Motionless in White at the AO Arena, Manchester.

By Soph Ditchfield.

Exposia's 2025 kicked off with a huge show, a band we've been dying to catch for years - the one and only Motionless in White. Originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, the metalcore legends took over Manchester's longstanding arena at what was their biggest show in the city to date.

The night kicked off with Make Them Suffer, symphonic death metal band who have been making some serious waves amongst the community. They were the perfect band to support, drumming up excitement and getting the crowd in the mood for the show to come. It was great to see them show what they can do in a bigger venue.

They were followed by progessive metalcore band, Dayseeker. Following the release of their 2025 album Creature in the Black Night, they've been gaining new fans with rapid growth. They completed the perfect lineup for metalcore fans, and were a fantastic addition to the tour.

And now, what you've all been waiting for. The headliner. No one puts on a show quite like Motionless in White. The pyro, the dancers, and... spinning cats? At least that's what's displayed on the screens behind the stage. The set begins with "Meltdown" from the classic 2022 album Scoring the End of the World. Their stage show is explosive, and with the addition of dance group the Cherry Bombs, lead by wife of Slipknot frontman, Alicia Taylor, every second is filled with a spectacle. "Sign of Life" and "A-M-E-R-I-C-A" followed, the fans singing along to every word.

Chris Motionless is one of the most recognisable faces in heavy music today. With an iconic voice, and makeup done by the incredible Kate Reynolds, he stunned in person, wearing a Cure t-shirt for the Manchester show. He commanded the crowd with ease, guiding us through "Werewolf" and "Cyberhex", a prime example of how to be a frontman. Despite having several lineup changes since their formation in 2004, the band are as one on the stage, each committed to the performance and every track, taking in the crowd.

On January 28th 2026, Motionless in White released their most recent single "Afraid of the Dark", to phenomenal reception. The band have so much more to give, and I can't wait to see what's next. Hearing the new song live took it to new heights, and it was a highlight of the evening. "Slaughterhouse" was another standout moment.

The night came to an end with "Another Life" and "Eternally Yours". It's a known fact Motionless in White are second to none when it comes to their live performances. Seeing it live was something else. Every song was a masterpiece, every pyro perfectly timed, each one taking the audience's breath away. They're a band with endless adoring fans, no doubt who have seen them many times before, but this show could never get old. With surprises round every corner and clearly creative minds behind the whole thing, it's a sure thing their future tours will be just as much of a spectacle, just as electrifying. It was such a perfect way to kick off our 2025, and what a standard this show has set for the rest of the year to follow. We went in with high expectations, but Motionless in White went above and beyond in every possible way.