizemann - Club    Stuttgart, Germany
20 Feb    Mascotte    Zurich, Switzerland
22 Feb    Rock Cafe    Prague, Czech Republic
23  Feb    Taubchental    Leipzig, Germany
24 Feb    KENT Club    Hamburg, Germany
25 Feb    Chez Heinz    Hanover, Germany
27  Feb    Luxor    Cologne, Germany
28 Feb    Tolhuistuin (Paradiso)    Amsterdam, Netherlands
29 Feb    Paard van Troje    The Hague, Netherlands **SOLD OUT**
01 March    Kavka Zappa    Antwerp, Belgium

UK & IRELAND
13 March    O2 Academy    Oxford
14 March     Student Union    Cardiff
15 March    Institute 2    Birmingham
16 March    Club Academy    Manchester **SOLD OUT**
18 March    Summerhall    Edinburgh **SOLD OUT**
19 March    University Students Union    Newcastle
20 March    Irish Centre    Leeds
22 March    The Foundry    Sheffield
23 March    The Drill    Lincoln
24 March    Academy 2    Leicester
25 March    Junction    Cambridge
27 March    Waterfront    Norwich
28 March    Electirc Ballroom    London
03 April    Chalk    Brighton
04 April    Engine Rooms    Southampton
05 April    Phoenix    Exeter
06 April    Bristol Beacons
24 April    Cyprus Avenue    Cork
25 April    Dolans Upstairs    Limerick
26 April    Opium Rooms    Dublin
27 April    Limelight 2    Belfast

US & CANADA
07 May    The Sinclair    Cambridge, MA **SOLD OUT**
08 May    Le Poisson Rouge    New York, NY
10 May     Ardmore Hall    Ardmore, PA
11 May    Birchmere    Alexandria, VA **SOLD OUT**
12 May.   Birchmere    Alexandria, VA
13 May    Orange Peel    Asheville, NC
14 May    Buckhead Theatre    Atlanta, GA
17 May    Brooklyn Bowl    Nashville, TN
20 May    Fine Line    Minneapolis, MN **SOLD OUT**
21 May    ThaliaHall    Chicago, IL
23 May    Horseshoe Tavern    Toronto, ON **SOLD OUT**
24 May    Bronson Center    Ottawa, ON
25 May    Theatre Beanfiled    Montreal QC

UK FESTIVALS
18 July G! Festival, Faroe Islands
18 August Purbeck Folk Festival
24 August Shrewsbury Folk Festival