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There is no doubt that Jake Bugg can be easily compared to the likes of legendary rock/folk solo artists, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. His work ethic is already admirable having made two albums in the space of just over a year. Now the 19-year-old is looking more confident, brighter and sonically tight, which an age-varying Edinburgh crowd went nuts about.

The music that blared out of the PA half an hour prior to Jake Bugg coming on stage undoubtedly pumped the audience up with a selection of Bugg’s influences, Neil Young’s ‘Old Man’ and The Stone Roses’ ‘Waterfall’ to name a couple – the latter of which got the greatest response. A crowd couldn’t be any more impatient with ‘Jakey-Jakey Bugg’ chants appearing sporadically before the show, and even during the show. As soon as the gifted teenager arrived on stage, everybody sensed they were in for a special evening.

Bugg began with two E-A-B chord songs, ‘There’s a Beast And We All Feed It’ and ‘Trouble Town’ to the delight of his ecstatic fans.

‘Seen It All’ allowed Jake Bugg to perform at his most confident and charismatic, with the 3000-strong crowd singing for him while he moved away from the mic for the infamous chorus.

Jake Bugg’s new album, Shangri La, witnessed a changed man. He isn’t just a one-trick pony who plays the same melodies, he isn’t just a man who constantly holds an acoustic guitar. It was a more upbeat album with variations in themes and melodies throughout. Now with back-to-back albums in the space of a year, he has a lot more material to play around with in his sets, and they were very well received.

His second single, ‘Slumville Sunrise’ got the best reception with its quirky rocky riff while people in the crowd imitated his hilarious music video which goes with the song. More notably, his music was incredibly tight from that album. Not one song was mellowly received – with the audience always being heard above his vocals. The song which was in danger of being rejected by the crowd ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’  – a song which was loathed by his fans upon its release for its heavy punk tone – was fortunately very well received.

The songs from his seminal eponymous debut album such as ‘Two Fingers’, ‘Taste It’ and ‘Lightning Bolt’ were obviously going to be most acknowledged by his fans, with the latter of the songs highlighting some of Bugg’s increasingly talented guitar playing.

With Bugg only playing a cover version of Neil Young’s ‘My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)’ on selected occasions, it was a worry to everybody in the audience that he wouldn’t play it. However, throughout the show there had been a crowd so emphatic that he had to add in an extra song to please the fans.

It’s surprising to see a solo artist coping so well with extraordinary fame. If Jake Bugg releases an album often like Bob Dylan did in the 60’s, right at the beginning of his career, then he will be playing arenas by his third or fourth album. Right now, he is on top of his game and it looks difficult for him to get any better.

He’s just too good.

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Kieran Scott
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Freelance and student journalist currently educated at Edinburgh Napier University.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. This is the most lick-a*** review I’ve ever read. I went to the concert last night, and was nothing special. Have you ever been to a Dylan Concert, before doing this insensate comparison ?
    I almost cried when he butchered Old Man. Neil Young and Dylan were true artist, not puppets, managed by the label to look and sound old, and most important, Jake Bugg’s songs are written by Ian Archer not by Jake. Talented artist don’t need a ghostwriter to write a song. Taking about the 2 albums in 1 year, it only shows that the label is trying to make more money as possible, before a new puppet comes to the industry.

  2. Kieran, some info from the States. We saw Jake on Jan 29 at Houston’s House of Blues. The kid put on an phenomenal gig to an amazingly knowledgeable and appreciative audience.

    I say “amazingly knowledgeable” because getting to know Jake Bugg’s music here in the U.S. requires a bit of effort. The crowd of about 1,700 Texans were totally locked into the performance of this talented artist.

    He sang “Broken” with more emotion and craft than in any of its many recorded performances. The crowd rewarded that effort with an extended ovation that left the usually laconic singer visibly moved.

    I suppose you are right that he soon will be performing in arenas, but I hope for my sake that I can catch him in smaller venues at least a few more times.

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