Jake Bugg rides the Lightning Bolt with autumn 2012 UK tour

Jake Bugg

Have you been wondering who that is on BBC 6Music and Later with Jools Holland, strumming a neat little ditty that sounds like a Johnny Cash-cum-skiffle-version of Cast and Beady Eye and hollering about 'Lightning Bolts'? That's young Jake Bugg, that is. Barely out of nappies (sorry Jake, it's a compliment), the fresh-faced Notts teenager is becoming the must-see name of the year, all pretty much on the back of two significant singles. Move over, Ed Sheeran, you've got a new pretender on the block who isn't into pretending. Check out the song on the accompanying video.

His first single-release, the gritty and socially-aware "Trouble Town", sank without trace but follow-up "Country Song", a more plaintive little strumalong, ended up sound-tracking a beer advert for Greene King's IPA. Suddenly, doors were swung open wide for this chipper and talented chappy and festival-organizers have been falling over themselves to sign him up for a slot (or two). Currently, Bugg is booked to appear at (deep breath) Bestival, Splendour, Wilderness, Bingley Music Live and Oxford's multi-venue "Gathering" one-dayer (20th Oct) amongst others, plus he's just finished some Dot to Dot action with a vote for Top Tip for 2012.

With that scuttling little retro-rocker "Lightning Bolt" looking set to be all over radio in the near future, Jake Bugg's next move is to promote himself as a headlining certainty. There's no doubting his confidence after singing his way through a few short tunes on Jools Holland's show recently, so you'd better be ready for him in the autumn. The tour commences on 13th November in Portsmouth, followed by London, Manchester, Leeds, York and Newcastle. We will have tickets on sale from Friday 8th June, priced at £8 - £10.50, with London and Newcastle available now (similar prices).

Paul Pledger