About the Band
The Wellermen believe music is storytelling — and some of the best stories have been told through centuries-old traditional folk songs. The four-piece, whose members hail from different corners of the world, were the originators of the sea shanty trend on TikTok and have since gone from strength to strength, building a huge global following across social media.
Their versions of Misty Mountains, Ed Sheeran's Nancy Mulligan and the spine-tingling Hoist The Colours have racked up billions of views on TikTok and YouTube, with over 110 million streams of their debut album alone. TV appearances on Ant & Dec, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and The Colbert Show have introduced them to audiences far beyond the folk world.
Their new album Northern Sky — recorded in a cottage in the hills of Surrey — sees the band pouring their considerable knowledge and craft into 12 tracks that showcase their gift for rich harmonies, dynamic storytelling and genuine emotional depth. From their stirring take on Wild Mountain Thyme to a powerful tribute to Johnny Cash on Hurt, and the foot-stomping call-and-response of original track Tall Tales, this is a band at the very top of their game.
"It's all about connection and storytelling," say the band, "and we hope the listeners are able to find something meaningful." As headliners at Down by the River 2026, The Wellermen bring that connection to The Meadows. Get your voice warmed up — you're going to need it.
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