Light And Shade: Meet The Guest List, Your New Favourite Indie Band
Monday, 27 October 2025
Written by Amelia Jones
With the band sprawled across a sofa even as frontman Cai Alty’s phone is perched precariously on the edge of a table, The Guest List cut a relaxed figure as our Zoom chat gets underway. It’s fitting given how they want to be seen as musicians. “A lot of bands feel very serious right now, and we like showing that you don’t always have to be,” Cai explains. “We’ve got our serious songs but it’s important to have lighter moments. Some of the best bands never took themselves too seriously and we want to do the same.”
Drawing influence from indie-rock staples such as Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks since their formation in 2021, their sound blends catchy riffs, punchy rhythms, and thoughtful lyrics, giving each track a raw yet melodic edge.
The Manchester band — completed by Tom Quigley and Leio Hunter on guitar, Sid Wallace on bass, and Angus Gilchrist on drums — have been hard at work bringing their new EP, ‘When the Lights Are Out’ to life and, fresh from supporting Inhaler on their recent tour, they’re gearing up for their first headline UK run, which kicks off in Cardiff on November 13 and features three sold out nights at the Camden Assembly in London.
What began with a couple of friends playing together in their school jazz band has grown into a tight, creative unit generating plenty of buzz. The Guest List’s mix of considered songwriting and raw energy is connecting with audiences and establishing them as one of the most exciting new indie bands in the scene. We caught up with them to find out more.
What did the songwriting process for this record look like?
Cai: “Most of the songs on this EP I wrote over quite a long period of time. Plasticine and Ruine are newer, but a lot of the material is a couple of years old. They usually start with a melody or maybe just a single line of vocals. I don’t go in knowing exactly what I want to write about — it usually grows. From there, I build the song and then bring it to the rest of the band to shape it together.”
Are there any up and coming bands that are inspiring you at the moment?
Angus: “I think Arkayla, they’re releasing a new EP soon, and the new tunes they’ve been putting out are really strong. We’ve played gigs with them before, so we know them decently well.”
Cai: “Arkayla, Westside Cowboy, Florence Road, they are all young bands putting out great songs. Seeing people our size doing well is reassuring, it reminds you that if you write a good song it will find its place, even if it takes time”
Your first stop on the tour is Cardiff, have you played there before and what made you want to come back?
Cai: “We’ve played two very different gigs in Cardiff, one with Seb Lowe at The Globe and another with The Royston Club. Both crowds were great, though very different. People there are always receptive, and it is such a nice audience to play for.”
Angus: “Cardiff does tend to get hard done by on tours; a lot of bands just skip it. So, when you do come down, you notice how gracious the crowd is. They really appreciate it.”
Can you tell me more about the songs themselves? Let’s start with Weatherman.
Cai: “The line that first came to me was, ‘Should’ve listened to the Weatherman.’ I thought it was a subtle way to approach climate change. I imagined a dystopian world where a kid is trapped in a city and can’t find anyone he knows. I wanted to approach the topic in a way that made it easier to empathise with, and hopefully the song hits harder because people don’t realise it’s actually about climate change until they listen closely.”
Q: And Ruine?
Sid: “With that one, we were bouncing ideas off each other and came up with a verse and riff. We really like Closer by Nine Inch Nails, so this is kind of a tamer version with a similar vibe — it’s about an unhealthy obsessive relationship, but it’s a bit more lighthearted. It’s not to be taken incredibly seriously.”
Cai: “The French intro was a spur-of-the-moment idea. We thought the song was good but felt it was missing something, and Sid speaks fluent French, we thought it added a really different touch.”
Social media is a big part of the industry now and your support act on this tour Cherryholt have recently gone viral. Do you think this helps pack the venues out?
Cai: “Honestly, I think social media matters more for industry connections. People in the business see numbers and get excited, but they don’t matter to the fans. Gigs and releases are what actually builds an audience. When we had a burst of followers on TikTok and YouTube, we still struggled to fill a 60-cap venue. It is hard to translate that online following into real people showing up, but it is definitely necessary to have a presence.”
Your visual identity as a band is really striking. Some people have even compared your aesthetic to Blur. Do you feel those comparisons or is it something entirely your own?
Cai: “I do love Blur, they were quite geeky, weren’t they? I’d say we have got a bit of that going on, not intentionally. On this record, we have worked with some great photographers and videographers, and recently Lydia Miller, a painter from London. Her artwork has been amazing, especially now when everything is digital or AI-generated. It is refreshing to have a real painting for each song.”
Angus: “Lydia was the first artist we were recommended, and we immediately clicked. We hadn’t always been happy with our artwork before. Good artwork can really elevate a track, and Lydia has done that brilliantly for us.”
Looking ahead, what do you hope listeners take away from ‘When the Lights Are Out’ and your UK tour?
Angus: “I think, compared to the songs we already have out, the maturity of the new tracks is a lot stronger than what we’ve released before. Hopefully they resonate with people and feel a bit more memorable, and it’s an EP people keep coming back to and listening to for a long time.”
The Guest List’s ‘When the Lights Are Out’ is out on November 7 through Artist Theory.
The Guest List Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu November 13 2025 - CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri November 14 2025 - BRISTOL Louisiana
Sat November 15 2025 - SOUTHAMPTON Joiners
Sun November 16 2025 - BRIGHTON Komedia
Tue November 18 2025 - LONDON Camden Assembly
Wed November 19 2025 - LONDON Camden Assembly
Thu November 20 2025 - LONDON Camden Assembly
Fri November 21 2025 - MANCHESTER New Century
Sun November 23 2025 - BIRMINGHAM Mama Roux's
Mon November 24 2025 - NOTTINGHAM Bodega Social Club
Wed November 26 2025 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Thu November 27 2025 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Cluny
Fri November 28 2025 - GLASGOW King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
Sat November 29 2025 - SHEFFIELD Sidney & Matilda
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