What a sensational night. Jake is 19 and his performance is
electrifying, beautiful and one for the record books. So much so it will be
very difficult to not use clichés about oysters, feet and the world to describe
how much potential he has.
His self-titled debut was a solid effort which displayed a
few moments of brilliance but live he is consistently on a higher level that
will result in world domination. The audience is made up of scenesters, Dylan
fans, skiffle fans, mods, hippies, and mums with their primary school sons.
There is no passage for Bugg which will not lead to great things.
The variety his voice has is remarkable of someone so young.
On ‘Simple As This’ he becomes an English Dylan lost in a world of
self-realisation. It’s visible on the expression of many of those older than
Bugg in the crowd that they wish they had known this at his age. On ‘Taste It’
and ‘Lightning Bolt’ however he becomes rock ‘n’roll star to revere. He has the
bluesy punch of a young Jagger and often allows his voice to drift off into ether.
It gives Bugg a vulnerability which will see teenage girls flock to him like
they did for Marc Bolan and Liam Gallagher in years gone by.
There are two main highlights tonight. The first is ‘The
Ballad Of Mr Jones’. It’s beefed up tonight and propels Bugg in to the realm of
guitar hero. He manufactures twisted riffs and illumination solos to heighten
this song that wouldn't look out place in a Hendrix or Oasis set.
The second highlight comes from the third song of the night
‘Kentucky’. Musically it doesn't compare to Bugg’s finest work but the symbolism
it projects is colossal. The current government’s message is don’t worry about
what you’re doing wrong, just blame who had the job before you and ignore your
own failures. Well fuck that, Bugg has given the Shepherds Bush crowd the
greatest thing music can offer, escapism. TT suggests the next time you here an
unelected coalition say ‘the reason we have no growth is because of deficit left
to us by Labour’ you think of Jake Bugg. An everyday kid from Nottingham who
worked his socks off and is changing the world by doing what he loves.
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