BUGEYE CELEBRATE NEW ALBUM RELEASE AT THE GRACE
LIVE REVIEW | BUGEYE | THE GRACE, LONDON | Saturday 13th June 2026 by Myles Pearson
With a band like Bugeye, it’s hard to know where to begin. Do you start with the music? The album launch? The seaside-themed chaos? Or perhaps with the fact that before I’d even properly made it through the doors of The Grace, frontwoman Angela Martin was greeting me with a huge hug like we’d known each other for years. Looking back, that first encounter probably told me everything I needed to know about Bugeye.
Supported by The Dead Zoo and Screaming Skys, the evening marked the launch of The Shape of Things, the band’s latest album. Album launches can sometimes feel formal. However, Bugeye had other ideas. From the moment they took to the stage, this felt less like a launch event and more like a celebration.
Opening with ‘Comfortably Numb‘, they immediately established the tone for the evening. Driven by sharp guitar work and shimmering synths, the song perfectly introduced the band’s unique blend of disco-punk and new-wave influences. Their sound occupies an interesting space. There is enough punk spirit to give the songs an edge, enough pop sensibility to make them memorable, and enough dancefloor energy to ensure nobody stands still. It is music that feels vibrant and unapologetically alive.
What makes Bugeye particularly enjoyable is their ability to create an atmosphere around the music. Plenty of bands play songs. Bugeye builds a world. Throughout the set, a wonderfully nostalgic British seaside theme ran through everything they did. The room felt less like North London and more like a bustling promenade somewhere on the coast. At one point, sticks of traditional seaside rock were handed out to audience members. In lesser hands, that might have felt like a gimmick. Here, it felt entirely natural.
The reason it worked is that Bugeye fully committed to the idea. The evening wasn’t simply about performing songs from a new album. It was about creating a shared experience. For a couple of hours, the audience was invited into Bugeye’s peculiar and wonderful universe. A universe where punk attitude and old-school British seaside charm happily coexist.
At the centre of it all was Angela Martin, whose stage presence seemed to mirror the warmth she showed offstage. Some performers remain rooted to the stage, separated from the audience by little more than a monitor speaker, though Angela had other ideas. During the set, she threw herself into the crowd, blurring the line between artist and audience. It never felt rehearsed or forced. Instead, it felt like a natural extension of the band’s personality.
The rest of the band matched that energy every step of the way. Paula Snow’s bass playing provided the groove sitting at the heart of Bugeye’s sound. Lex Giggs brought sharp guitar lines and bursts of punky attitude, adding bite whenever the songs threatened to become too comfortable. Kat Pihl’s synth work painted the room in bright colours, weaving layers of texture throughout. While behind them all, Suzy Gould drove everything forward with energetic, precise drumming, keeping the momentum rolling like waves along the promenade.
What struck me most was the joy of it all. Live music often takes itself far too seriously. Bugeye understands that audiences come to gigs to feel something, and few feelings are more powerful than simple enjoyment. There was an infectious sense of fun running through the room all evening, from the first notes of ‘Comfortably Numb‘ to the end of ‘Hey You.’
The songs from The Shape of Things sounded fantastic in a live setting, though the album itself almost became secondary to the atmosphere surrounding it. This was not merely a showcase for new material. It was a reminder that music can transport people. By the end of the evening, The Grace no longer felt like a venue. It felt like a seaside holiday condensed into a gig, complete with colourful characters, sticks of rock and a soundtrack demanding movement. Not many bands could pull that off without it feeling forced. Bugeye managed it effortlessly.
The Shape of Things is out now on all major streaming platforms, though Bugeye remain a band best experienced live. Anyone looking to join the party can still catch the final dates of the tour at the Nottingham Beer Festival on 20 June and Shared Frequencies Festival in Birmingham on 21 June. Bring your dancing shoes.
