Despite the crowds starting to get restless in anticipation for the main act to reveal themselves, they were treated to a pleasingly enthusiastic performance from support act Modestep, who bounced along the stage like hyped kangaroos.
Modestep’s ‘Show Me a Sign’ managed to gain the crowd’s affection through their interestingly jazzy style and stage persona which involved much head banging and skirting round the stage arms akimbo. Their infectious enthusiasm really got the crowd going, an adrenaline rush was almost touchable as Lostprophets finally took the stage in full Weapons regalia.
Old favourites such as the ever loved ‘Town Called Hypocrisy’ and ‘4AM Forever’ got the crowd going as lead singer Ian Watkins teased the crowd to sing along with his microphone. However, the pièce de résistance came from the old school anthem ‘Last Summer’. The crowd (especially the front row who were streaked with guyliner) drowned out the band as they sang with a ferocity that led to no less than 17 crowd surfer ejections.
The night showcased all of the band’s classics, whilst they also played new material from their recently released album Weapons, such ‘We Bring an Arsenal’ and ‘Better off Dead’.
Though this did not stop several members of the balcony, who continuously called for the band to sing cult favourite ‘Shinobi vs The Dragon’, a shout which was gleefully ignored until the closing stages of the show to rapturous applause and cries of “Godzilla”.
In combining old favourites with new offerings, the variety of the six piece was evident for all to see, showcasing a hard-line new edge which perfectly contrasted older, more pop-ish tracks.
Watkins’ charisma was easy to see throughout, with a cheeky grin as he crooned out; “I got soul but I’m not a soldier” leaving the crowd thoroughly satisfied at its conclusion.
From my perch on the balcony, I was starkly reminded that I was no longer a 15-year-old member of the mosh pit which was occurring below me. However, the Weapons tour offers all that I love about Lostprophets whilst their new tracks kept me excitedly on edge for the future.