I ecstatically stepped out of the car on Sept. 30 onto a somewhat busy Olympic Boulevard with the Staples Center visible down the street. A sign that read The Novo lit up the surrounding area as I got on an escalator and observed other people wearing Motionless in White shirts just like I.

Moments later, I walked into a dark room and saw people of all ages standing in front of the stage and talking with those around them. One of the venue personnel scanned my ticket and I proceeded to the back of the crowd which was still fairly close to the stage.

After a bit of waiting, everyone started cheering and I looked at the stage in anticipation. A band began to play which I had not heard of and was surprisingly not on the official lineup. William Control announced who he was and began playing with the rest of his band. I knew him as he was featured on my favorite band’s concept album.

Nobody was headbanging like their life depended on it until the next opening band, Miss May I. They stormed onto the stage and the vocalist began to growl, something very common in many metalcore bands. During the middle of the song Lost in the Grey all of us began to sing along, “We are greater than this! We are stronger than before!”

I had planned to wear my foam earplugs as to not damage my hearing but decided that I should enjoy my first concert without them. I headbanged like I never had before during Miss May I’s breakdowns in the middle of the songs. I felt a sense of joy and belonging that I had never felt before in my entire life.

The Amity Affliction played next, and when they exclaimed that they were going to play their song “Pittsburgh” I yelled out in excitement. That song was the only song I knew by them and it was a great one. It was an experience like no other when the song that I was listening to before the concert was being played live right in front of my eyes!

Before I knew it, the venue was dark and the crowd began to chant “Motionless! Motionless!” I was not ready to see my third favorite band right before my eyes — and there they were! The curtains opened and Chris Cerulli, the vocalist, began to growl as a heavy riff played and all of us headbanged. The guitarist, Ricky Olson, looked just like he did in the band’s music videos, as did everyone else.

During most of the songs two women stood on the stage with props such as sparklers, signs and jack-o-lanterns to enhance the scenery. It seemed like it was Halloween and the decorations were very fitting for a self-described gothic metalcore band.

Motionless in White mainly played newer songs such as “Rats,” “570” and “Reincarnate.” However, older classics such as “Devil’s Night” and “Immaculate Misconception” were played which I really enjoyed.

I was having the time of my life and was not prepared for Chris Cerulli to say “Thank you Los Angeles! Have a good night!” The lights turned dim and everyone cheered, yet an audible “No!” by the crowd could be heard as no one wanted to leave.

Out of nowhere the band came back to play one more song: “Eternally Yours.” This is my favorite song from their recent album Graveyard Shift and I screamed in joy like I never have before. At the end of the song we all sang the chorus as pink flower petals fell down to the ground and Chris said that this show was “one of our favorites of our entire career!” Hearing that made us scream with excitement as we realized how far the decade-old band had come. The band then said their goodbyes and left as the lights turned dim once more.

As I left the venue, I noticed that my legs were in pain from standing for four straight hours. Those four hours were some of the best of my entire life and I will never forget them — never.