Got the Bugg?

Jake Bugg has now joined the long list of greats to come from Nottingham — Robin Hood, Alvin Lee, and me. ;-D

Bugg performed a short in-store acoustic performance at M theory in Mission Hills, a great catch for them as the U.K. number-one hit-maker attracted more fans than the store could hold. Many had to listen from outside.

Beginning with the up-tempo skiffle rocker “Slumville Sunrise,” Bugg sounded like a (young) man out of time. Immediately he evoked the era of early Dylan, Buddy Holly, and Woody Guthrie, a far cry for a lad from England.

I haven’t been in the presence of so many teenage girls since my schooldays, a lot of whom had already decided they were going to marry him. Hopefully (for his sake), his appeal to them is more than a cute face.

Most of the set was culled from last year’s Shangri La album (“Storm Passes Away” and “Me and You”), and he slipped in the rare “Strange Creatures.” Only “Lightning Bolt” was played from his eponymous debut.

The maturity of Bugg’s writing and bullshit-free attitude make him an unlikely pop star in today’s “reality” culture, which is commendable on its own. He conversed little between songs, only to mention how it was and wearing all black probably wasn’t the right choice for the day, but he still gave his all and stayed around to meet and greet his fans.

As his limo took him away, young Jake looked exhausted but his future wives were left smiling from ear to ear.

• Concert: Jake Bugg
• Seats: Stage left
• Date: March 16
• Venue: M-Theory Records