The Guest List goes acoustic with new release.
Since their formation in early 2021, indie rock quintet The Guest List have been making waves in the Manchester music scene. Now, with the release of Acoustic Sessions, the band is taking a step in a whole new direction, offering a twist on their electric sound.
Led by Cai Alty and featuring Angus Gilchrist, Sid Wallace, Leio Hunter and Tom Quigley, The Guest List quickly gained attention with their infectious debut single, ‘Steel Police,’ which dropped in 2023 and led to a sold-out show at Manchester’s Deaf Institute. This kind of buzz helped them land some impressive support slots, sharing stages with the likes of Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats, Inhaler, Blossoms and Seb Lowe. And the good times aren’t stopping anytime soon, as the band are set to take the stage at some of the UK’s biggest festivals this summer, including NBHD Weekender, Kendal Calling, Truck, Y-Not and Victorious.
Now, they’re taking a different approach with their latest release, Acoustic Sessions – a stripped-back EP that breathes new life into two fan-favourites, ‘London’ and ‘161.’
First up, ‘161,’ originally a full-throttle, riff-heavy anthem, is now an entirely different beast. In its acoustic form, the track leans into emotion, layering haunting violin with Alty’s intimate vocals. This new version, which nods to Manchester’s history and the soldiers of World War I, takes on a deeper feel.
Then there’s ‘London,’ arguably one of the group’s most bittersweet tracks. Where the original version carried a punch, this stripped-down rendition allows the heartbreak to take centre stage. The delicate guitar work adds fragility, while the lyrics “leave beneath the London sky” hit harder than ever.