It has been 13 years since Nottingham singer-songwriter Jake Bugg‘s incredible breakthrough. Nominated for the Mercury Prize at the age of 18 with his self-titled indie folk debut, Bugg’s ascent was nothing short of phenomenal, and six albums later he’s still going strong.
His latest record “A Modern Day Distraction” was another stellar offering in 2024 and a throwback to the early days, after his 2021 album “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning” stepped away from any comfort zones and made a bold electronic shift into the world of pop, evolving Bugg’s live show.
We caught up with Jake ahead of his return to Tramlines Festival in Sheffield this weekend. As he draws this album cycle to a close with festival shows and more “Your Town” tour dates, thoughts had already turned towards writing the next project.
We discussed what people can expect from the setlist and live show, along with his thoughts on The Leadmill’s closure, Oasis reunion, Jake’s forthcoming tour and plenty more.
“I have many fond memories of Sheffield over the years and Tramlines Festival in particular”, Jake tells Northern Chorus ahead of his Saturday slot on Sarah Nulty’s Main Stage. “The festival is memorable for me personally as it was my first gig back after the pandemic. I remember being incredibly nervous to play that show but it was a great feeling to be back performing live and the crowd were brilliant.”
On what we can expect from his set this weekend, Jake continues: “We always try to play the popular songs that we know people want to hear, although time can often restrict us. With the early songs, I’m grateful for the platform they gave me. And I see it as a snapshot of time, a version of who I was 13 years ago. Playing those early singles takes me back to how I was feeling in the moment I wrote them, which is nice and nostalgic. We’ll mix in some of the tracks from the latest album too.”
Jake refers to the likes of “Two Fingers” and “Lightning Bolt”, which were instrumental in his breakthrough and still feature on many indie nightclub playlists over a decade on. But he also acknowledges the impact of his 2021 record “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning”, which spawned the dancefloor-ready “Lost” and one of his most commercially successful hits to date in the shape of “All I Need”.
His latest album “A Modern Day Distraction” also received major radio airplay, particularly for lead single “Zombieland”, and Jake was pleased with how the album was received but is regretful that the album’s promotion fell short of what he would have liked. “The reception from fans online and at the live shows was great. In terms of promotion, I feel like that could have gone a bit better. But that’s just the nature of the industry today, there was a sense that a lot of people weren’t aware I even had an album out.“
But Jake should be proud of the latest record. It was always going to be a difficult task following up on the success of “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning”, which arrived in 2021 and propelled Jake back into the mainstream. If there was pressure around its successor, it didn’t show, as “A Modern Day Distraction” comprised some of Bugg’s finest work. “Never Said Goodbye” and “Got To Let You Go” were particular highlights.
Speaking about the significant sonic shift in 2021 and the success and attention that ‘Saturday Night, Sunday Morning’ brought, Jake says: “It was definitely a big shift sonically. It took me more into the pop world more than I’ve ever been before, but when things like that happen you just have to embrace it. It was a record I enjoyed making and it did great things for me.”
Jake Bugg‘s live shows have evolved significantly over the years, but particularly since the release of that record. Starting out with just his voice and a guitar, his tours now come with a full band and even backing singers and dancers during recent performances. Jake continues, “If you’d have told me at the start of my career that I’d be making a record like that, and performing live with a full band, backing singers and dancers, I guess I wouldn’t have believed it. But that’s the great thing about music. The journey has some twists and turns and can take you down some unexpected, yet exciting, roads.”
The evolution of the live show, which fans can witness for themselves at Tramlines Festival, is testament to Jake’s commitment to expanding his creative boundaries. This was highlighted in 2023 when Jake opted to perform two sets at the Liverpool Olympia, opening with a solo acoustic set and reappearing with full band after the break. He has since continued with this unique spin for his headline shows.
Jake told us about the thought process behind it: “I suppose it’s partly about finding excuses to play more songs and particularly songs I wouldn’t usually play. It provides a bit more freedom with the setlist choices and people have responded well to it. Like in the acoustic set recently in Reading I played some tracks off the third album that I’ve not played for many years and it felt good. It allows us to create a whole different atmosphere for the show, and then bringing out the full band raises the energy.”
Jake’s Tramlines set arrives at a time when Sheffield is losing an iconic music venue, as The Leadmill closed its doors last month with Miles Kane performing at the final show. Sheffield has been a hotspot for some of the UK’s best bands and artists and The Leadmill has played a key role in this. Along with Tramlines, The Leadmill has provided an aspirational destination for new bands to strive towards and has been a popular stop-off on many national tours.
The Leadmill also hosts a stage at Tramlines Festival and the pair have worked closely over the years to nurture local talent and provide pivotal platforms. Jake commented: “It’s a real shame that The Leadmill has been forced to close. It’s a fantastic venue. Venues up and down the country are struggling and they need so much more support and investment to help the situation, otherwise we’ll keep losing the places that are important for artist growth.”
Bugg’s own “Your Town” tour will take the live show on the road to some rare towns and cities across the UK, including Bath, Southend on Sea, and Portsmouth. “We called it the ‘Your Town’ tour because we want to visit places outside of the traditional city circuit”, he says. “Places and venues we wouldn’t usually go to. I was getting tired of the same cycle every tour so we thought why not do something different. We’re reaching out to new people and putting shows on in places that often miss out, gaining new experiences along the way.”
We closed the chat by asking Jake what piece of advice he’d give to a young Jake Bugg starting out in the music industry. He responded “Maybe I’d advise on taking the third album in a slightly different direction. But then again I wouldn’t want to change the path of the journey. We learn valuable lessons along the way and it has shaped the artist I am today.”
And we couldn’t let him go without asking about the biggest thing in music right now – the Oasis reunion. Jake recently shared his cover of ‘Slide Away’ on social media to celebrate the Oasis Live ’25 tour kicking off. Asked how he felt about the Gallagher brothers being back on stage together, he said: “I think it’s a great thing for music to have Oasis back. Most importantly for the new generation of fans who won’t have seen it the first time around to get to see it now. And the shows are sounding great too!”
For more information on Tramlines head to Tramlines Festival 2025 | Hillsborough Park.
Jake Bugg tickets, music, merch and general information is available here Jake Bugg | The Official Website.
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