Supporting, were Leeds band The Plight, who set the standard of the show very high with their Rock ‘n’ Roll meets hardcore sound with great precision and fantastically unique sound, complimented with groovy Every Time I Die Esq. riffs. They play with great confidence and proudly possess impressively catchy songs. Look out for them in the future.

But what was to come, was incredible. Everyone here were to see Modern Life is War, no matter how far they had to travel, a band who are not just a hardcore band, but of the most exciting, passionate and quite possibly important bands of today, and tonight would show exactly why.

Right from the word go, with epic opener ‘The Outsiders’ everyone instantly knew just how special this show would be, just from hearing that iconic guitar riff, and the killer, scream along vocals that Jeffrey Eaton mightn’t bother singing, as the whole crowd screamed “So what the fuck are you doing to do, Kid?” sending them into an absolute frenzy. One of the first things you notice from hearing MLIW is how Eaton’s rough, gritty vocals are so fuelled with passion and anger, it seems so honest it’s untrue. And this is exactly how it is live, except with 100 or so plus young adults screaming everyone word back at him as if their lives depended on it. And really, who can blame them? This is such an effortlessly electrifying performance that even the most hard nosed could have appreciated it.

This was awe-inspiring, mind-blowing and exciting all at the same time, like watching a Mono, Refused and Fugazi show in one go, there really aren’t any words to describe it. As soon as they rolled into ‘My Life, My Way’ classic ‘Clarity’ the whole room was alive and kicking. Quite literally even, as Eaton kept being swallowed by swarms of fans screaming along with him, while other members of the crowd dance, jump and dive as if it was a natural reaction for MLIW’s music.

The set itself couldn’t have been better in typical MLIW fashion, sharing half and half between their two records, (and a Black Flag cover to finish). The absolute greatest moment though was when they tore into the recently acknowledged hardcore anthem ‘D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.’ a personal song about the band’s upbringing and how hard they are working to make their dreams come true, which led to a full-scale stage invasion, which it’s relentless energy and stunning lyrics such as “Twenty eight shows. 28 days. Pulling up new rouges all along the way, I’m just another face in this desperate youth parade.”

This was just stunning. This was worth all the trouble and money put into it. This was, in short, one of the best shows I’ve witnessed. If you needed any proof on how important MLIW are, let this be it. Nights like this make life worth living.