JAKE BUGG // BARROWLAND BALLROOM, GLASGOW
Jake Bugg pulled out an incredible set of new and old tunes that reminded fans and messed up kids alike that his talent is piercing and that he is not content cast to the side-lines.
JAKE BUGG PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S BARROWLAND BALLROOM - 17.11.2019
PICTURE BY: | STEPHEN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Jake Bugg is the Nottingham lad of the people who exploded into the public eye in 2012 with his Mercury Prize nominated, self-titled, début album. The man seemed to pop up from nowhere and suddenly became the name of the moment with everyone in the UK humming ‘Lightning Bolt.’ There was a gap for Bugg’s indie folk niche and he spoke out for the marginalised in society and soundtracked a life of modern trials. He charges forth a voice supporting the power of rebellion, encouraging a glass to be raised for the nonconformist within us all. However, he balances this vigour with a fitting come down of softness and the album is full of tender tracks that speak of isolation and romanticism.
With the bar set so high from his first release, Bugg’s second, Shangri La, fell a bit of short of the mark. For this album, released within a year of the début, Bugg worked with Elvis Costello's drummer, Pete Thomas, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album received mixed reviews but 2013 was still an incredibly successful year for the Midlander. Bugg was the first in history to go from playing Glastonbury’s breakthrough BBC Introducing Stage to a set on the Main Pyramid stage in successive years. Bugg toured hard and sold out a series of shows in the USA. It was clear that Bugg’s popularity had grown widespread and rapidly.
In 2016, Bugg released On My One, and in 2017 he put out Hearts That Strain created with producer Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Both albums received mixed reviews but kept confidence high among the fans. Bugg’s writing style and the production of his tracks evolved with slickness and a more cinematic effect from his original raw sound, but the blues in Bugg’s voice consistently seasons every track he puts his name to.
Now, in 2019, Bugg is coming up from the shadows but that is not to say he hasn’t been hard at work and it’s clear he still has a devoted, large group of fans who are ready to be once again wowed by him. With tickets to Bugg’s Glasgow performance selling out quickly, it was clear the set was highly anticipated despite his substantial UK tour last year. Bugg announced 5 UK dates across a 6 day span this November and he was ready to showcase what he has been up to.
A rambunctious crowd filled the iconic Barrowland Ballroom and as Jake Bugg took to the stage, his collaboration with CamelPhat ‘Be Someone’ blasting up, the crowd’s rumble was deafening. This kind of style juxtaposition, Bugg’s folk mixing with high-octane, house music, is a wonderful shake up to what is expected from the lad.
He then got his fans stomping with classic tracks ‘Trouble Town’ and ‘There’s a Beast and We All Feed It’ before perfectly sliding in wonderful new track ‘Kiss Like the Sun.’ This track has just been released by Bugg and is perfect example of why next release might be his biggest to come. It’s dripping with country flare and has similarities with the work of huge Scottish star Gerry Cinnamon but with more fluency in a way similar to that of late work by the Arctic Monkeys.
Following this fresh banger, Bugg played a series of tracks from his early albums and things began to get emotional. The acoustic ‘Slide’ brought a tear to the eye and then ‘Simple as This’ provided the embrace that fans needed. ‘Me and You’ and ‘A Song About Love’ kept the warm vibe glowing and Bugg cutting vocals sounded strong and unwavering.
Mid-set, Bugg played arguably two of his biggest tracks ‘Lightning Bolt’ and ‘Broken.’ The move between the upbeat to the melancholy was not the best choice as there was significant joyous energy created that then evaporated. His acoustic numbers, however, were performed divinely. The pace was then picked up again with the bouncing ‘Slumville Sunrise’ setting a brilliant mood for new tracks ‘Scene’ and ‘Habits’ which were clearly enjoyed by the crowd despite their unfamiliarity.
To close the set, Bugg interestingly chose ‘Simple Pleasures’ and ‘Two Fingers.’ The crowd was at the point of rejoicing and lost themselves in these free-spirited tracks. Hugely popular track ‘Messed Up Kids’ was not played in the night and it is a key track that, if it had been included with the closing of the set, would have sent the crowd absolutely wild.
Jake Bugg’s fans can breathe lighter now that he is back and clearly is not messing around. He is showing no sign of backing down and is expanding his art form in directions no-one would have predicted, all-the-while, staying true to the roots that threw him into to the spotlight. His new released might just be his most diverse and might be shaping up to compete with his ground-breaking first album.
SETLIST: | JAKE BUGG : BARROWLAND BALLROOM, GLASGOW - 17.11.2019
TAPE INTRO: | BE SOMEONE - (CAMELPHAT X JAKE BUGG)
Rabbit Hole - (New song)
Trouble Town
There’s a Beast and We All Feed It
Kiss Like The Sun - (New song)
Ballad of Mr Jones
Slide - (Acoustic)
Simpe As This - (Acoustic)
Me and You
A Song About Love
About Last Night - (New song)
Burn Alone
Lightning Bolt
Saffron - (Acoustic)
Broken - (Acoustic)
Livin’ Up Country
Taste It
Slumville Sunrise
Scene - (New song)
Habits - (New song)
Seen It All
Simple Pleasures
Two Fingers