“EVERY time I’ve played here it’s been a brilliant experience.”

That’s what indie-rock star Jake Bugg said about playing Reading Festival.

The 27-year-old from Clifton, has been touring since he was 17 with a range of smash hits including Lightning Bolt, Two Fingers, and Broken.

He played a secret set at the Festival Republic stage on Sunday (August 29) having played Leeds a day prior. 

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The show was the fourth time Bugg has played Reading Festival, previously appearing in 2012, 2013 and 2014. 

Speaking to the Chronicle before his set, Jake revealed what he thinks makes the festival so special. 

He said: “Every time I’ve played here it’s been a brilliant experience. 

“There’s always a good variety of music at the festival, which is why it attracts a broad crowd. 

“That’s one of the great qualities about it and every time I’ve played it’s been a brilliant experience. 

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“Even when we’ve played on a Sunday they’ve always been there for us which can be a bit tough on the last day of the weekend. 

“But they’re still going strong and having a great time.”

The festival appearances were not the first shows Bugg has done since coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England, however. 

Bugg and his band played shows in Kingston and a number of other intimate venues. 

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Asked what it felt like to be playing to live crowds again after 18 months of lockdown, Bugg said: “It’s been incredible to be honest. 

“It’s all been so long since we’ve been able to be on a proper stage again and I’ve been playing new tunes. 

“It’s been brilliant to see the crowd out there, singing along to the tunes, it’s the best feeling in the world.

Reading Chronicle:

“It was surreal the first couple of shows we played, but then it felt normal again, like how it should be. 

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“But when you take a step back and realise what everybody’s been through and the hard times everybody’s had, it’s what we need and how it should be again.”
The ‘new tunes’ Bugg has been playing include All I Need and Lost from the new album Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. 

By Jake’s own admission the pieces are a quicker tempo than some of his previous work. 

Explaining the new direction, Jake said: “I was more curious to see what my kind of sound and my DNA would sound like with more modern production and modern sounds. 

“Working with the Camelphat guys opened that door to show me it’s possible and let’s see where it could lead. 

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“I’ve always liked my pop music but on the more traditional side, like Bee Gees, Abba, Supertramp, and I thought let’s try something a bit different. 

“When I look at the setlist it gives me an indication of what I might need for the future records. 

“Looking at the setlist I thought I was due a real big injection of pace and energy into the live set. 

“That’s what these songs have allowed us to do and they’ve glued in well with the old songs as well. 

“The new songs have been going down well.”