Bowling For Soup - Gig Review - o2 Academy, Bristol

It’s just how it should be. A summary of my teenage years; scenie weenies, greebos in New Rock boots and awkward inbetweeners. Bowling for Soup is a relatively veteran punk-pop band from the 1990’s and they have enjoyed success in three decades. Despite pushing 40, Jaret and co still exude youth in their shows and this night was no different. The o2 academy in Bristol reeked comfortably of beer and sweat on first entry.

 The opening acts, Patent Pending and The Dollyrots, were both impressive considering they are fairly unknown bands in the UK. Patent Pending caters to the “moshers” craving for some rock reminiscent of the late 90’s.  The Dollyrots, with female vocalist Kelly Ogden, who was suitably gazeboed during the set, were Bowling for Soup’s equal. The Dollyrots clearly love interacting with their fans and spent half of their set chatting and pumping up the crowd.

Bowling for Soup made a typically comedic entrance as always with their larger than life lead guitarist Chris Burney and cheeky lead singer Jaret Reddick leading the coop. They opened with older hits such as ‘High School Never Ends’ and their newer song ‘Let’s Go To The Pub’. As they had finished these songs, in true BFS fashion, they stopped to have a chat with the crowd. They are self styled as “The band that waves”, boasting of how they are always dedicated to making their fans feel included and of course, I got a wave from bass guitarist Erik.

There’s always one imbecile who heckles at the band and this time, it went too far. Mid song, one young man decided to throw his iPhone on the stage. Big mistake. Jaret reacted with mock anger and a few mumblings about “f***ing douchebags” but didn’t fly off the handle like many pretentious bands would. The boy in question was pointed out and shamed by the rest of us. Possibly the most awkward and entertaining moment of the night. All in all, an enjoyable throwback to the good old days of wholesome entertaining concerts. Many bands play to the crowd but don’t interact but clearly Bowling For Soup know that just doesn’t work. The proof is in the pudding.

Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg - Album Review

Picture the lovechild of Bob Dylan and Eric Burdon.  Horrible right? Surprisingly, no.  It is unusual to find a modern folk album by such a young artist, untouched, out of reach, from the rut of the British music scene. Sure, Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran picked up a guitar and ashamedly sang about love but there was something missing. A teen with a guitar and the naivety that ‘everything really is going to be ok’ is nothing new but there is something special about Jake Bugg.

Barely in to manhood, Jake, 18, originating from Nottingham, has proved himself to be a real diamond in the rough. Don’t be fooled by his doe eyes, it’s obvious that this lad has seen more than your average middle class teen. His self-titled debut is sure to entice those begging for fresh meat, those craving some country. The crackling vocals and the influence of Dylan is plentiful; it’s almost too good to be true. A throwback to 60s Britain, Jake has managed to bring country-folk forward for a brand new audience to appreciate.

Bugg will have young misfits relating to the angsty album. ‘Two Fingers’ is essentially Bugg’s trophy. Laced with references to drinking and drugs, this track is his literal rendition of life in Clifton, Notts. It speaks to the troubled youth, in a hey-kid-it’ll-be-ok way. ‘Trouble Town’ recounts his feeling of being trapped in his dodgy town, reminiscent of ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ by The Animals. “The only thing that’s pretty is the thought of getting out”. Simple lyrics but straight from the heart. Although the album lacks a diverse sound, if you are a folk fan, this is a winner.

From the bloodcurdling estates to the private schools, he’s encountered a potentially wide fan base in a sea of X Factor puppets. Let’s not forget the baby boomers that grew up during the Dylan era. There is a danger of the mature listener questioning the validity of this perfectly produced package but he is certainly a grower.