After a breakthrough year in 2024, Manchester‘s The Guest List are ready to capitalise on their success in 2025.
The group have already worked with James Skelly of The Coral, received acclaim from 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins, and announced a huge headline tour for November.
They will also feature at Neighbourhood Weekender next month, performing on a bill alongside the likes of James, Stereophonics, Wunderhorse, and The Wombats.
We caught up with the band to look back on the past year and delve into what we can expect from The Guest List in the near future…
NC: 2024 was a breakthrough year for the band, how do you reflect on how things went last year?
TGL: “The change has been full on but we’re really grateful for the belief people have in us. A year ago we were still in school, so to be playing in Europe and at some of the biggest festivals in the country this summer is hard to get your head round.”
NC: You worked with James Skelly on “London” and “Loose Tongue”. What did you learn from James and what was the collaborative experience like for the band?
TGL: “Working with James really helped us massively to grow as a band. He has such a strong focus on authenticity and band chemistry. He made us rethink how we play and how we arrange songs to sound like a band, instead of 5 people all doing their own thing.”
NC: Kempston Street Studios seems to have a good track record in developing and progressing new bands in recent years. It must be a nice environment to be recording in?
TGL: “There’s a great sense of community at Kempston Street. It’s easy to become competitive with other artists when you’re constantly being ranked on festival lineups, Spotify etc. So to have a place where we all go to record is nice.”
NC: 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins has already announced his admiration for The Guest List, how did that feel?
TGL: “Chris’s support is immensely valuable to us. We were lucky to get his backing so early on. We’ve met him a couple times now and he’s given us some great advice, so hope to catch him again at some point this summer.”
NC: With nearly 8 million likes on TikTok, is it safe to say you have put time into harnessing this platform and social media generally to promote the band?
TGL: “When we started on TikTok we didn’t know it would create the buzz it did. To be able to access the top industry pros as a group of teenagers playing covers in a garage is a bit mad. We tend to just take what we can get from it now. It’s easy to lose sleep over why this video did better than that video but really nobody knows what they’re doing.”
NC: You will be performing at NBHD Weekender next month. A great festival for indie music, how does it feel to be part of the lineup?
TGL: “It’s always been a massive deal for bands in the area, so it’s a bit surreal to be playing it.”
NC: Have you ever attended the festival and do you have any memories here (or in Warrington generally)?
TGL: “I’ve never actually been to Neighbourhood but we shot the artwork for Steel Police in a tunnel in Latchford as the photographer we were working with was based there. There’s some great spots for photos in and around Warrington.”
NC: Your UK headline tour kicks off in November, where are you excited to play and what can people expect from the tour?
TGL: “There are lots of iconic venues on the tour. Brudenell, New Century, King Tut’s, Camden Assembly – most of the bands we look up to have played them. We have a lot of new music to release and festivals to play between now and then so I’m not sure what to expect. We put the set together close to the time based on what we feel will connect us with the audience best.”
NC: How has the Manchester music scene been for the band coming through?
TGL: “It might be cliche but there’s really nowhere else like it. It’s hard for bands to survive in the industry at the minute, but there’s no better place to try.”
What does the future hold for The Guest List beyond 2025?
“Loads of music, loads of gigs. It’s taken a while to find the people we have around us, so we’re glad to now be able to focus just on the writing and performing.”
Head to The Guest List for more information, music, and tickets. Head to Home – Neighbourhood Weekender – Neighbourhood Weekender for festival tickets.
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