Cast celebrates 30 years of ‘All Change’ in Cardiff
The band are back and as energetic as ever.
Photo: Press
When legendary The La’s alumni John Power formed with Shack’s Peter Wilkinson back in 1992, the result was Cast, emerging from the Britpop wave with an indie pop vitality. Thirty years on, it’s the anniversary of their debut album All Change (1995) and the current members of the band are back on tour to reflect and pay tribute, as well as try out some new tunes.
After rescheduling the first few shows of the tour due to band illness, it was a strike of luck that they were back and ready to rock’n’roll in time for Cardiff, where they were set to play the famous Student’s Union venue Y Plas. With a myriad of students ebbing and flowing out of the bar opposite the venue entrance, the atmosphere in the building was already buzzing from the get go.
With the crowd gradually trickling in, fans of all ages showed up early for Pastel, who were billed as the support act for the whole tour. Self-described as being influenced by Shack, it’s no surprise that they were given this slot, as their indie shoegaze noise established an appropriate atmosphere for a Britpop-loving audience. With the rhythm guitarist changing his guitar four times in the space of half an hour, it’s certain that they have their sound thoroughly worked out. They have a certain sonic ambience that can’t be argued with and definitely seemed at home up on that big stage.
Photo: Avalon Vowles
With the energy at a high, it was time for Cast. Walking on with wide grins and noticeable enthusiasm, you could tell that the band were really appreciative to be back. They erupted into Follow Me Down, before John Power exclaimed with a Scouse zeal that they would be playing the full album (with some changes to the order for dramatic effect). Ripping through classics like Sandstorm and Fine Time, the band never wavered from being tight and impressive. The rhythmic delight whipped up by the silky bass of Jay Lewis (who has also played with The La’s at certain comeback shows) and the steady crashes of drummer Keith O’Neill, merged together seamlessly with accented flow. Forceful jangly power of lead guitarist Liam Tyson backed the still-strong vocals of frontman John Power.
The All Change section of the set concluded with my personal favourite, Alright, which saw plenty of blokes with their arms thrown around each other, belting the lyrics. You could definitely tell these songs were the soundtrack to many of the audience’s youth. With nostalgia riding its wave, the band moved onto their first encore (yes, there were two), which included some new songs that are set for release on their eighth studio album titled Yeah Yeah Yeah in January 2026. Although less familiar, the audience were just as engaged and the last hour of the set carried the same energy as the first.
When reflecting on the legacy of Cast, it seems like it was a project born out of necessity. All current and previous members are passionate musicians who had previously found success in other bands before being caught up in the ‘casting’ line. The band was, and still is, an essential part of the 90s musical sphere and fit snugly within the melodic realms of the Britpop emergence, whilst simultaneously creating a unique sound of their own.
To quote the very last lyric in the final song on The La’s only studio album, “The change is cast” (Looking Glass, The La’s — 1990), and I can tell you for a fact that it certainly is. The band are just as relevant and tireless today — if you get the chance to see them at any of the rescheduled shows in January, I urge you to.
Yeah Yeah Yeah is out January 30th via Scruff of the Neck. Pre-order here.