Warning: Fangirling Ahead! Jake Bugg at the O2 Brixton Academy

For me, there's nothing I love more than listening to the haunting indie folk creations of  singer/songwriter Jake Bugg. At the tender age of 17, he was scouted to play a set at Glastonbury where he was given a contract at Mercury Records. Two years later and with the release of his second album next month, Bugg is going from strength to strength. After seeing him at Benicassim in July and iTunes Festival in September I managed to get some tickets for his autumn tour. 

From nick-intl.mtvnimages.com

Last Wednesday I headed over to the cosmopolitan district of Brixton, where I went to queue up for the gig that took place at the O2 Academy. Unlike the festival goers and casual music listeners I had encountered at the previous two gigs, there were only a handful of girls as enthusiastic as I was to queue. Our blatant fangirling paid off however when as we sat queuing, Bugg walked past us and casually waved. Much giggling ensued before we all managed to get up and run after him to say hi and tell him how excited we were to see him play. He was nice enough to pose for a couple of pictures too, what a gem. 

                                      From pbs.twimg.com

As venues go, the O2 in Brixton is great due to its small size and sloped floor which means the stage is visible from almost anywhere in the venue. I was pleasantly surprised with the hugely talented warm-up acts that began with Italian-English singer Jack Savoretti followed by Tennessee basedHoneyHoney who provided some much needed Country fun. 

From www.standard.co.uk

For those of us desperate for new music, Bugg didn't disappoint, beginning his set with There's a Beast and We all Feed it, the first track on upcoming album Shang ri La, one that screams intelligence with the line "When my sister suffers/When my mother cries/All I wanna do is look in someone's eyes…here's a beast eating every kind of beauty and we all feed it." 

Kingpin, Pine Trees, new single Slumville Sunrise and the delicious What Doesn't Kill You were also performed, giving us an idea of how magical the new album will be!  

His fine tuned, focussed and authentic performance would not have been complete without Lightning Bolt, Two Fingers, Country Song, Broken and one of my favourites, Seen it All and he definitely created an electric atmosphere. For someone only 19 years of age, his songs contain a huge capacity of life experience and as live acts go, he is by far my favourite. Although some tend to criticise his so-called lack of showmanship, his humble and unassuming air only adds to his charm. 

 His music is a lovely break from the ego-centric, sexist chart music manufactured superficially, written and churned out by a team of people.

I can't wait to see him in February! 

The Mrs Carter Show: Beyonce at the O2 Arena 1st May 2013

Queen of pop Beyonce Knowles arrived in London this week for her current tour 'The Mrs Carter Show' and I was lucky enough to bag myself some tickets back in February! Having seen the singer perform before (I sat in the audience for A Night With Beyonce at the Fountain Studios) I knew she wouldn't disappoint. 

On Wednesday I queued up with friends at around half three in the afternoon, which is a perfect time to go-  we were behind the hardcore hobo-esque fans who had camped out overnight for a prime spot, but in front of the casual queuers. 

After the doors opened at six-thirty, we implemented our plan of action as to where we wanted to position ourselves in correspondance to the stage (you have to be like this in the cutthroat concert-goer world) and managed to be five rows from the front of the main stage. 

The support act of the night was the impressive R&B singer Luke James, who sang infectious tunes like "I Want You" and definitely warmed the crowd up with his sultry singles and rose-giving. 

With a wonderfully heart-pounding introduction video before her entrance, Beyonce is seen in Elizabeth I- esque clothing before bursting on the stage to perform the ever- popular Run The World  and fist-pumping and leg-kicking her way through End of Time.

For Get Me Bodied and Baby Boy, she donned a beautiful black encrusted leotard with sheer cut-outs, finished off with  a cute bejewelled baseball cap complete with cat ears. 

Mrs Carter continued to woo the crowd with Schoolin' Life and Why Don't Love Me?  before placing herself on top of a piano to belt out 1+1 in a dazzling midnight blue jumpsuit. 

The show continued to blow the audience away as Beyonce flew across to a B-stage, situated in the middle of the arena where she mingled with the crowd, inviting them to sing along to Irreplaceableand Survivor.

Next came the much anticipated Crazy In Love and Single Ladies (seen above and below) in which the singer adorned a baroque leotard as she gave the world famous track a Southern remix. 

The star finished the night with unreleased track Grown Woman, which possessed an African theme, along with Halo; heart-felt and emotional, it was a perfect closure to a perfect gig. 

What I love about Beyonce, is her genuine nature, the fact that she interacts with the crowd, belts out infectious numbers and projects an undeniable emotional presence. 

Despite the large number of costume changes, the audience was always entertained by short artistically-obscure videos that distracted us for just the right amount of time. The underlying themes of British regalty and the influences of Africa also intertwined with some '50s pizazz made for a unique visual experience. 

I can't wait for her next album and would definitely go and see her for a third time. I salute you Queen B!

(All photos are mine)