– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER –
It seems that Jake Bugg is becoming, if not already, a household name. Everyone appears to know at least a couple of his catchy songs, and rightfully so. It is almost still surprising to know that he is about to reach his 20th birthday, and yet his voice and songwriting talent speak such maturity. It’s not a shock that his influences include old greats such as The Beatles and Johnny Cash.
Arriving at The Ritz tonight I see just what a loyal and young fanbase Mr. Bugg has. The place is packed, and he only just appeared here a few months back, but the people of Manchester can’t get enough of him. I’ll admit that prior to the gig I saw desperate fan attempts to get tickets to the sold out night; everyone seemed to want a piece of the night. I feel quite privileged to be here.
Awaiting Jake is about 7 guitars in the corner of the stage. I’m eager to see if he really will use them all. He struts on stage with the rest of the band, waves, picks up his guitar and does what he does best; music. I love how rock and roll the vibe is. He’s here to sing, that’s his form of entertainment and he doesn’t try and flourish or mask it with any chat.
The crowd is crazy; they know all the words to almost every song.
And Jake’s voice is just so old school. What I mean is if you listen to him and close your eyes you almost feel like you’re in a past era. The guitar, the rhythm of his songs and his voice combined remind me of what it might be like watching a gig 20 years ago. When he plays ‘Two Fingers’ it makes me think this even more. And like many of the other tracks, everyone sings along, it’s such a feel good gig. Once again I am only reminded of his age from his baby face, but the lyrics, the writing, the playing that goes into his talent, speaks of age.
The track that stands out for me tonight is ‘Slumville Sunrise’. The guitar is awesome, and the whole band on stage comes alive. I love how Jake sways to more of a country sound on this track, which is even more noticeable live.
It’s nice to see fresh talent. Someone that does their job as a musician; writes, plays and sings, how it should be. Of course there are many artists out there that give the same effort, but Jake seems to have taken it to the next level. He is playing to masses; he is getting to the top of his game and becoming a household name (I promise I’m not trying to rhyme).
He ends the set with what shot him to fame ‘Lightning Bolt’. It is great to hear it live; it is the first song that got a lot of our attention to begin with.
Click to purchase the new single ‘A Song About Love’ http://po.st/ShangriLaYT
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I'm a northern bird that appreciates all the lovely sounds this city has to offer. What I love about gigs, is that not only the music but the venue and atmosphere can create such a vibe that it takes you somewhere else.
