Tuesday 11th January - Hull Aid Tsunami Benefit Gig at The Sesh By Lee Atkinson

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Nothing is so hard for those who abound in riches to conceive how others can be in want - Jonathan Swift.

A Turismo acoustic session, a new member of The Bonnitts, The Johnsons making their live debut, all at The Linnet and, most importantly, all for a very important cause. The date is 11th January and I am standing in the middle of an enthusiastic crowd at a very special charity night hosted by The Sesh and organised by local peoples website thisisUll.com to aid the Asian Tsunami Appeal. It's certainly a squash! People are packed in like joyous sardines. Organisers and helpers wade through the congregation with collection buckets, offering Sesh CD's and encouraging contribution.

My Lady and I take our midweek beverages into the melee of generosity in time to catch the live electric debut set of local acoustic song-smith Danny Tacey amidst new band The Johnsons, who are opening the proceedings with their fresh faced charm and driven punk-tinged modern indie sound. Stylishly shambolic riffs bring their pumping backline to life and true, it's a little scrappy but there are ideas in there suggesting the potential necessary to take them beyond the cynical yet probable assumption that The Johnsons are direct musical decedents of The Libertines.

Any evidence of a nervy graduation to The Sesh musical roster is masked by a genuine exhibition of enjoyment. As Sesh host, DJ Mark, whoops what a debut from his booth, the crowd show their appreciation with gleeful approbation. For tonight is a great platform for a band to plant the seeds to give birth to a following on the local scene - The Johnsons have left The Linnet in a very warm place.

I am welcomed back from relieving myself via what can only be described as an assault course of revellers, spilt drinks and glass collectors by some friendly faces on the stage.

For those who have not yet been acquainted with Turismo, they have managed to arrange an array of eclectic influences around a very English musical blueprint leaning on Blurs Modern Life is Rubbish era. A very special acoustic set sails the tag line from the DJ booth as charismatic front man Baggott calls for more power in his electro-acoustic. Bongos, harmonica and maracas are all used in this take on Turismo's electric show and we are treated to the warmer tones of Baggott's voice.

There are some songs in there which I haven't heard before and suspect that are some of Baggot's more quirky personal material. Turismo have the craftsmanship to musically and lyrically flit from humour to poignancy (a lovely cover of Blur's Badhead) to sincerity and cynicism across a set and, even though tonight's set is short, the crowd are rightfully rapturous. There is something different about The Bonnitts since the last time I saw them. They arrive on stage and it doesn't take me long to realise they have a new face in the line-up, a replacement on lead guitar.

There seems to be something about debuts in the air tonight as singer Mike Wright explains we've only had one practice with this lad so I apologise if we fuck up. As far as the set is concerned, there are no major glitches and the new boy exposes himself as a talent.

Angular grooves reminiscent of a whiskey burned Hives singing the blues..fast, pour over the audience who bob and twist, trying to see the action. I am impressed at the cohesion both musically and aesthetically that binds the quintet in spite of recent line-up changes, this is emphasised by the playful headlock that is administered to the new boy by Wright at the close of set.

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