GREEN MAN FESTIVAL LAUNCH SHOW – THE LEXINGTON, KING’S CROSS – 5TH MARCH 2026
Tonight’s show was meant to be headlined by Shame, but unfortunately, they had to pull out at quite short notice. This was good news for me, as quite a few Shame fans returned their tickets, meaning I was able to buy one. Even better news was that The Bug Club were able to step in to headline. Happy days!
The opening act is Casual Smart, who hail from Cardiff. They are apparently still in their teens and certainly look very young. They seem a bit shy, too. They shouldn’t be, because their musicianship is most impressive. There’s nothing at all wrong with their records, but they sound way more powerful live.
Also impressive is that during their first three songs, three different band members sing lead vocals: guitarists Brooke Thomas and Emily Beal, together with keyboard player Peter Martin. Before The Way, Peter makes a joke about gogs. He doubts whether anyone here knows what a gog is. Growing up in North Wales, I do. It’s South Wales slang for someone from North Wales. Yer busted, Peter!
The sound at The Lexington for Casual Smart is not perfect. The guitars are too quiet, and Brooke’s vocals in particular are way too low in the mix. Rowan Phillips’ saxophone adds another layer of interest. They play their latest single She’s My Love, which sounds rather euphoric.
For Devil, guitarist Emily switches over to bass. Peter’s keyboards are ace throughout, and that largely explains why, for most of the set, no bass is required. The song has a slow but pounding middle eight. Emily takes lead vocals on Queen Of Hearts. The song has a pleasantly rolling feel, and the riff sounds like a peal of bells. The harmonies are wonderful too, as they have been throughout the set.
The lyrics include the exclamation “Gordon Bennett!” I haven’t heard anyone say that for years! All too soon, the band’s set ends with Cranes, which has a fantastically cataclysmic ending. Casual Smart have provided us with an outstanding start to the evening. I very much look forward to seeing and hearing them again.
The stage is cleared completely for Jessica Winter, apart from a mic and a laptop. I sometimes feel a bit uneasy when I realise that an artist is going to perform solely to a backing track. I have previously described one artist’s performance (no names) in such circumstances as being “glorified karaoke”. On the other hand, some artists singing to a backing track have absolutely performed out of their skins (hi Billy Nomates). Which category will Jessica Winter fall into?
Luckily, it’s the latter. From the off, Jessica doesn’t just sing — she performs. The opening track of the set is All I Ever Wanted, which is an undeniable earworm. It’s also undeniably electropop, which is not really my kind of music, but when you’re presented with music of this quality, it’s impossible to deny how good it is.
Jessica’s vocals are astonishing. At times, they’re positively operatic, and she’s singing like this whilst prowling the stage. For the last couple of songs of her set, seemingly half of the audience — including most of Casual Smart — are onstage dancing with her. There’s a real party atmosphere. I can’t pretend not to be impressed.
Jessica Winter is a great performer with great songs. She covers the whole stage and owns it. This girl is arena-ready. All she needs is the right backing.
I feel that I’ve neglected The Bug Club somewhat, not having seen them since August 2024. Since that time, both Ben Willmett and Tilly Harris have had haircuts (a particularly serious one in Ben’s case), and Ben has even acquired a pedal board — albeit quite a small one.
Also, since 2024, the band have released two studio albums and have a third, Every Single Muscle, coming out in May. If they carry on being this prolific, they’ll give Neil Young a run for his money. They’ve also acquired a new drummer. I’m not sure what his name is, but apparently, he’s known in the band as Baby Shakes. I’m sure there’s a good reason. He’s bloody good anyway.
For some reason, The Bug Club have always reminded me of Live At Leeds by The Who. Not because they sound like The Who, but because the interplay between the three instruments is very similar to that displayed by The Who on that album. There’s a similarly powerful fluency there.
Most of the set comes from the last couple of albums, with Married being a particular standout. A Bit Like James Bond is dedicated to “a piece of shit” who apparently probably won’t be at Green Man Festival, “because it’s a ‘nice’ festival”. I shall make it my mission to find out the story behind this particular announcement.
Apparently, one of their songs is on a video game. “Dirty sell-outs we are,” Tilly tells us. On Best Looking Strangers In The Cemetery, Ben plays slide with a harmonica, which is not something I’ve seen done before.
All too soon, their set ends with Quality Pints, which is an undeniably barnstorming finish.
If tonight’s bill is anything to go by, the Green Man Festival will feature an embarrassment of riches in its line-up. Naturally, it’s already sold out, but hopefully there’ll be resale tickets. I’ve been praying to the festival gods, so hopefully I’ll be in with a chance.
WORDS & PHOTOS: Mark Kelly
