Jake Bugg - Live at Keele University Union by Izzi Glover
Who needs a support band when you’ve got yourself? Jake Bugg on the third date of his Your Town Tour at Keele University in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire was not your average gig.
Usually in a review like this, it would begin with talking about the support bands, but in this case the support was Jake himself performing an acoustic set of some of his acoustic songs. Doors opened at 7pm and the first part of the show wasn’t until 8:10pm, which was quite a while to wait but the fans didn’t seem to mind too much as there is a bar and seating area in the venue. Despite being slightly late on to stage, opening with Strange Creatures was definitely the right song to open with. The crowd all singing together to this song was the perfect way to begin the set. The lighting at this point was warm and the focal point was clearly Jake and his acoustic guitar. The capacity of Keele Ballroom itself is 2,500; the venue was so full, and somehow the set was still so incredibly intimate.
This was due to the combo of the mellow songs to begin the night with, and Jake’s incredible ability to hold a crowd with his timeless voice. He quickly greeted the crowd and that was about it. There was little to no crowd interaction, which can be a bad thing, but in this case, it really was not needed at all; the crowd was already so immersed in the simple but beautiful songs that were being played. This acoustic opener was such a good alternative to having a support band as it was a great opportunity to play more songs from his discography for the audience, who definitely got their money’s worth.
Gig is the wrong word for this night, show is more fitting. There was a 15-minute interval before the rest of the band came on and the main part of the show begun. Jake and the band walked out to Love Is Something by Camelphat & Jake Bugg, which got the crowd riled up with the house music and the fast-flashing colourful lights, letting them know something exciting was definitely about to happen. The band consisted of Jake, a bassist and a drummer. Considering there were only three people on the stage, the noise they made was outrageous. The lighting was simple but effective, a blue hue with warm spotlights on all of the people on the stage, making sure everyone was visible.
The opening song to the set was Trouble Town, another perfect opener. A classic song from the debut album that sums up Jake’s life. Some more upbeat songs from his new album and past albums followed, and the set was then broken up with a mellow, acoustic tune, giving the crowd a break. This song was the perfect length of time in the way that the slow part didn’t drag on too much leaving the crowd bored. It was easily noticeable that Jake was genuinely very happy to be there on that stage, which makes for an all-round better experience at an event like this, constantly smiling at the crowd and thanking them for attending.
Broken really was the pivotal point in this set. The band left the stage and left Jake on his own again, like the forts part, with his acoustic guitar. Why didn’t he do this song in the acoustic section? The answer is simple. It means an awful lot to the fans and it’s too important to be in the opener where the crowd are still getting warmed up, it needs their full attention. Everyone was singing along, hugging, crying. Jake expertly performed the song, hitting all of the high notes every time with ease, which is impressive considering he has to perform this every night.
Two Fingers was another notable moment in the show. The crowd all unified by doing the two fingers hand sign as Jake sang the iconic lyrics, talking about his hometown, Nottingham, and his childhood. An issue occurred in the middle of the song and in which someone in the crowd needed medical attention and Jake stopped the song to allow everything to be sorted out and he was checking that everyone was okay. It is clear that he cares about his fans and wants to make sure everyone has the best time possible.
All I Need was the perfect ending to the perfect set. The band was introduced and received the recognition they deserve. Jake then thanked the crowd and said, “it’s been a pleasure coming to your town”. referencing his tour and the purpose being performing in smaller places that don’t get much in the big music scene, so fans don’t have to travel and spend lots of money. This was such a good idea as the venue was still packed out despite it being in the small place of Newcastle-Under-Lyme. I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced such an intimate and unique show in my hometown.
Click here to see the photographs taken alongside this review
