Manchester breakthroughs The Guest List announce new EP & new single ahead of Nov UK headline tour

Manchester’s most exciting new export, The Guest List, today announce the release of their much-anticipated new EP When The Lights Are Out - out November 7th.

Alongside the announcement comes brand new single ‘Ruine’ - a towering track forged on a brooding, Alice in Chains-inspired riff and shot through with the unflinching intensity of Nine Inch Nails’ Closer. Delving into the pull of destructive obsession with the refrain “I am yours to ruin,” its darkness is fractured by bassist Sid Wallace’s spoken-word French passage, a leftfield flourish that brings both collaborative fire and a sly wink beneath the chaos - listen here & watch the official video here.

A soaring blend of Radiohead-style drama and Oasis-sized anthemics refracted through a modern lens, the band’s upcoming EP captures a generation’s anxieties in vivid detail. Lead single 'Weatherman' warns of the escalating climate crisis: “Mama, my eyes, I saw the city on fire, sinking as the flames rose higher…” sings frontman Cai Alty, before delivering his stark message – “I wrote the song as a reminder that this is not a so-called ‘woke’ issue. It’s destroying homes and lives now, and will only get worse if we do not hold ourselves and our governments to account.”

It’s a song that cuts to the core of what The Guest List are about: indie with immense depth, a heart and a conscience, looking for answers.. Elsewhere, guitarist Tom Quigley calls ‘Mary’ “the most important song we’ve put out”, an emotionally bruised portrait of domestic violence repeating across generations. “It's about understanding why domestic violence repeats generationally, why young women find themselves in the same traps that their mothers did, and how we open the conversation,” says Alty. “It's a story of courage and strength, and I hope it makes people who've struggled feel seen and understood.”

There is also ‘Plasticine Heart’ - an indie beast with shades of Arctic Monkeys’ Humbug and early Muse, as Alty wrestles with envy and self-doubt: “Well your success, it provokes me, it pulls me apart.”

Future single ‘When The Lights Are Out’ meanwhile takes on men’s mental health with a Smiths-esque bittersweet punch, paying tribute to those struggling in silence. Written after Alty discovered that four times as many men as women died by suicide in the UK in 2022, the lyrics cut painfully deep: “God help me, they say I’ve lost touch with the world around me.”

Formed in early 2021, The Guest List: Alty (vocals/guitar), Quigley (lead guitar), Leio Hunter (rhythm guitar), Sid Wallace (bass) and Angus Gilchrist (drums), came together as school friends and music students, initially bonding over a love of The Strokes. Posting high-octane indie covers on TikTok, they quickly amassed over 400,000 followers and nearly 8 million likes, before carving out their own lane with original material. With early singles like Canada, London and Loose Tongue (produced by The Coral’s James Skelly) drawing comparisons to Arctic Monkeys, Sam Fender and Radiohead, the band are rapidly becoming one of the UK’s most essential young acts.

Their rise has been powered by both Cai’s emotive, socially-conscious writing and their formidable live set. The Guest List have supported Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats, Inhaler, Blossoms, Razorlight, The Snuts and The K’s, while a huge festival run in 2025 saw them play Glastonbury, The Great Escape, TRNSMT, Truck, Kendal Calling, Neighbourhood Weekender, Sound City, London Calling and Y Not. Wet Leg’s Rhian Teasdale caught their Glastonbury set, Courteeners frontman Liam Fray has praised their songwriting, and BBC Radio 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins has been an early champion.

While proud of their Manchester roots, the band are keen to break out of the city’s tribal associations. “We have been brought up listening to Manchester bands, but we don’t want to be defined by that,” says Alty. “We want to be seen as a band from Manchester, not just a Manchester band.”

Their upcoming UK headline tour in November has already seen over 5,000 tickets sold, with five shows sold out - including three consecutive nights at London’s Camden Assembly - plus a huge 1,300-capacity hometown date at Manchester’s New Century Hall. It’s a run that looks certain to cement their reputation as one of Britain’s next breakthrough live acts.

With over 5.2 million Spotify streams, 80,000 YouTube subscribers, and a dedicated fanbase cutting across tribes and demographics, The Guest List are making music for now: bold, unflinching and built to connect. With collaborations from visual artist Lydia Smith (@lyds.m.art) bringing striking artwork to their releases, and new music with Bergen producer Matias Tellez already in the pipeline, The Guest List are heading into 2026 primed for a breakout year.

Their upcoming EP proves they have the songs, the vision, and the conviction to match their rapidly swelling grassroots following.

UK HEADLINE TOUR DATES
November
13th CARDIFF, Clwb Ifor Bach

14th BRISTOL, Louisiana SOLD OUT

15th SOUTHAMPTON, Joiners

16th BRIGHTON, Komedia

18th LONDON, Camden Assembly SOLD OUT

19th LONDON, Camden Assembly SOLD OUT

20th LONDON, Camden Assembly SOLD OUT

21st MANCHESTER, New Century Hall

23rd BIRMINGHAM, Mama Roux’s

24th NOTTINGHAM, Bodega SOLD OUT

26th LEEDS, Brudenell Social Club

27th NEWCASTLE, Cluny

28th GLASGOW, King Tuts

29th SHEFFIELD, Sidney & Matilda

When The Lights Are Out - EP Tracklist
1. When The Lights Are Out

2. Weatherman

3. Ruine

4. Plasticine Heart

5. Mary