The story of the rise of Fisherman’s Friends from humble beginnings to international stardom is nothing short of a fairytale. There can be few who have never heard of this group of pals from a small Cornish village, who began singing together simply for the joy of it. One day, about 15 years ago, they were (in their own words) ‘plucked from obscurity’, and from there they have not looked back, consistently performing to huge crowds at sell-out shows.

The group’s appeal isn’t difficult to understand. Their renditions of traditional songs from the ‘Cornish songbook’, with a strong nautical slant, are toe-tappingly joyful and uplifting. Indeed, to say that Fisherman’s Friends brought a powerful blast of seaside vibes to Birmingham - a city about as far away from the coast as it’s possible to be - when they performed at Symphony Hall on Sunday night is an understatement.

Presenting a repertoire full of light and shade, reflecting the ups and downs of human experience, they are artists who take great pride in their heritage, great joy from singing their songs and great delight at sharing their music. Needless to say, the audience responded with enthusiasm, clapping along to old favourites such as What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor and joining in with jolly chair-obics to A Sailor Ain’t A Sailor.

The traditional song lyrics certainly don’t shy away from the harsh reality of a sailor’s life, but this healthy reminder of reality only serves to emphasise the fact that the shanties we are listening to are rooted in centuries of tradition and real life, and this lies at the heart of the show.

There are, of course, very many references to much lighter moments (such as time and hard-earned money spent unwisely in a port-side bar) and the performances are so full of emotion and cheer that it’s impossible not to be captivated by the atmosphere nine men singing on stage are able to create.

Particularly effective are the songs sung a capella. The close harmonies of unaccompanied male voices cannot fail to move the soul, and the Friends’ rendition of John Kanaka will surely live long in the memory. With a strong dose of self-deprecating humour and a wry view of the modern world, presented alongside accomplished performances of catchy songs, a concert by Fisherman’s Friends is the ultimate in feelgood experiences.

It’s no surprise that the show at Symphony Hall was a sell-out. The evening flew by, and all too soon the concert was over. The audience will no doubt be humming the snappy tunes for days to come, and the future is surely bright for Fisherman’s Friends. Anybody who can catch a ticket for a future gig by this most cheerful of bands would be well-advised to do so!

Five stars

Fisherman’s Friends was reviewed by Rachel Smith on Sunday 8 March at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.