IT'S now - rather astonishgly -over 25 years since Cast and The Verve were at the vanguard of the more lad rock end of Britpop.

Both emerging from the north west, Cast from Liverpool and The Verve from Wigan, tonight's gig at Delamere Forest, as part of Forestry England’s ‘Forest Live’ concert series, can almost be seen as a home fixture. 

Thankfully the much-predicted biblical downpours have somehow seemed to scud around the beautiful surroundings and while the scene is a little damp it's also somehow fitting to see so many cagoules and buckets hats waiting patiently for their heroes.

Cast, who to their credit remain relatively unchanged line up-wise, burst through a greatest hits set with all the energy they had back in 1995 when their All Change debut became the fastest selling debut album in the history of the Polydor label, outselling the likes of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who and The Jam.

Chester and District Standard: Cast's John Power at Delamere Forest Cast's John Power at Delamere Forest (Image: Paul Dulac)

Alright, Fine Time and Sandstorm and a brilliant Live The Dream all shine in the early evening gloom with frontman John Power on particular good form. 

As well as sharing geographical common ground, Cast and The Verve also shared a producer in John Leckie and the admiration of a certain Noel Gallagher whose rather truculant performance at last year's Forest Live, this writer also reviewed.

Unlike Gallagher, former Verve leader, Richard Ashcroft, seems rather more comfortable with his back catalogue and kicks off with the relatively understated Space and Time off their 1997 monster album Urban Hymns. It's a beautiful song and a reminder that The Verve were not all bluster and arrogance. 

Chester and District Standard: Richard Ashcroft at Delamere Forest Richard Ashcroft at Delamere Forest (Image: Paul Dulac)

Sonnet and Lucky Man spark the first major singalongs before Ashcroft's mixed solo career gets a leg up with the underrated Song For The Lovers and Break The Night With Colour.

The heavens finally do open during a truly anthemic The Drug's Don't Work but it barely seems to matter as the closing Bitter Sweet Symphony has every bloke puffing out his chest, raising his fist and singing the lyrics back at a grateful and genuinely moved Ashcroft.