THE Bermuda Folk Club’s Nautical Night had the perfect venue at the Spanish Point Boat Club last weekend, which included a stellar line-up of entertainers. The opening performer was a BFC stalwart, Paul Maccoy, an accomplished singer who performed a cappella, which complemented the night’s theme of nautical songs.

I heard this song a long time ago and it is by Ewan MacColl, the Godfather of Scottish folk music. It is called The Shoals of Herring.

It’s alleged the British have the sea in their blood and in some cases, Spike Milligan would have it, you can see where it gets in!

Nautical songs and shanties are not everyone’s idea of ambient listening but then they’re not meant to be — here by definition in the shanty, at least, is the archetypal work song.

Maccoy’s versiof Jolly Jack & Friends of Rolling Down to Old Maui was a decent offering. His next song was by a former Folk Club performer Stan Rrs, The Jeanie C. <$>I really applaud Paul for coming up and performing a cappella.

Another BFC alumna is ‘the girl with the golden pipes’, Jackie Ayres.

I had the fortune to see Jackie perform at the Folk Club before and it is nice to have her back.

Being the consummate performer, Jackie politely smiles when asked if she ever imagined her breakout hit, Red Hot, would have generated such a buzz on the local music scene.

Her breakout hit quickly caught on after she and backing band Last Rights literally blew the roof off during their recent performance at the Folk Club.

She is better known as one half of the duo affectionately known as Raising Caine. The duo, with Dennis Eldridge on guitar, have been formally together for about six months, but their collaboration goes back several years.

Ayres̵song Undercover was about a past relationship with a creepy, immature guy. Runaway is quite a sad song about an unhappy childhood.

All three songs are strong contenders to be hits when Jackie completes her CD.

Jackie rounded out her stint on stage with the dantrack Wonderland<$> and Man In The Moon. The only thing standing in the way of her becoming a breakout performer is opportunity.

Making his debut performance at the new location was reporter Scott Neil. Known for cover tunes such as the Waterboys’lassic Raggle Taggle Gypsy, A Man Is In Love <$>from the album Rooo Room, <$>as well as a Bob Marley cover tune, the Scottish crooner is an all-rounder.

Scott, who has amassed a strong fan base at the club since his debut more than a year ago, opened with the Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues. Beatles Yellow Submarine had the crowd singing the chorus. This was followed up by Aquamarine<$>, a catchy tune that has received favourable feedback from previous performances.

“Wow he’s fantastic, you can hardly see his hand move,” said MC Heidi DeSilva, who as always was sunny and happy and guaranteed to help keep the mood upbeat and lively.

It has been quite a while since Dawn Robinson has performed before a live audience and she showed she is no slouch.

Maccoy gave an encore performance of The Shoaof Herring <$>and BarrettRs Privateers<$> by Stan Rogers.

Rob Lansing gave a solo performance, treating the audience to Takeart and Better Mind <$>before being joined by Dawn and Michelle Robinson-Lansing. This was a club first for them as a trio.

While Dawn decides to leave the guitar playing duties to Rob, she delivered the goods as a backing vocalist.

The trio of Alan Dean, Mike McPhee and Lansing opened with Salt Water Joys. After his brief stint on stage with Alan and Mike the duo continueheir set with Both Sides of Now, Leave the Piece$>and Clouds<$>.

Mike Keats was the closing performer. Entertaining as always and in true Keats fashion, he livened things up with the tune from Gilligan’s Island. While performing rousing seas shanties isn’t Keats’ forte, he managed to perform a few originals, one of which was a shanty that told of a local urban legend.

The next show will be on June 9.