Cast - Verso Media

Some gigs are planned months ahead. Others, like this one, take decades. This was a show that had been 27 years in the making—a musical itch I’d finally get to scratch.

Flashback to Glastonbury ’97

Let’s rewind to June 1997 at Glastonbury. I was there with Watty and a few of his workmates, including Roger Hall. These were the pre-smartphone days, and staying in touch at a music festival was no easy feat. On the Saturday morning, I popped to a newsstand to grab the Daily Mirror, only to return and find my crew gone—vanished. With no way to locate them, I did what any sensible lad would do: headed for the Pyramid Stage alone with a rucksack full of beer and “exotic” cigarettes.

I’d settled in, started on the beers, and as the cigs weren’t quite to my taste, I began trading them for more beer. Then, like fate stepping in, two fellow Felixstonians—Hammy and Rick Burton—wandered by. I called them over, and they stayed with me for much of the day. We caught Ray Davies of The Kinks, who was superb.

Now, a few acts later, Cast were due on. But do I remember seeing them? Not at all. Maybe I bumped into David Jamieson and got sidetracked by whiskey. So, it’s possible I technically saw them in ’97, but I wouldn’t bet a pint on it.

A Long Road to 2024

Fast-forward to 2018 in Birmingham. Another Cast gig was on the cards. I went with my brother, and nephew Macauley tagged along, beers were flowing—and we never made it to the venue. Then came 2020 and Covid wiped out their tour.

So here we are, 2024. Finally. A proper gig. A lunchtime train into London with Hammy (who may or may not have seen Cast at Glasto with me), a stroll through Camden, and onto a venue neither of us had been to before—the O2 Forum in Kentish Town.

Walkaway

The Gig: Cast Prove Britpop Still Has Bite

What followed was more than worth the wait. Cast—John Power, Liam “Skin” Tyson, and Keith O’Neill, with Martyn Campbell from The Lightning Seeds deputising on bass—proved why they’ve remained one of Britpop’s most enduring acts.

The setlist was a perfect blend of the new and nostalgic. Tracks from their latest album Love Is The Call slotted seamlessly alongside anthems from their first two albums. John Power’s solo acoustic rendition of Bluebird was a highlight, while Love You Like I Do and the title track Love Is The Call lit up the crowd.

One particular standout was Starry Eyes—its intro sounding eerily like a slowed-down Teenage Kicks. Give it a listen and see if you agree.

Their set was tight, impassioned, and unfiltered. Cast stood shoulder to shoulder with other Britpop alumni like Kula Shaker and Shed Seven, and with the buzz surrounding the Liam Gallagher/John Squire collab, it’s clear that the so-called Britpop revival is more than nostalgia—it’s necessary.

Here’s hoping it signals the death knell for the lifeless drivel polluting today’s pop charts. Bring back bands. Bring back proper music.