For The Guest List frontman Cai Alty, touring offers rich inspiration for his songwriting. Each new place and passing encounter he experiences on the road adds further depth to the stories he weaves into his band’s music.
When it comes to performing live itself, the 20-year-old treats it as an extension of his writing — picking up fragments from overheard conversations in packed-out indie venues and fleeting friendships made in unfamiliar cities. So often revered for their lyrics, which capture the frustrations of youth with unpretentious honesty, The Guest List have made a promising grip on the kind of observational, occasionally surrealist hooks that took Arctic Monkeys to the very top 20 years ago.
Having gigged regularly since the release of their self-titled debut EP in 2022, the band were swiftly able to establish themselves on their local live circuit in Manchester while building a sizable fanbase in-person and online. Such momentum has opened doors for the five-piece, with support slots for indie heroes Blossoms, DMA’s and Inhaler all being secured in recent years. That impetus is only set to intensify this summer as The Guest List release their debut album, Something Real, amid a slew of festival appearances, including sets at Reading & Leeds, The Isle of Wight Festival and Latitude.
‘It’s really exciting, seeing the crowds get bigger as we get ready to release an album,’ Cai tells M. ‘That energy kind of feeds into itself. We only expect things to get even better as the album starts to generate buzz… playing live is about making sure our set takes people on a journey.’
M caught up with Cai for the latest edition of our On The Road series to discuss, in his own words, what it takes to flourish as a live act in 2026.
'Playing live is about making sure our set takes people on a journey.'
Cai: ‘Live, we’ve settled into a more confident stride and got better at relaxing on stage. It’s started to feel more like a day job — not in a bad way! — as we can play around with our style and presence on stage because we’re more used to being up there. Not that you don’t still get nervous [before a gig], but you can [experiment with] what you do on stage and how you interact with a crowd because they now know the songs so well.
‘We still find that each show can be very different. Back in November we hit more of the “main” cities, like Birmingham, Manchester and London. Our most recent tour, though, was a bit more off-the-beaten track. We played at Hebden Bridge’s The Trades Club in April, which is a famous venue [frequented by] regulars who go there every week. It was sold-out and the crowd were engaged, but it was less excitable than the usual young crowd we’re used to.
We’re still on a journey, and every night we don't quite know what to expect from the crowd. With those situations, it’s like having a conversation with someone who’s awkward — you’ve got to be more in-their-face to make them feel comfortable, and that’s how the Hebden Bridge show felt. As a band, we need to come across as really confident when the crowd is a little bit quieter — we relish that challenge.
‘Edinburgh is an especially good crowd. We supported Inhaler there last year and have built up a fanbase in the city. It feels like there’s nothing we could do that our fans won’t be excited for! Because it’s exam season, there were a few handwritten signs at our April show there by a couple of girls saying, “I should be revising, but I’m not — I’m seeing you guys!” We’ve also started to get a couple of [people clambering on other’s] shoulders mid-show, which doesn’t tend to happen in smaller venues — the excitement is building!
‘We go down to the merch stand after every show. There's fans who come to multiple shows on a tour and we have the nicest conversations with them — they often ask for specific songs or deep cuts. We’ve started to get presents from fans, too. One girl knitted a doll of me, while one guy has started drawing us playing live from the crowd. To have that impact on our fans is the most rewarding thing as a band.
‘Our run of festival shows this year will come as we’re putting out our debut album. We’ve been working at translating these newer songs to the stage for a long time. Playing at Reading & Leeds is hugely exciting for us because myself, Tom and Leo went to Leeds together when we were 17, so that will be a milestone for us. It’s also looking like we might get to play at a festival in Japan, which would be a massive deal for us.
‘Sometimes it’s harder for us to play festivals because some of our songs are more introspective and darker, which bodes well in an intimate venue but not so well at 4pm at Leeds! You have to select songs to fit the atmosphere and how you carry yourself on stage. When we perform live, I want people to get an honesty and depth from us that they might not get from other bands.
‘Once you meet older musicians who’ve been touring for years and seem so level-headed, you realise why they’re like that. Inhaler, who we’ve supported on two tours, have been really good with us. They told us: “Enjoy this period while you can, because when you’re touring in a small van and staying at motels, that’s the most exciting bit”. Once you’ve got a tour bus it gets more same-y, whereas there’s still a bit of charm to how we’re doing it at the moment.
'When we perform live, I want people to get an honesty and depth from us that they might not get from other bands.'
‘It’s very expensive to tour, what with the price of hiring a van, driver and sound tech, and then staying in hotels every night. You’ve not got much money left, even if you sell out the venues you’re playing at. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t do it. Staying on top of merch, for instance, is a good way of making sure the finances still add up, so getting creative with your merch is a good way of staying afloat. Touring can be enjoyable if you can make it a job that sustains you. That’s the dream: to keep touring and live off that.
‘When I was younger, it took me a long time to understand what PRS is and how it works. But it’s really important that organisations like them, who act on behalf of music creators who don’t necessarily know what they’re entitled to, exist. Musicians are the worst people at knowing what they’re owed, which is why they so often get taken advantage of. It's good to have a [CMO like PRS] which no one can argue with.
‘I’ve been stockpiling my royalties as I’d like to be a producer when I’m older. Building a studio is an ambition of mine. My ideal life would be to write with the band, put music out, tour and then, in the downtime, produce music. Writing is what I enjoy the most and is what I’m best at. I enjoy hearing new music, and the idea that I could write with people when [The Guest List] are not so new and exciting any more would be the absolute dream.’
The Guest List’s debut album Something Real will be released on 28 August. Check out their upcoming tour dates here.
Playing live? Find out how you can earn royalties from your gigs by reporting your setlists to PRS.
Main image credit: Ewan Ogden
