Jake Bugg at Roundhouse

Jake Bugg, although only 30 years old, has nearly a decade and a half of music experience under his belt. He has many inspirations, namely Bob Dylan, the Gallagher brothers and various other 20^th-century cult classic rock acts; however, he has a strong love for metal as well, and this contrasting blend of sounds shines through to his work. In one song, he is reminiscent of a mini-Dylan, with twangy, folk-sounding guitar and a similar vocal style to match. Within the same album, however, he also completely embodies the charged sound of James Hetfield with electrifying guitar solos. 

This October, A Modern Day Distraction joined its rightful place amongst his five other beloved studio albums. In honour of this major achievement, Bugg is travelling through the UK and Ireland; last night, fans flocked to the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm and were met with 24 full songs, both old and new, much to their satisfaction.

The floor of the iconic space was nearly full as the minutes counted down towards the main event. The pre-show setlist had the crowd hugging and smiling; Oasis’s Champagne Supernova transformed into a wonderful blend of various voices and turned the venue into a more comfortable and intimate atmosphere. When John Lennon’s vocals in Come Together were cut off abruptly, cheers took their place and the room turned to black. Within a matter of minutes, the band sprang into Zombieland. 

Bugg is all about the music; he ran through five energetic songs without taking a single breath. As Never Said Goodbye reached its end, the singer took a moment to quickly say his hellos. But, he wasted no time in continuing with the show, immediately transitioning into the lively Trouble Town that featured an epic performance by bassist Tom “Robbo” Robertson. Drummer Jack Atherton played each track brilliantly without even breaking a sweat.

The gig took a turn as the audience was rejuvenated by Seen It All. Every song going forward had the crowd screaming each lyric and playing the air guitar similarly to the frontman. Folks began sitting on one another’s shoulders to get themselves fully enveloped amongst the chaotic, yet wonderful scene. With the next few tracks, especially Got to Let You Go and Instant Satisfaction, Bugg allowed his guitar skill to sparkle with solos gracing the Roundhouse’s speakers. 

Acoustic, slower moments of the show were highlighted by the audience’s adoration for the sight before them; their voices were on display, especially during Broken. The calmer spirit did not last long, however, and the zeal of the Roundhouse was ignited once again with Two Fingers and the fan favourite Lightning Bolt. Bugg instructs his fans to sing along, and he doesn’t have to tell them twice as their vocals are twice the level of his. The night ended quickly with the same eclectic, yet powerful guitar in Simple Pleasures and All I Need.

Although Bugg is not flashy or necessarily eccentric, his fans bring the vigour, vivacity and vibrancy that give live performances their magic. As the crowd left slowly but surely, chatters raved about the emotions they felt from hearing their favourite songs in person; a Jake Bugg show is proof that audiences hold an immense amount of weight when it comes to live music. 

Taryn Crowley
Photos: Miguel de Melo

For further information and future events visit Jake Bugg’s website here.

Watch the video for the single I Wrote the Book here: