Top bands come together for benefit gig

The top names in Scottish music tonight kicked off a benefit concert for the victims of the Asian tsunami.

All 10,000 tickets for the concert at Glasgow’s SECC, featuring Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian and Travis, sold out in 36 hours.

The Tsunami Allstars – a showcase of musicians consisting of Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub, Stevie Jackson of Belle and Sebastian, Eddi Reader and Eugene Kelly – opened the charity gig with a version of The Proclaimers’ Five Hundred Miles.

Deacon Blue then took to the stage and opened their 13-minute set with Real Gone Kid and ended with Dignity.

A spokeswoman from the SECC said: “The Tsunami Allstars had the crowd cheering, clapping and dancing about wildly.

“When Deacon Blue came on, everyone was really excited and they went down a storm.

“All 10,000 people were singing along with the band and the atmosphere was just electric.”

Hot on their heels were Mull Historical Society and techno combo Slam.

Fresh from their success at the Brit and NME Awards, Franz Ferdinand are among the headlining acts, with Texas due to bring the concert to a close.

Other acts due to play are Kevin McDermott, Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub, Eugene Kelly, Travis, Idlewild and Eddi Reader.

Welcoming the event, First Minister Jack McConnell said: “The people of South East Asia need our continuing support.

“Tonight’s concert shows that they can rely on Scotland.”

The sell-out gig aims to raise at least £250,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal.

Earlier this week it was announced Scots had donated a staggering £30 million to the fund.

And when the DEC appeal ends on February 26, a total of £300 million is expected to have been raised across the UK.

More than 200,000 people died in the St Stephen's Day disaster and hundreds of thousands more were left homeless.

The enormity of the tragedy has brought together Scotland’s biggest bands for one of the country’s biggest ever charity concerts.

The Glasgow gig follows a benefit concert at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium last month which starred Eric Clapton, Keane and Jools Holland.

And it is taking place on the same night as a tsunami benefit show in Bristol, which will see Massive Attack and Portishead share a stage for the first time.