Julia Jacklin at Rough Trade East

Julia Jacklin

Rough Trade East, 30 June 2026 

It's been about four years since I last saw Julia Jacklin so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see her do a small instore appearance at the always super cool Rough Trade East, promoting her upcoming new album, The Gem. She surprisingly didn't play any new tunes but instead treated us to some old favourites and to be honest, just getting to hear that incredible voice of hers up close with just a guitar accompanying her really was something special.

It's always hard to gage how much of a queue there will be for these Rough Trade events. Sometimes I get there late and I'm still the first in line, other times I'm super early and there's already loads of people already there. This time it was somewhere inbetween with maybe six or so people already there but, even though I got there later than I wanted, thankfully I didn't turn up too late as the queue quickly grew into one of the biggest I've seen there in a while. It was a sold out event after all but it was also clear that Jacklin has a devoted following. She's also playing her biggest London show at Hammersmith Apollo in February next year so getting the chance to see her play even a short show in a place like Rough Trade East (with the album included in the price too!), was pretty exciting.

Jacklin has been playing a few of these instores recently: just before this one in Dublin and the night before in Brighton, where apparently she hadn't been feeling too well. Thankfully she must have been feeling okay tonight and turned up wearing a cute two piece suit, boots and a big smile. 

She picked up her Telecaster guitar and began singing To Perth, Before The Border Closes, her voice sounding so pure and crystal clear as she sang, "don't you know, everything changes." Jacklin performs with her eyes closed most of the time, as if lost in the music, leaning her head back and letting that glorious voice fill the air. Obviously she sounds great with a band but it's amazing to hear her sing without too much accompaniment and let her voice really take centre stage.

When she finishes she opens her eyes and with a big grin tells us, "I got some good news today. British Airways lost my guitar" (lots of disgusted groans from the audience). "Yes. But it has been located" (lots of cheers and whoops!) "It's in Dublin. I was starting to, like, emotionally let go. But hopefully we'll be reunited once more," she quipped. She then lets us know, "I'm just playing a bunch of songs that I've already released" raising her hands, as if hoping we are okay with that. "But I am here because you guys pre-ordered my new album so thank you for doing that. It's good, it's good, I think it's really good."

I was a little surprised by this, as usually these promotional instores are dedicated to playing new songs for the first time. It could be she hadn't rehearsed the new songs and wasn't confident playing them live yet or didn't want to preview the new material too far in advance (the new album actually doesn't come out until the end of September). I must admit I would have liked to have heard the new single at the very least but at the same time it was great to hear the old favourites too.

And the next song really was an ultimate favourite: the glorious Don't Know How To Keep Loving You. I think I've said before that this song has a Cortez The Killer vibe to me, which is the highest praise I can give. Stripped down to its rawest state, with just an unadorned electric guitar, it was all the more haunting and atmospheric, and even without it's big guitar finale that it has with the band, it still reached soaring heights, her voice sounding so much more affecting. It truly was a spine-tingling experience.

She then asked whether we wanted to hear "the hits" or if we had any requests and there was a barrage of song titles shouted at her and a few she fully admitted she had just completely forgotten the words or how to play them and that she would have to start rehearsing some of them before the upcoming tour (I think the girl next to me mentioned Coming Of Age and Jacklin laughed and just said "no" that she couldn't remember that one at all).

Someone though shouted for Hay Plain and while she was tuning up she said that the song is named for the Hay Plains in Australia and asked if anyone had actually been there. One girl shouted yes and Jacklin asked her "what you reckon?" in truly Aussie style. "Incredibly hard to drive in," she answered. "Why?" Jacklin replied. "It's just so long and so flat and boring," the girl explained to which Jacklin laughed and agreed "yeah" nodding her head. "It is long and flat and boring, the song's about that," she grinned. 

She then began to croon "driving home, the road makes me feel smaller" and it sounded so intimate and starkly beautiful, as it slowly swelled to more roaring vocals. Amusingly near the end at the bridge, she sang the wrong lyric and was trying to remember what the next line was, before asking "what is it?" and someone shouting "And besides that truck driver" and she gamely managed to almost seamlessly jump back in and keep the emotion up until the very end. It's funny how little mistakes like that don't ruin anything, just make it even more real, unique and completely special.

She then just said, "Right, I'm going to play Pressure To Party" and of course everyone whooped and she launched right into it. On record it's filled with distorted guitars but tonight it was Jacklin's voice that rose above us all, and had people singing along, and turned into a joyful, cathartic moment. 

Finally she said she only had time for one more song as she was only supposed to play for 30 minutes. It didn't feel long enough as it would only be five songs in all but then each song was quite long (I think Don't Know How To Keep Loving You was over seven minutes) so we really couldn't complain. Jacklin wanted the final song to be a singalong and was asking for tracks we might all know the words to. I can't remember or didn't quite hear one of the songs suggested but Jacklin quickly shut it down, laughing and saying "I don't think that would be a good idea." She settled on Don't Let The Kids Win instead and indeed people immediately began to sing along to this old favourite. 

Jacklin's voice is so rich, warm and velvety, like an old-fashioned crooner, and yet can be soaring and  powerful: she can easily sing tender country ballads or rocking alternative numbers. To be so close to her as she sings and hear it in the flesh in such a small room, really was something else and made me appreciate her so much more.

After she did a signing, with photo cards provided since the album hasn't come out yet, and again I think this was the longest I've queued as I think pretty much everyone there stayed (often many don't wait for the signing) which shows the strength of her popularity. I can no clue what to say to her other than it was a great show but she was super nice and signed "Hi Sharon!" to me.

I was aware she was rightfully not getting too close to anyone, since she hadn't been feeling well the day before and probably didn't want to get anymore sick, and indeed after this she had to cancel the next two instores she was booked to do because she was feeling awful and couldn't sing. I'm super thankful though she managed to play this show and sounded so good (there was only one point during one of the songs when her voice slightly faltered but she managed to quickly regain it). 

What a treat this little show was though and what a lovely person Jacklin seems to be. She didn't play any new songs but it's still made me so excited for the new album.