While many bands have been playing anniversary tours lately, The Used are giving fans a unique experience for their 15 Year Anniversary Tour with 2-nights in each city, playing their self-titled release front to back for night 1 and In Love and Death for night 2.
Side Stage Magazine recently caught night 1 of the tour in New York City at the PlayStation Theater. Shortly after 8pm the night’s show began with San Diego-based rock band, The New Regime. The New Regime is the solo project from the talented Ilan Rubin, a Jack of all Trades in music. If you’re wondering why you know the name or the face looks familiar, Rubin has drummed with a diverse group of bands in his career, including Angels & Airwaves and Paramore, and is most notably a current member of Nine Inch Nails. The band’s latest EP Exhibit B was released last year and features the track “We Rise, We Fall” – you can check out the official video now on YouTube!
Shortly past 9pm, the floor of the PlayStation Theater began to fill to capacity with the anticipation of The Used hitting a neon-lit stage dawned in group of mannequins covered in words and symbols. The crowd erupted in cheers for the opening lines of ‘Maybe Memories,’ the first song off The Used, which the band released in June of 2002.
For a band that’s been around for 15 years and has released 6 studio albums, one might think they were ready to slow their set down– this was not the case. The energy in the venue that night was nothing short of electric and for good reason too; that night was a grand celebration. The Used were not only celebrating their accomplishments as a band, but frontman Bert McCracken was also celebrating his sobriety– which he openly declared his 4-year milestone from the stage. The crowd showed their support for McCracken with floor-shaking cheers and applause.
The show was certainly a sight to behold that night as The Used gave probably their best performance to date. It was refreshing to see the band re-energized in a very genuine way. While the die-hard Used fans were there that night singing for the band, what really deserves notice is how the band was there for their fans in the fullest. The connection felt between the audience and The Used was undeniable and present in every note.
As the set played through the self-titled record, McCracken opened up to his audience, sharing various anecdotes about the tracks and emotionally reminiscing about the last 15 years of The Used. The musical journey down memory-lane carried the emotions of the audience all the way through track no. 12 “Pieces Mended.” Not ready to let go of the energy in the room, the crowd cheered and the band proceeded with an encore of “Choke Me,” one of 2 hidden tracks on the album.
The Used’s 15 Year Anniversary Tour continues to hit cities across North America through June – visit theused.net for dates and tickets to a show in your city!
