Underoath, O2 Institute, Birmingham - review

Playing two of their most influential albums in full, Underoath wowed fans with back to back renditions of They're Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line in full.

Three shows were playing at the Institute and the queues wound around the streets - when fans eventually packed into the main room of the venue, they were agitated to say the least.

This would be a tough crowd to open up for, but this was a challenge Philadephia's MewithoutYou rose to and conquered with force.

MewithoutYou utilise religious and spiritual imagery within their music, and this is interpreted vividly in their live show with a haunting mix of harmonious vocals and visceral screams, coupled with booming drums and complex guitar solos.

Their set flowed like a vibrant tapestry in the wind, each song weaved into the next effortlessly - and when they did address the crowd, it was to spread messages of love and to let their pain ease away.

Calmed now, the crowd waited with baited breath for the one and only Underoath, and the room erupted when the room suddenly plunged into darkness and air raid sirens filled the room.

It is not often these sirens incite excitement, but the crowd immediately roared and whipped into a frenzy of swirling bodies.

It was as if they had never disbanded - Underoath took to the stage with the energy of a thousand suns and embraced it like an old friend, bouncing from one side to the next.

Their enthusiasm was only matched by their incredible sound - drummer and clean vocalist Aaron Gillespie provided the heartbeat that kept alive soaring guitar solos, spine-tingling synth interludes, a driving bass line and cutting screams that make up Underoath's unique and powerful sound.

"Birmingham, I woke up this morning the most ill I have ever been on tour - but when I got up on stage, something about you guys in this room and your energy just made me feel better" boomed enigmatic vocalist Spencer Chamberlain

And the energy was electric - through smash hits Reinventing Your Exit, Writing on the Walls, It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door, You're Ever So Inviting and more the crowd roared every word and copied the bands every movement, from waving their arms to punching the air.

Promising to return the following year, this mythical tour cannot come quick enough as Underoath reinstated why they are a force to be reckoned with.

The showcased why They're Only Chasing Saferty and Define the Great Line are such influential albums and why they are a live band that you must not miss.