You won’t need a press gang to compel hundreds of people to attend a sea shanty sing-along with musician Seán Dagher.
Dagher is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger, and he has become a prominent figure in the folk and Celtic music scenes, particularly for his work with The Skye Consort and the Montreal-based ensemble La Nef. His deep, resonant voice and skillful accompaniment on instruments like the mandolin and Irish bouzouki have made him a favorite among fans of a variety of musical styles, including medieval, early classical, Middle Eastern and maritime. The performance, presented by the Fairbanks Concert Association, is at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Davis Concert Hall at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
It’s the maritime aspect that he’ll focus on during Friday’s concert. Dagher was the lead vocalist and musical arranger for many of the shanties featured in the Assassin’s Creed video games, most notably Black Flag, which brought him unexpected fame from an unexpected group of fans in the mid-2010s.
His powerful renditions of classics like “Leave Her, Johnny” and “Drunken Sailor” introduced a new generation to the rich tradition of sailors’ work songs. A second burst of internet fame arrived with the surprise popularity of the sing-along shanty video series he released during the pandemic lockdown in the early 2020s.
“I was surprised when the video game came out in 2012,” Dagher said. “Young gamers contacted me. I was shocked that so many were interested. So when it happened again in 2021, I wasn’t surprised. I had already seen it happen before.”
Sea shanties are rhythmic work songs that sailors sang to help maintain morale and synchronize work on laborious tasks like hoisting sails and hauling ropes. The call-and-response structure makes them fun and easy for audiences to participate in with virtually no training. Dagher’s promotional material specifically welcomes bad singers, and he means it.
“The music is rough and rugged, and people love it.”
The concert is more than one long campfire session. In the evening’s second half, Dagher will be accompanied by the community-based Choir of the North. UAF music professors Sean Dowgray on percussion and Loylene Ruppert on keyboard, and Fairbanks musician Ryan Bowers on bass, will add their instruments to Dagher’s Irish bouzouki.
Sea shanty arrangements typically assume an all-male crew of singers, so director Jaunelle Celaire, another UAF music professor, offered to write special arrangements for the many women who sing in the choir.
Celaire admitted to being a little nervous about how her mixed choir would adapt. But, she said, Dagher gave her free rein to accommodate the different voice types.
“I have to say this choir has really embraced the challenge and the opportunity,” she said. “I’ve got some sopranos singing down the octave, altos singing up the octave, and the tenors and bases are singing together to strengthen their sound.”
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” she continued. “We’ve never done something like this ever before. We are most definitely up for the challenge!”
The eclectic, organic nature of the show suits Dagher. One night he’s in a pub with one other performer, the next in a concert hall with a full ensemble.
“I like each venue because of the advantages [each one] brings, but you’re not married to doing that one type of venue,” he said. “Whatever you’re missing on one day you’ll get in another venue.”
“I always wanted to perform. It’s the only thing I ever wanted to do,” he said. “Sometimes I have to find or write the music and arrange them for the ensemble we have on hand. Sometimes I get hired by other groups. It’s all part of the same mix.”
The mix keeps it fresh, even for music that is hundreds of years old. A new demographic of concert goers is just adding more to the mixture. Dagher isn’t the only musician to see video gamers in his audience, and he said it can be a bit of a culture shock on both sides of the stage. But it’s good.
“Maybe it’s the first time they’re going to a live event. Sometimes they behave strangely,” he laughed. “Sometimes they’re surprised by how much they’re enjoying it.”
And if you’re considering dressing up for the event, don’t fear. Dagher has seen it all.
“I habitually see people in pirate costumes at my shows.”
Tickets to Seán Dagher can be purchased at fairbanksconcert.org or by calling 907-474-8081. Tickets will also be available at the Davis Concert Hall box office starting at 6 p.m. Friday.
The Fairbanks Concert Association’s office is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Artisans Courtyard, 1755 Westwood Way.
Tori Tragis is the communications manager for the Fairbanks Concert Association. She can be reached at pr@fairbanksconcert.org.
