Before the Mast was formed in 2007 and since then has performed extensively throughout New Brunswick in venues ranging from church halls and historic inns to community stages and lively bistros. The group was especially pleased to be asked to sing twice at the Miramichi Folksong Festival. In addition, we have sung on board HMS Bounty when she visited St. Andrews, as well as a number of times for the Carleton Martello Tower Music Series. Before the Mast was also invited to sing at a Canada Day concert in the outdoor amphitheatre at Fundy National Park. Recently, the group traveled to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for a joint concert with the Yarmouth Shantymen.

Before the Mast is composed of nine men, from a wide range of backgrounds, who all have ties to the Saint John area. We sing for our enjoyment, to create an appreciation for our rich Maritime heritage and to showcase the wonderful tradition of sailors singing shanties to create a rhythm and pulse for their work.

Shanties were shipboard work songs with calls and responses between a shantyman and sailors sung to create and maintain a rhythm that would coordinate and give impulse to the job at hand whether it was heaving, hauling, pushing, pumping or turning.   Before the Mast has an extensive repertoire of these shanties that includes traditional halyard, short-haul, pump and capstan shanties. The group also sings a number of beautiful fo’c’s’le songs (forebitters) and ballads, as well as a number of French and Acadian sea songs. We also often sing songs written by contemporary song writers such as Tom Lewis, Archie Fisher, Jim Stewart and Donat LaCroix. We strive for a clear, crisp, authentic sound with some rich harmonies. Establishing a close rapport with our audience, through words and song, is always important.

"... the Saint John area's premier folk act Before the Mast makes shanties and other sea songs an art form. An a cappella  group that varies  the lead and harmony voices, Before the Mast pays homage to our maritime heritage....Before the Mast is just about as energetic as a traditional sea-song singing chorus can get without busting a barnacle. They’re witty too and wrapped-in-canvas entertainers all.....whose seafaring tales, fact and fiction, will astound you."

Before the Mast is based in the Saint John area which was once home to one of the largest ocean-going sailing fleets in the British Empire and a major ship-building centre.