I tried out Trinity Live - Hull's free music event in the city centre

Jack Bowman
·4-min read

Good tunes, good food, and good vibes - that's the motto for Trinity Live.

Every Thursday evening, three local musicians and acts get on stage to showcase their talent to spectators in Trinity Market. Since launching in 2019 as a warm-up to the massive Humber Street Sesh, the free gig night has taken a life on its own having returned for plenty of seasons of live tunes in the subsequent five years.

Having a spare few hours on Thursday in town, I popped along.

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The evening I went, which had performers begin at 6.45 pm, started with poet Lewis Paul Marrow, The Quicksilver Kings, and Happy Endings UK headlining the night. As I walked along North Church Side, I could hear the music and people spilling outside. Unfortunately, I missed the opening set and was halfway through The Quicksilver King's performance.

Walking in, the fairy lights covering the seating area, pillars and the erected stage showed the market in a literal different light to one I'd never seen it before. Every seat was vacated, and additional spectators stood against the barriers nodding along to the rhythm 60s esque blues from the band. The place was rammed, but that didn't surprise me.

Trinity Live is organised by Sesh Events - the team behind the similarly weekly SESH at Polar Bear and, of course, the Humber Street Sesh. If anyone knows how to put on a show in Hull, it will be these guys. I've spent plenty of time in Polar Bear on a Tuesday throughout the years, and HSS is the biggest day in the calendar, so it only made sense I checked out Trinity Live.

The demographic was one of the most diverse for a crowd I've ever seen. From goths and mid-20s indie to old schoolers, it was a pleasant crowd to be among, just listening to the sweet violin solos from the band.

Some of the plentiful food court vendors were open too, but not all. I counted four open throughout the night; Tapasyia, Boss Burrito, Cheng & Chen, and Alessandro's. Four vendors, four different national dishes. Vittles & Company was also open, ensuring that everyone could have a drink from what apparently is Hull's smallest brewery - who I imagine love Trinity Live as much as the regulars.

With a pint of Alpha Particles from local brewers Atom, I enjoyed the rest of the rest of the acoustic set. As they ended their final song, the face of Sesh - Mark 'Mak' Page - talked about their upcoming project, Trinity Festival Rebooted that's happening on May 18 in the city centre across plenty of pubs. Do these guys ever get a minute?

After a short 10-minute break where everyone either went for a refill or smoke break to the backdrop of some retro vinyl DJing involving Bowie and Nirvana, Mak introduced the headliner Happy Ending UK - after a tongue-in-cheek warning not to directly Google "happy ending" for some not safe for work content! The usual trio was a man down on the night, but the duo were a delight to listen to, giving a 2020s twist on some 60s influenced tunes. The audience was clearly enjoying the music too, hanging on every lyric.

As someone who's used to the more chaotic PB Tuesday and 'Street Sesh, this definitely felt like a more relaxed tone change. To be able to sit at a table with a bit of scran, listening to some heartfelt sonnets was a great change of pace. There is definitely a reason that it is so popular, as well as diverse. Whereas in my college and uni days, Welly would be how I spent my Thursdays, preferring an early night now, it wouldn't surprise me if I came to a lot more of these in the upcoming seasons.

This is the final leg of the Spring Season for Trinity Live, but Sesh still have plenty of events booked in - all on top of the Sesh every Tuesday at Polar Bear;

  • May 23 - Trinity Live

  • May 18 - Trinity Festival Rebooted

  • May 30 - Trinity Live

  • July 20 - Trinity Festival Rebooted

  • August 3 - Humber Street Sesh

  • September 28 - Trinity Festival Rebooted

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