After four years of inactivity, it came as an excitement to all fans of indie rock and folk music when Jake Bugg, a staple figure in indie music whose career has spanned the last decade, announced his return to music in 2021 with the launch of his album Saturday Night, Sunday Morning in August 2021. This album release was to be followed by a Spring tour this year, including a performance on 27th March at Birmingham’s home of large indie gigs, the O2 Academy, which I was fortunate enough to attend. Having been a fan of Jake Bugg throughout my teen years, with fond memories of listening to his songs when travelling to school, I was eager to finally hear the most famous hits of his early career, which I was familiar with, performed live. However, previous to this, I had not yet listened to Bugg’s new album and therefore went into this concert partly blind, not knowing what to expect after his break from music and hoping that I would enjoy the newer stuff as much as I had his older work. I am pleased to say that, overall, Bugg did not disappoint. 

The first thing I noted at the concert was the vibrant and welcoming mix of people in the crowd, from groups of teenage friends to families with young children, which can be rare for a crowd at the O2. The variety of the types of people in the audience serves as proof for the broad appeal and timeless quality of Jake Bugg’s music. Furthermore, although Jake Bugg has been in the business for over a decade now, the fact that he still performs in these smaller venues gives his concerts a comforting intimacy shared between him and his loyal fan base and shows that he remains an authentic indie artist who has not been claimed by the mainstream. 

Opening for Bugg, the up-and-coming indie band Vistas, who originate from Edinburgh, set the vibe from the very start, and charmed the audience with their genuineness and gratitude. While I noticed that their songs all had a similar indie rock sound to them, this only demonstrates that they have settled within a genre which suits them as a band, and they can build upon this as their career progresses. The lead singer’s voice was particularly enjoyable, with a rich and powerful sound which complimented their upbeat music style. Vistas were a perfect opening act for Bugg, and I can see a lot of potential in their sound, which I’m sure will develop into a more unique and individual style as they continue to explore.

After a half hour waiting period full of audience anticipation, Bugg finally came on stage to roars of approval and started off his set with ‘Lost,’ a single from his new album. This was the first time I had heard this song and I was surprised yet intrigued to hear more of a synth, dance sound from Bugg, whose earlier works mainly consisted of an acoustic guitar. The lyrics, however, had a recognisable gloomy yet thought-provoking quality to them that is intrinsic to much of Bugg’s work as he sang ‘you’re always in my head, never been so lost.’

Jake welcomed and bantered with the crowd after his opening song before swiftly moving on to one of his newer tracks, ‘Kiss Like the Sun’ and then the older ‘Slumville Sunrise.’ Bugg’s vocals had me mesmerised throughout, sounding exactly the same if not better than they do on his albums, proving that despite his break from music, Bugg has remained a naturally gifted musician, whose skills on the guitar left me equally as impressed.  

The musician managed throughout his set to maintain a balance between playing his older songs which the fans could sing along to, such as ‘Simple As This’ and ‘Seen It All,’ and his newer songs, including ‘Screaming’ and ‘Downtown.’ While many of the songs from Bugg’s new album had a nostalgic reminiscence of the songs from his other albums, demonstrating that the artist knows which style of music works for him and has remained loyal to this, a lot of his newer songs also had a more up tempo, dance beat like the opening song ‘Lost,’ which I found to be a bold yet rewarding experimentation for Bugg. 

While the crowd enjoyed the refreshing sound of Bugg’s new album, the climax of the show was most definitely when he succumbed to the fans’ screaming requests and played one of his most famous songs, ‘Two Fingers.’ When Bugg started singing the opening lyrics of the song, ‘I drink to remember, I smoke to forget,’ the electric energy could be felt throughout everyone in the crowd, as fans of all ages moshed excitedly while chanting along. It is unsurprising that this was a fan favourite, as not only is it one of his most commercially played songs, the lyrics which focus on the ideas of youthful nostalgia, determination in life and letting go of the past provide a perfect sing-along for all those who may relate to these themes and share in this positivity with other audience members. 

Bugg continued to introduce me to songs from his newer album, with my favourite being the gentle love song ‘Maybe It’s Today,’ which reminded me of his other love songs of a similar style, such as ‘Bigger Lover’ and ‘A Song About Love,’ which were not part of this particular set. The distinct melody and heartfelt lyrics of this song combined in the sweetest way and showed that Bugg still very much knows how to write a uniquely authentic and timeless love song, which many couples young and old in the crowd swayed along to. 

If emotions were not already high enough after this, Bugg’s next track was what I believe to be his most heart-wrenching song, and the only one which audience members broke out their lighters and phone flashes for: ‘Broken.’ In this ballad, Bugg tells a story of heartbreak with only his acoustic guitar and soulful voice, and I was positively captivated throughout, not wanting the song to end. 

Although the performances themselves enchanted the crowd throughout, fans were also charmed by Bugg’s humbleness and gratitude, as he continuously thanked the crowd throughout and gently encouraged them to sing along. While I had always perceived Jake Bugg to be a musician whose personality has not been blemished by his fame, his conduct at his concert only verified his down to earth nature and genuine love for his art. 

If I thought that the crowd’s energy levels had peaked at ‘Two Fingers,’ I was highly mistaken when Bugg cheekily informed us that this one was ‘a sing along’ and proved his words when the fans screamed in response to the opening chords of ‘Lightning Bolt.’ Boisterous jumps shook the floor of the O2 as the crowd danced in unison to Bugg’s first UK Top 40 single, which was played at the 2012 Olympics. 

Bugg then treated the crowd to two songs from his 2013 album, Shangri La, ‘Simple Pleasures’ and ‘What Doesn’t Kill You,’ with the latter being one of Bugg’s more heavy-rock influenced songs which offered the opportunity for head-banging unexpected of an indie folk concert, as Bugg’s unrelenting vigour and high spirit as he neared the end of his set was mirrored by the crowd. 

Bugg saved two songs of an opposite sound from his new album to finish his set with, serving as a lasting reminder for the fans of the way in which Bugg has mastered his two different sounds: a softer indie folk lyric-based sound alongside a more up tempo, optimistic instrumental sound. The two compliment each other and demonstrate Bugg’s skill and versatility as an artist, as he has managed to uphold an equilibirum of these two sounds throughout his career, solidified further by his new album. Following the song ‘Hold Tight,’ Bugg ensured that he left fans on a high with ‘All I Need’ being his choice final song, which the entire room clapped along to. 

This concert reawakened my adoration of Jake Bugg’s music and left me wanting so much more, inspiring me to listen to the entirety of his new album as soon as I got home. While I was unsure of what to expect, Bugg’s newer music verified that he is anything but a one trick pony and has managed to maintain the signature sound for which he is admired, as well as introduce more of a mature quality to his music as he progresses as an artist. I have no doubt that Bugg has managed to slip back into his rightful place in the indie music scene with no issues after his break and I very much hope that this is nowhere near the end of Jake Bugg, as I personally can not wait to see what else this artist has in store. 

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