The year was 2000, and four guys from Utah decided to start a band. That band would become The Used. Twenty-four years later, that same band (though the members may have changed) took the stage in Norfolk Virginia at The Norva on July 13th. This was the final stop on the tour, and the fans were eager to see what The Used had left.
The night started with a bang when an upcoming rock artist named Amria Elfeky took the stage. Though relatively unknown Amria and her band owned the stage like they had been doing this for years. Amria Elfeky played eight songs announcing to the crowd that this was her first official tour and that tonight being the final show she’d leave it all out on the stage. She did not disappoint and helped start the night on the right foot before more seasoned veterans Story of The Year would take the stage next.
Story of The Year came out to a loud outcry of support from everyone inside the concert venue. They started with a pushup contest between guitarist Ryan Philips and Bassist Adam Russell to get their blood pumping. Though most of the band might be fathers and husbands now, lead vocalist Dan Marsala made it a point to assure the crowd that they still had the same energy that gave the band their start almost thirty years ago. Playing a wide range of songs from their debut album Page Avenue to their most recent release Tear Me to Pieces. Story of The Year knew they had a tough task of setting the stage for the headliner, but they took the challenge head-on and owned the stage like the seasoned veterans they are.
The time had come, the crowd was hyped with anticipation. It was time for the main attraction, the band everyone came to see. It was time for The Used. Known for having fun with their fans, the band started their set by having a rather creepy version of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong played over the loudspeaker followed by an announcement telling the fans that the show had been canceled. Before the fans got too riled up and worried the band took the stage. Lead singer Bert McCracken came out to thunderous applause and praise as the band started the show with their song “Pretty Handsome Awkward.” What followed was a night full of hits mostly from their two most beloved albums titled In Love and Death and their self-titled debut The Used. Proving that they weren’t done yet having fun as a band during the later portion of their set lead singer Bert even did a stage dive into the crowd. Making sure to give the fans everything they had come for, the band ended the night by playing the beloved song “A Box Full of Sharp Objects.”
The night ended with the same high energy that it started with. All three bands though tired from the long tour they had just endured gave the crowd in Norfolk Virginia everything they had left. It was a night of hope as we saw a new face emerge in the rock scene by way of Amira Elfeky, and the guys from Story of The Year and The Used still prove they can rock with the best of them. Only time will tell what the future holds for all three artists. But from the looks of what transpired Saturday night, the future is bright.
Make sure to catch The Used as they embark on their fall tour starting September 21st.
