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In 2011, a young man aged 17 got in touch with BBC Introducing in the hope of being selected to perform at Glastonbury Festival, and low and behold he was selected, played but also went on to become one of the much loved and talented guys of his generation. This incredible soul was Nottingham based singer-song writer, Jake Bugg. Shortly after he went onto become signed by Mercury Records where he released his self-titled debut album in 2012, an album which would go on hugely respected for years to come. Fast forward to 2018, with now a number of a number of records under his belt he continues to go from strength to strength.
This November I was fortunate to see that incredible growth first hand as I attended one of the shows on his Solo Acoustic tour, which came to Gateshead Sage 1. For anyone who has been there before you will know how beautiful that room is especially given its size, and having had many great names play there in recent years. I was therefore curious to see how Jake would adapt his acoustic set to such a setting. For the most part it can be quite a daunting thing to do especially as there is no where to hide, and in some respects you are opening up your soul even more as you can never tell what to expect. However needless to say, those reservations were quickly put to ease as soon as Jake appeared on stage. He was able to create such an intimate atmosphere, as each and every person in the audience had their eyes fixed on Jake Bugg.
You would have been literally able to hear a pin drop. A truly captivating place to be and shows how just equipped with an acoustic guitar, a chair, a mic stand and his fantastic abilities as a song-writer, how he was able to transform the whole Sage 1 in to a special place where he created a special connection and level of appreciation and respect with every single person in that room.
Of course a review would not be the same without discussing what songs Jake had selected for this special night. It was very much a set list which cleverly reflected his evolution through the years, as we were able to hear tracks from his debut album such as Simple As This and ‘Trouble Town’. Those wanting the opportunity to discover more of his recent material then ‘Bigger Lover’ and ‘How Soon The Dawn’ were on offer from his latest record Hearts That Strain, that was released in 2017.
Having given such a captivating performance through the night, made even better by Jake’s charming personality with the audience, it was time to get the crowd on their feet and the dancing spirit as he ended the night with probably one of his most iconic and upbeat songs, Lighting Bolt. A song which has had many of us singing at the top of our voices and excitement since Jake Bugg first blessed us with his music in 2011. With Gateshead being the final night of the tour there is no doubt in my mind that he truly ended the Acoustic Tour in style with a standing ovation from the audience and a humble spark of gratitude in his eyes. Long may the talent, music and evolution of one of the UK’s most naturally gifted singer-song writers continue. Until we meet again my friend, love and respect from all of us at Darkus Magazine.
Article By Thushara
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