When I brought my ticket it said “lostprophets and special guests”. And special they were indeed!

Welsh rising stars Hondo McLean take the stage with their post hardcore sound, which is O so popular nowadays; they get the show off to a good start. Next up Eighteen Visions from sunny California. Bringing their post hardcore-punk influenced music to dreary Manchester, they take the crowd by storm. Both bands would be considered as support acts, but support is an understatement, they’re so much bigger than that.

So, with a flood of lights the Lostprophets boyos grace the stage, opening with “mosh-friendly” tracks “To Hell We Ride” and “We Are Godzilla You Are Japan”. This emo, metal core band know exactly what hits the spot within the crowd. Tricky guitar riffs and screaming and melodic vocals mixed together that’s what! They flow through the set list smoothly the crowd eating up every word. Speaking of the crowd, it was a healthy mixture of Lee Gaze look-alikes and hormonal girls; they sing every single word back to Ian with the happiest expressions on their face! Everyone seems spellbound by the show, and that’s what it was; not a gig but a show. With choreographed moves and flashy lighting they’ve pulled out all the stops. They finish with Burn-Burn, one last surge of energy from everyone. They refuse to do what other bands do and have an encore, as it’s “bullshit” points out Ian. At the moment Lostprophets are either loved or loathed. But despite criticism they’ve pulled through and are stronger than ever.

Rating Out of 10: