In recent years, Welsh duo the Bug Club — Tilly Harris (bass, vocals) and Sam Willmett (vocals, guitar) — have been on a prolific tear, and in the process they've built up a lot of love from the segment of Bandcamp users at the intersection of revved-up punk and catchy, ramshackle indie-pop, as well as from tastemakers like BBC 6 Music's Marc Riley. A press release today boasts that the band has "released ten singles, two albums, two EPs, three things nobody knew how to describe, and an album under a different band’s name, all since 2021, and while playing 200+ gigs a year." That hard work has now paid off in a record deal with Sub Pop, who are sharing the band's new single "Quality Pints" today.
Quality Pints is a wild two-minute rager that reminds me of the Buzzcocks and the Vaselines. It's all about something the band has surely experienced during all that touring: the search for a decent beer in various cities around the world. In addition to the explosive punk-rock energy, the song has a hip-shaking rock 'n' roll element, manifested in a rattling tambourine and occasional outbursts of electric-shock lead guitar. Listen below.
TOUR DATES:
Fri. May 10 - Wrexham, UK - FOCUS Wales
Sat. May 11 - Birmingham, UK - The Castle & Falcon
Sun. May 12 - Brighton, UK - Komedia (Matinee)
Sun. May 12 - Brighton, UK - Komedia (Evening)
Fri. May 17 - Clitheroe, UK - The Grand
Sat. May 18 - Sheffield, UK - Get Together
Sat. May 25 - Bristol, UK - Dot To Dot
Sun. May 26 - Nottingham, UK - Dot To Dot
Mon. May 27- Cardiff, UK - City Arms (Matinee)
Mon. May 27- Cardiff, UK - City Arms (Evening)
Tue. Jun. 04 - Bristol, UK - The Fleece *
Wed. Jun. 05 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom *
Thu. Jun. 06 - London, UK - Sebright Arms
Wed. Jun. 12 - Madrid, ES - Siroco
Thu. Jun. 13 - Barcelona, ES - Sala VOL
Sat. Jun. 15 - Andoain, ES - Andoaingo Rock Jaialdia
Sat. Jul. 06 - Usk, UK - The Weekend Rumble
Fri. Jul. 26- Rock, UK - Rock Oyster Festival
Fri. Aug. 02 - Pikehall, UK - Y Not Festival
Fri. Aug. 30 - Brighton, UK - Brighton Psych Fest
Sat. Aug. 31 - Hull, UK - The Adelphi
Sun. Sep. 01 - Edinburgh, UK - Edinburgh Psych Fest
Thu. Nov. 07 - Bournemouth, UK - Bear Cave
Fri. Nov. 08 - Margate, UK - Lido
Sat. Nov. 09 - Bedford, UK - Esquires
Wed. Nov. 13 - Newcastle, UK - The Cluny
Thu. Nov. 14 - Hebden Bridge, UK - The Trades Club
Fri. Nov. 15 - Leicester, UK - The SoundHouse
Sat. Nov. 16 - Norwich, UK - Norwich Arts Centre
* w/ Shellac
