One Friday night (see what I did there) I went to see Jake Bugg at the O2 Academy, Brixton.
The arena was relatively grimey but this added to the vibe suitably. Thinking that it would be a gig-esque event filled with chilled hipsters, I went mentally unprepared. I was wrong. Instead, it was filled with boozy and immature 15-year-olds who were no doubt going through their ‘no- one understands me, I’m so pained and rebellious’ phase. Although perhaps that was to be expected - Jake Bugg is so popular right now that he’s done a 180-degree turn from indie to (for lack of a better word) mainstream.
There were two opening acts: Kimberly Ann (who had a decent voice but was nothing special; all her songs sounded the same) and Honey Honey. The latter act boasts an indie American duo. The songs were soothing to the ears but what I especially enjoyed was the tiniest hint of country in their music. Despite overusing clichéd sayings such as ‘what goes around comes around’, their soulful music was definitely more than pleasant to listen to.
What started out as a relaxing night (at one point I nearly fell asleep because of the hideous wait) escalated into a body-slamming mini mosh pit as soon as Jake Bugg arrived. I love his music - it’s relatable, calming and refreshingly not overproduced. I very rarely use the word beautiful, but this is an exception. His voice was beautiful. Let’s also keep in mind that the sound system was terrible. Not many people sound good live, let alone can replicate their studio album but Jake Bugg managed to surpass both- impressing and moving me with not only his smooth singing technique but also his impeccable guitar playing. His modest attitude and unique voice evened out any creases in the night. So despite the perpetual fear of being flattened on the floor like a pancake and the small irritations such as having random drinks being carelessly thrown in your hair, I actually had a lot of fun - even with the messy sardine dancing.
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