Photo Credit: Cerys Alexa
Marking thirty years since the release of their debut album ‘All Change‘, Cast brought the album to the live setting which saw the Liverpool quartet perform the record in full, plus a series of their greatest hits to a sold out Sheffield crowd.
Opening the show were Manchester shoegaze act Pastel, who have reached new heights since the release of their debut album ‘Souls in Motion‘ earlier this year. Bringing elements of all 90’s sounds plus their own modern twist sets them apart from many others within their niche. Unleashing into their set with the powerful ‘Your Day‘, those who packed out the venue early were already being treated to a ray of magical vocals and big guitar solos that continued into the remaining seven songs. The more calming ‘Isaiah‘ was a welcomed change of pace before concluding with ‘Deeper than Holy‘, which saw the band return with their emphatic guitar solos that served as the big finale for the young Mancs.
Despite it being a Thursday night, the steel city audience sure made it feel like the weekend. Welcoming Cast back to the venue just twelve months on from their last appearance there, this time it was extra special. Opening their ‘All Change‘ set with B-side ‘Follow Me Down‘, before unleashing the album its entirety apart from one song, which will became more clear later in the evening. The usual opener ‘Sandstorm‘ soon came around, and still remains a firm favourite amongst their fanbase no matter where they go. ‘Mankind‘ and ‘Tell It Like It Is‘ bring an element of nostalgia in to the room, with another crowd entertainer ‘Finetime‘ giving the capacity audience another chance to let their voices be heard.
The energy throughout the room continued to rise as the ‘All Change‘ tracks progressed. ‘Walkaway‘ and ‘History‘ may be set list staples, but nestled into the album track listing rather than towards the end of the set was a welcomed addition. The albums’ final track ‘Two of a Kind‘ was followed up by their usual set closing finale, ‘Alright‘ to conclude 30 years of a Britpop masterpiece. Sheffield did not let Cast down as they joined in word for word, leaping from their positions across the room, but there was still plenty more songs to come.
A brief breather for the Liverpool four-piece allowed everyone to gather their composure in time for a fresh set of songs from all eras. Returning to the stage with new material, Cast unleashed their summer single ‘Way It’s Gotta Be (Oh Yeah)‘. The groovier sound may be a shift in direction from the ‘All Change‘ record, but with a positive reaction from the crowd, especially for Skin’s impressive guitar shredding, the Liverpool band weren’t shying away from tracks from their upcoming album. ‘Poison Vine’ and their upcoming single ‘Free Love‘ followed up next before a duo from their previous record ‘Love Is the Call’ entertained the crowd for the remainder of the set.
The band exited the stage once again, this time for a true encore. Now with two songs remaining on the set, Cast made sure there was nothing left on the table by the end of the night. Fan favourite ‘Guiding Star‘ continues to have the whole room singing along, as John Power bounces around in between lyrics, clearly showing no signs of age in terms of stage presence. Bowing out with ‘Free Me’, an extended outro was met with a roaring applause concluded the bands thirty year celebration but also a fresh start with the release of ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah‘ next year.
Taped Magazine 