Below the Gaff is a group of bad joke enthusiasts, who happen to also be accomplished musicians. They play a range of music from Celtic tunes to Sea shanties to modern pirate songs on fiddle, guitar, upright bass, and percussion. If you want to dance to an Irish jig and groan at a pirate joke involving certain letters of the alphabet, then Below the Gaff is the band for you.
The Band
An appreciation of Celtic tunes and a love of all things pirate caused mandolin player and percussionist, Whitt Smith, to found Below the Gaff. With a wide range of musical backgrounds and instrumentation, the group found quick success in performing at festivals and playing all over New England, from Connecticut to Vermont.
After releasing their first full-length album of original tunes, “Songs of Warship,” Below the Gaff moved away from the costume gimmick to entertain with musical skill and good humor at a multitude of venues. They have had the pleasure of performing at bars and farmer’s markets across Massachusetts as well as engaging audiences in the crowded city streets of Boston and New York.
With influences such as the Young Dubliners, Great Big Sea, Dropkick Murphys, The Pogues, and The Chieftains mixed with some classic pirate jokes, Below the Gaff is sure to amuse
