Talk Like A Pirate Day be a "holiday" that th' legendary duo, Cap'n Slappy an’ Ol' Chumbucket, founded in 1995. Then Florida's famed comic scribe, David Barry, brought it t' popular attention in 2002. Talk Like A Pirate Day be held each year on September 19th. ‘Tis an annual event meriting our commemoration an’ observance.

Bein' a hearty wench who likes pirates an’ booty, an’ havin' performed at a fair number o' pirate parties, I thought I would just jot out a few wee quick anecdotes on pirate themed shows t' amuse you. Little did I realize... that, like an incoming tide, ‘tis a significantly growin' movement. It merges an’ laps ‘round th' edges o' other renewed an’ recently created music an’ culture trends; such as steampunk, gypsy swing, trop-rock, sci-fi, fantasy an’ renaissance. In some cases it be vintage fare, in others it be avant-garde, an’ when th' interstices between realities thin an’ fray, these polarities be intermeshed. It be cool, me hearties!

How To Begin?
Acquire yer repertoire, learn th’ language, get th’ attitude, get th’ clothes. Gather ye buckos an’ seek yer plunder!

Code O’ Conduct
Some people be pirates 24/7. Others enjoy it as a novelty. Whether ye be a weekend marauder or live an’ breath th' swasher's life, while at th' gig - Stay In Character!
If yer gig be on a sea farin' vessel, ye'll want t' board right smartly ere any "guests" (prisoners held for ransom) arrive, an’ set up ere th' crew weighs anchor an’ th' ship leaves port.

What ARRRR... We T’ Play?
Caribbean music, sea shanties, drinking songs (change yer tongue an’ ye can use them fer Oktoberfest), wenchin’ songs, Disney movie themes (warrrning, Disney challenges all who make so bold as t’ pirate their tunes on recordings), ballads about leavin’ girls in ports, jigs an’ hornpipes, Djangoesque jazz, skiffle... use yer imagination an’ unique resources! Be sure t’ insert lots 'o arrrpeggios!

Costumes - What T’ Wear?
Authenticity be appreciated. Creativity be awesome. Innovation be admirable.
Fer swaggerin’ fashion flair, don feathered hats an’ boldly adorned jackets 'o nautical splendor. Thar be multitudes o’ websites where one can plumb th’ depths o' pirate lore an’ costumery. Do some fishin’, and haul aboard what ye seek an’ find online. Merchants at Renaissance Faires be offerin’ many fine garments that can perform double duty fer sea farers an’ land lubbers. Ye olde thrift shops supply many cast offs that will suit ye fine.
Th' wear an’ tear o' th' rugged sea farin' life lends itself t' "shabby chic". So musicians can proudly don their tattered an’ sweaty garments in company o’ th’ Brethren o’ th’ Coast.
E'en T-shirts with appropriate slogans an’ graphics can work. An’ if it be a parrothead theme, ye know what adornments can be atop yer hat!

Props Fer Dazzlement
Bold pirates may wish t' display the likes o' th’ Jolly Roger raised on a jackstaff, chests heaped wi’ treasure, weapons, skeletons an’ skulls, bungs o’ spirits, tankards ‘o grog… have fun!

Guard Yer Booty
As renowned scallywag Rupert Boneham said, "Pirates pillage." Be warrrned, some audiences may become o'erly squiffed an’ obstreperous. At one yacht club event, carousin' guests converged onstage durin' our show, an’ some scurvy dogs walked off wit' me tambourine, claves, maracas an' güiro! As we were tearin' down, we found an elderly pink-faced knave (touched by th' spiced grog blossom) tryin' t’ leave wit' one 'o our stage props (a giant bottle o’ coconut rum). He insisted it belonged t’ him, an’ he was on th' decoratin' committee. We got it back after a fierce tug 'o war.

You can see me band o’ buckos an’ flyin' bottles o’ rum here in Island Fever demo part 3.

If this be a topic that warms yer cockles, I will be glad t' share more details, interviews with successful musical pirates, etc. Meet me on th’ forum (see below the arrrticle)! An' on Facebook! Spin tales o’ yer adventures on th’ high seas!

What Else Be Risin’ On Th’ Horizon?
A new force t’ be reckoned with, Political Pirate Parties (Piratpartiet) be growin’ in numbers an’ strength, an’ shapin’ their codes o’ conduct, in several countries from sea t’ sea. Thar be some parley referrin’ t’ music an’ fair division o’ treasures.
As parrr Wikipedia, Pirate Parties support civil rights, direct democracy an’ participation, reform o’ copyright an’ patent law, free sharing o’ knowledge (open content), information privacy, transparrrency, freedom o’ information, an’ network neutrality.

If you would like to listen to or purchase music by Sabira Woolley, here is her Music Shop.