Artist of the moment Jake Bugg has been announced today as the headliner for Nottingham’s summer music festival Splendour. Fresh from playing sell out tours around the UK and gigs in Europe and America, the singer-songwriter is relishing the opportunity to play in front of a huge home crowd in Wollaton Park on July 20.
Jake said: “”It’s great to be headlining Splendour in my hometown and it’ll be my biggest crowd to date. It’s hard to believe I was playing the courtyard stage two years ago! Thanks to everyone in Nottingham for their support.”
Excitement is already building for this year’s festival staged by music promoter DHP – working in partnership with Nottingham City Council – as the last 12 months have seen the Nottingham music scene go from strength to strength. Tickets are expected to sell out quickly once they go on sale on Feb 22.
KT Tunstall, Squeeze and Maximo Park are also in the family friendly line up, with several other up and coming local artists playing over the three stages to be announced in the coming months.
DHP and Nottingham City Council are once again teaming up with NUSIC.org.uk, which helps young Nottinghamshire musicians get exposure and experience within the music industry, with a competition for a local act to take the opening slot on the main stage at Splendour.
DHP has supported Jake over the years from his first proper gig aged just 15 to playing Splendour on the courtyard stage and an afternoon main stage slot in previous years, so this year’s festival is a great opportunity to spot the next breakthrough artist.
DHP’s George Akins said: “Jake is literally the hottest new artist in the country by a mile at the moment so it’s a real coup to have him headline the biggest gig in his home city this summer. The whole of Nottingham will be turning out in their thousands to watch the most successful musician we’ve ever had play his homecoming gig at the Splendour festival.”
Aged just 18, Jake has gone from playing an intimate gig at the Acoustic Rooms, the weekly slot for budding amateur artists at the Rescue Rooms, to becoming the first Nottingham artist to sell out the iconic Rock City with his gig tonight (Feb 15) in the space of months. Now Jake is set to bring his precocious talent to the city’s biggest stage in front of tens of thousands at the Splendour festival.
DHP’s Rescue Rooms promoter Ben Ryles remembers booking Jake for that first gig; “It was late 2009. He was 15, so I had to accompany him and make sure he didn’t drink anything alcoholic! It was obvious even then that he was an incredible talent.”
Jake went straight to no1 in the album charts with his self titled debut released last year, sold out two UK tours and supported Noel Gallagher and The Stone Roses. He’s playing Reading and Leeds festivals this summer and is also nominated for Best Breakthrough Act at The Brits. Jake signed to Mercury in 2011, and is described by the label as the most exciting new singer and songwriter in the UK.
