Photo Credit: Madi Ketley / Words: Abi Hawes

Manchester’s THE GUEST LIST are fast becoming one of the most exciting names emerging from the indie music scene. Combining an energetic live presence, catchy lyrics and brilliant guitar riffs, the five-piece have begun their tour in support of their debut album, SOMETHING REAL, bringing their music to audiences across the country.

The band have already been making waves, supporting some huge names including The Courteeners, Blossoms and DMA’s, alongside making appearances at festivals earlier this year, with further festival performances already announced for next summer. With an ever-growing presence on the live music scene, it is clear that THE GUEST LIST are a band gaining serious momentum and one to certainly watch out for.

Opening their tour in Birmingham on Thursday 5th, the band delivered an evening filled with great atmosphere and, even better, music.

With emerging band SPANISH HORSES taking on support duties, the evening introduced audiences to another exciting new name. The five-piece opened their set with an extended introduction, immediately giving the audience a taste of their distinctive sound. With four members playing guitar, they created a particularly full and powerful sound, establishing an energetic atmosphere from the outset.

Having only three songs released prior to the gig, their confident stage presence certainly helped them stand out. Despite being relatively new to the scene, they appeared comfortable on stage, demonstrating a promising level of confidence. Partway through their set, they announced that they had an EP on the way, performing what appeared to be some of the material from the upcoming release and giving the audience an exciting preview of what is to come.

Amongst their setlist were their tracks HEY MAN (HEY MAN), SOME PEOPLE and CITY I BELIEVE. It was particularly noticeable that several members of the audience were already singing HEY MAN (HEY MAN) back to the band, a promising sign for a group still establishing themselves. Their performance certainly left an impression, and SPANISH HORSES are a band worth keeping an eye on as they continue to develop their sound and build their following.

Before long, it was time for THE GUEST LIST to take to the stage. Opening their set with YOU SHOULD CARE, the second track on their album, it quickly became clear just how much energy the band were bringing to the evening. Their confident stage presence, combined with their infectious guitar-led sound, immediately captured the audience’s attention.

Moving swiftly into IF EVER YOUR DEVIL IS KIND, the recognisable opening notes were enough to get the crowd going. Many arms flew up into the air as the audience enthusiastically joined in, clearly recognising the track and eagerly anticipating what was to come. The band’s ability to get such a reaction so early in their set demonstrated just how well their music was connecting with the audience.

They then moved into MUNDANE, a track with a sound reminiscent of Wunderhorse, combining an alternative indie feel with their own distinctive energy. More members of the crowd began singing the words back to the band, creating an increasingly lively atmosphere. The five-piece maintained an impressive level of energy throughout, with their natural chemistry making the performance feel effortless. They followed this with RUINE, continuing to showcase variety within their sound.

They went onto play WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OUT from their 2024 EP, before going into SICK ANIMAL, a new slower song that highlights the vocal skills of the band. Ironically, the lights went down while all attention was on the band. The next song was PINK, picking the bands pace back up to a more guitar heavy song.

LOOSE TONGUE and 161, both songs released in 2024. LOOSE TONGUE began with its recognisable riff, emphasising the bands raw talent, enforcing their indie sound. The lights and sound became slower, and the audiences’ voices were predominant especially as 161began.

The show truly did prove that THE GUEST LIST have a lot to offer fans, making it clear to see how they are gaining so much success on the indie scene.

The awesome riff for MARY rang around the venue, mixing their guitar sound with truly incredible vocals and catchy lyrics. This song was particularly memorable, as it became evident how many fans the band have gathered, finally getting the recognition they deserve.

They closed their set with three of their hits, beginning with the album’s title track SOMETHING REAL. The band maintained their confident stage presence, delivering the track with the same energy, making the show feel more than just a performance. It was another opportunity for the audience to become involved, with the band’s infectious sound translating particularly well in a live setting. Bringing the song to a close, they told the audience the show was the first in the UK on the tour, before thanking the support and jumping back into a chorus of SOMETHING REAL.

They then moved into SLOW DOWN SALLY, arguably their most popular track, opening the song acoustically. This quieter introduction provided a refreshing change of pace and highlighted just how talented THE GUEST LIST are. Stripping the song back allowed the audience to appreciate the bands talent, before gradually building the energy back up. The song closed with the audience singing the bands words back to them before the band joined in for the final verse.

They closed their set with WEATHERMAN, bringing the evening to a memorable close, finishing the night on a high. The audience joined in for the majority of the songs, but this tune in particular had a louder chant behind it.

It is moments like this that really demonstrate what makes THE GUEST LIST such an exciting live band.

As the set reached its final moments, the band had firmly established themselves as a group capable of not only creating the songs but being able to perform them in a brilliant way. Moreso, it was great to see such a mixed audience, between ages and gender all coming together to enjoy the band’s music.

With the release of SOMETHING REAL marking an exciting new chapter for the band, this tour feels like another important step in their journey. Having already shared stages with some of the big names, THE GUEST LIST are continuing to establish an identity of their own.

If their Birmingham show is anything to go by, they are certainly a band with plenty more to offer, and certainly a band worth the attention.