Starland Ballroom was already alive before the house lights had a chance to fade. Three nights to celebrate 25 years of The Used — and I was there for night three, the grand finale of their album-focused sets, this one dedicated entirely to Lies for the Liars.
They wasted no time, opening with “The Ripper” — the kind of opener that doesn’t ease you in, but rather kicks the night into overdrive. The crowd didn’t hesitate. Every body, every voice, every fist in the air — all moving as one, like the room had rehearsed this moment a hundred times before. It wasn’t just the energy that stood out, it was the faces. Looking around, the crowd told its own story. There were teenagers pressed against the barricade, wide-eyed and new to it all, standing side by side with the grown-up versions of their past selves — adults who once lined up outside venues for this same band, now reliving it all through the same lyrics. There is something really special when your legacy lives from burning CDs all the way to streaming. It was a reminder that music like this doesn’t fade; it grows with you.
The Used
But the real spark came during “Paralyzed”. Mid-song, Bert threw down the ultimate fan challenge: whoever could crowd surf to the front first would earn a place on stage. I watched it unfold like a scene straight out of an early 2000s music video — sneakers in the air, hands raised to keep strangers afloat, everyone chasing the same chance to share the stage with the band that had likely soundtracked a chunk of their lives.
The Used
It’s always wild to realize how music holds onto moments you thought you’d forgotten. The second certain songs started, I felt pieces of old memories wash over me — friends I hadn’t thought about in years, heartbreaks I thought I’d outgrown, and the kind of reckless hope only teenage years can give you. The Used pulled all of it out like flipping through a photo album, note by note. Sweeping through classics like "Earthquake," "Find A Way," and "Pain" — you couldn't deny the obvious: this band hasn’t lost an ounce of the fire that first put them on the map.
The Used
The night never stayed in one place for long. Just when it felt like the energy had peaked, another song would drag the crowd higher. One moment the room was floating in slow, swaying unison, and the next it was a full-blown riot — feet leaving the floor, drinks flying, voices straining past their limits. That constant shift between chaos and calm is part of what made The Used’s shows unforgettable. I truly think this is a night I will remember forever.
The Used
Twenty-five years later, The Used is still proof that the right song, at the right moment, can last a lifetime. No matter how much time passes, how much life changes, or how much we grow, these songs still find a way to meet us right where we are.
The Used
