I’ve always said that no one sings my pain quite like The Used’s vocalist, Bert McCracken. I realized this in my early 20's when I first heard “Take It Away” off of In Love and Death in 2004 (uh-oh, is my age showing?). Since then, at my most emo and angsty moments, I've turned to Bert & Co. While some of that angst has faded from their sound over the years, The Used are still a positively phenomenal band. They have stood the test of time, evolving when needed, and have still come out on top.
I'm far from lonely, and it's all that I've got...
The Used — made up of Bert McCracken, Jeph Howard, Dan Whitesides, and Joey Bradford — was formed in Utah in 2000. Their twenty-four-year discography boasts multiple gold and platinum status albums, such as their self-titled debut The Used, In Love and Death, and Lies for the Liars.
It's been twenty years since the release of their sophomore album, In Love and Death. Arguably their most influential release to date, the album contains tracks like "I Caught Fire," "All That I've Got," and even their cover of "Under Pressure" featuring fellow emo legends My Chemical Romance.
Fast-forward to the present, where fans of all ages were lined up outside of The Fillmore in Charlotte, NC. It had been quite a while since The Used had come to, or even near, Charlotte, and it was noticeable by the size of the line. The Fillmore is a decent-sized venue holding up to 2000 guests and the fans filled it nearly to capacity. This was almost exclusively a young crowd, and with most donning The Used merch, either dated from this tour or past ones.
The Used's stage setup was sort of industrial, with custom chain link mic stands and caged fence risers. A backdrop with The Used spread across it adorned the back of the stage. They also incorporated smoke cannons. It was simple, but effective.
The band took the stage, one by one, as they leapt straight into "Pretty Handsome Awkward." The impeccable setlist contained mostly older songs, much to the crowd's delight. Some fan favorites were, "Let it Bleed," "Take it Away," "Bird and the Worm," "I Caught Fire," "All That I've Got," and "The Taste of Ink."
Their performance was lively and energetic, with each band member giving it their all! You can tell that the band doesn't take this life for granted and ensures that each performance could be considered the performance of a lifetime. With a setlist full of emo nostalgia, this was easily my favorite live show in quite a while as The Used had a setlist full of emo nostalgia as well as something for those newer fans. I encourage every fan, new or old, to check out a show if the tour stops nearby!
