CAST USE THEIR ECLECTIC ENERGY TO BRING EDINBURGH TOGETHER
GIG REVIEW | CAST w/ Pastel | CORN EXCHANGE, EDINBURGH | 4th December 2025 by Morgan Hermiston
After one of the most memorable summers of their 30+ year history, Cast bring a celebratory show to the Scottish capital. Within the O2 Academy Edinburgh, or commonly known as the Corn Exchange, lifelong fans filled the room to hear tracks from debut album All Change as well as more recently released tunes. With support from Pastel, this was definitely a night to remember.
Kicking off the night was Pastel, a band with roots in both Swansea and Manchester. Their sound and overall addictive attitudes afford themselves to the latter city, owning the stage as they played their short but striking set. They thanked Cast for bringing them on tour, saying that the group’s lead singer John Power had liked their debut album, “Souls In Motion“. Released in January 2025, the record is home to the songs that are continuing to grow them a dedicated fanbase. Tracks like ‘Your Day‘ and ‘Deeper Than Holy‘ went down well with the large crowd, each song being met with loud cheers and applaud.
Pastel are continuing on with Cast for the rest of the tour, as well as embarking on a headline tour of their own in March 2026. A couple of dates are either sold out or low tickets already. Find tickets for a date near you here, they’re not a band you want to miss.
Liverpool headliners Cast – formed by John Power [vocals, guitar], Jay Lewis [bass], Keith O’Neill [drums] and Liam ‘Skin’ Tyson [lead guitar] – made their way one-by-one onto stage with dedicated fans cheering loudly with each person that joined the stage. Immediately igniting an unforgettable set, they kicked things off with songs from All Change, their debut album and the primary purpose of this show. Tracks like opener ‘Followed Me Down‘, ‘Promised Land‘ and ‘Sandstorm‘ were clearly fan-favourites and had everyone singing along effortlessly. Other tunes from the 1995 record including ‘Walkaway‘, ‘History‘ and ‘Alright‘ maintained the momentum of the night.
Cast’s eclectic energy has a way of making you feel a sense of nostalgia, even if you weren’t around in the 90s, like me. They really cater for everyone’s tastes, regardless of where in their musical career you discovered them. For me, I particularly enjoyed the little hints of other bands that are sprinkled in as influential indents from bass riffs reminiscent of the late Gary “Mani” Mounfield‘s work in Stone Roses and Primal Scream, to classic and anthemic britpop elements.
Tracks from the band’s 1997 release Mother Nature Calls like ‘Free Me‘, ‘Guiding Star‘ and ‘Live The Dream‘ also showed that their popularity still extends beyond the realm of their landmark first record. They also played recent singles, ‘Way It’s Gotta Be (Oh Yeah)‘ and ‘Poison Vine‘ back to back which were intriguing additions to the set. The studio versions feature musical icon P.P. Arnold, but it was interesting to see the group’s own twist.
Cast, despite their long-lasting journey so far, were very humble and appreciative of the crowd for turning up. It was quite refreshing to not see so many devices in the air, apart from the odd person recording a moment of a song or two that are staples to them. I’m so glad I was able to catch this gig, they’re an undeniably underrated band with a whole host of uplifting and unique tracks. The laid back nature of both the band themselves and the songs reflected into the audience, and it was one of the most pleasant experiences I’ve ever endured at a gig.
If you can manage to make it to any of the remaining tour dates, I cannot recommend them more. Check out the post below for more information, or you can find remaining tickets for future dates here.
