Jake Bugg

O2 Bournemouth Academy

By Richard Derbyshire

JAKE BUGG returned to the south coast for the first time in three years and showed that he’s still an undisputed kingpin of British music.

The Nottingham born singing star sold out the O2 Academy in Bournemouth with an astonishing twenty-one song set from all three of his outstanding top five albums.

As the house lights went down and a slow extended bass chord built up the suspense, a single spot light suddenly revealed the headliner centre stage, dressed in black, with the title song from his third album On My One. With so much great material to play there was no time to waste.

Three more solo acoustic songs, Strange Creatures, The Love We’re Hoping For and Simple As This captivated the capacity crowd. He’s only one singer with a guitar and a spotlight and yet, all together, it’s so much more.

Changing to electric, Jake was joined by his talented band for new songs Bittersalt, Never Wanna Dance and the sweeping epic Love, Hope and Misery, already a song of the year. With so many new big beat tunes, things have moved on since he first stood almost alone on the giant Southampton Guildhall in 2013.

Seen it All, his tale of ducking and diving around the streets of Clifton, had everyone bouncing. His lyrics from the early days still paint a vivid picture, especially when illuminated by such a tremendous light show.

The frantically exciting Slumville Sunrise, Trouble Town and Gimme the Love couldn’t be more different to the beautifully haunting tunes Broken and Simple Pleasures. But with Jake’s influences going as far back to the harmonies of The Everly Brothers, it shows why he’s been able to do so much so soon.

“Thank you Bournemouth for listening to the new songs, it means a lot to me” the 22 year old said during a rare moment’s pause. “And thanks for singing along with the old ones too!”

On its release Jake had said his self-written and mostly self-produced third compilation was a ‘make or break album’. With a performance like this there is little doubt he’s made it again. This man is a star.

Jake Bugg’s latest album, On My One, is on sale now in record shops and ITunes.