Monday night was a night for new sounds, the end of an era and comebacks.

Last Monday, I was at the Islington Assembly Hall to see Deaf Havana supported by newcomers Twin Wild and Aberdeen based band The Xcerts. As far as British line ups go, this is a damn fine one. And as far as gigs go, I am happy to announce it was a damn fine one too.

Openers Twin Wild had been announced in the morning as some sort of surprise guests, and considering how thorough the bag search was on the doors (a direct consequence of the Paris attacks), the venue was far from being full when they set foot on stage. They still had a few fans in the attendance and their classy and catchy pop rock should reach more and more ears in the near future. Frontman Richard Hutchison announces there will be new music in 2016, and I, for one, cannot wait.

Since the release of their wonderful album There is Only You last year, The Xcerts have been praised by every publication, added to every festival line up and supported every band you can think of. They have always struck me as a band that is genuinely happy and grateful to be given the chance to perform live, and Monday made no exception. From opening track Live Like This to the album's main single Shaking in the Water and including oldie Slackerpop, every song is a little pop rock treasure, strong dancing material and induces a great amount of singalongs in the crowd. As the Scottish trio closes a flawless set with a heartbreaking, as always, rendition of There Is Only You, they also draw a close on what is, without a doubt, a career defining era for them. Here's to the fourth album, which I am already eager to listen to and dance to in my living room.

Before Monday, the last time I had seen Deaf Havana was at Reading Festival in 2014, where I had only watched four songs before running to the NME tent to cry my heart out to Mallory Knox. Previously to the gig, I had given the band's second album, Fools and Worthless Liars, a listen for the first time in what felt like decades, remembered how much I adored it and found myself very impatient to see the Norwich outfit live again.

As soon as opening track The Past Six Years resonates through the beautiful Assembly Hall, the crowd sings along as one, a fairly wide moshpit opens and people get on their friends' shoulders. The atmosphere is, quite simply put, electric. The best part of the setlist is composed of songs from the band's latest records, 2013's Old Souls and 2011's Fools And Worthless Liars. We are also treated to two new songs, Cassiopeia (released a couple of weeks ago) and a song called England, which could be a good indication as to which direction the next record (which is, according to Matthew Veck-Gilodi, on its way as the band have written a lot of new material) is going to take. Every song, every instant feels like a celebration and many moments are special – notably a gorgeous rendition of Mildred that features The Xcerts' frontman Murray Macleod, or the stunning yet tear inducing version of fan favourite Caro Padre.

On stage, Deaf Havana strikes me as a completely different band to the depressed gang of the past. Is that happiness I sense ? It could be, as singer James Veck-Gilodi thanks us all for waiting for them to "fucking sort themselves out". The encore, closed by the poignant Anemophobia, ends a beautiful comeback performance from the English band and asserts that they are back for good.

Deaf Havana have always, to me, felt like a band that could do anything or go towards any direction – you never know what to expect from them. They can produce the best dancing songs and at the same time, break your heart beyond repair. The only common point between all those songs is how relatable and honest they always are, and it seems that 2016 is going to bring another soundtrack to my life, another album that will be my companion through whatever life brings me, and, most importantly, an album I'll be happy to sing along to in a packed venue with my friends. This is what Deaf Havana are for.