The Bug Club

A full headline set from one of the UK's most exciting live bands, arriving in Barry for a summer show at Memo Arts Centre.

The Bug Club bring high-speed, hook-heavy garage punk to the stage, combining deadpan humour, sharp songwriting and tightly packed live energy. This is a full headline performance with support from Casual Smart and Bramwell.

Expect fast, loud, immediate songs built for live rooms, drawn from their new album Every Single Muscle (Sub Pop, 29 May 2026).

The Bug Club return with their fifth album Every Single Muscle, an 18-track collection of sharp, high-velocity garage rock. Short songs, strong hooks and controlled chaos define the record, with tracks such as "Watching the Omnibus", "A Good Day for Dying", "Make It Count" and "My Uncle Warren Drives a Passat".

Produced and mixed by Barry-based Tom Rees at Rat Trap Studios in Cardiff and mastered by Mikey Young, the album captures the band's most focused and immediate sound to date, with continued support from BBC 6 Music and KEXP.

Formed in 2016 by Sam Willmett and Tilly Harris, The Bug Club have built a reputation as one of the most compelling live bands in the UK. Their shows are fast, chaotic and precise, balancing humour with tightly controlled musicianship.

They continue a busy 2026 touring schedule across the UK, with this date at Memo Arts Centre forming part of their summer run.

Support comes from two of the strongest emerging acts on the South Wales circuit:

casual smart
A rising Cardiff band blending fuzz-driven indie rock with emotionally direct songwriting and growing grassroots momentum.

Bramwell
Cardiff-based, combining mod, psych and British guitar influences into sharp, melodic, immediate songs built around strong rhythm and pop structure.

VISITING THE MEMO

Coming from Cardiff? Barry is one of the easiest live music trips on the South Wales coast:

* Direct trains from Cardiff with late returns (22:55 / 23:15)
* Late buses back to Cardiff Central from Broad Street (22:54 / 23:06)
* Around 10 minutes' walk from Barry and Barry Docks stations
* Free on-site parking (130 spaces) plus surrounding street parking

STAYING OVER

A range of nearby accommodation is available in Barry and surrounding areas:

Premier Inn Barry Waterfront - modern hotel close to the venue
Mount Sorrel Hotel - Porthkerry Road, en-suite rooms with parking
The Mount Rooms - central budget-friendly option
Premier Inn Barry Island (Cardiff Airport) - short drive or taxi
Gail's Guest House - local B&B with breakfast included
Three Horseshoes Country Inn - quieter countryside option nearby

MORE INFORMATION

Booking/ticket information: https://memoartscentre.co.uk/booking-information/
Find us: https://memoartscentre.co.uk/find-us/
Accessibility: https://memoartscentre.co.uk/access/

The Bug Club’s name does a good job of introducing the band and their music: a tight-knit, collaborative effort focussed on telling tales of the everyday that we often take for granted, shot through with humour and riffs-a-plenty. Comprising the creative trio of Sam Willmett (guitar/vocals), Tilly Harris (bass/vocals) & Dan Matthew (drums), The Bug Club formed in 2016 in the little-known rock n' roll hotbed that is Caldicot, Monmouthshire. The band were picked up by Bingo Records and released their first single 'We Don’t Need Room For Lovin’ in Feb 2021. The announcement of the EP Launching Moondream One followed.

In Nov 21 the band released the 'Pure Particles' EP including the singles 'The Fixer' and 'My Baby Loves Rock & Roll Music'. So far in 2022 the band have offered the multi-song track 'Intelectuals' and the Two Beauties release featuring 'Lay Down Your Roses' and 'Pretty As A Dog In The Light'. The second half of 2022 will bring us the debut album and more!!!