Photos and Review by Richard Knowles
The Used photos HERE
This past weekend The Used brought their 15th anniversary tour to Boston, MA and it was something to be seen. The band is currently making stops across the country doing two night gigs as they perform their self-titled The Used album along with In Love And Death. Growing up, these albums were two of my favorites, not only for The Used, but in general. Frontman Bert McCracken’s ability to be vulnerable with knack for expressing himself keeps you coming back for more. That has always been a big reason why I’ve liked this band, you can relate and it actually feels like you’re connected with the artist. A lot of artists want you to read between the lines but with The Used, there are no secrets and no guessing. It’s just you and the lyrics, and for me last Saturday night a connection to my teenage self that I thought I might have lost. I didn’t, it just needed a swift kick in the ass and The Used took care of that.
As I was standing in the photo pit getting ready to shoot I took a peak behind me and just soaked it in, 2000 eager faces just waiting to tear a hole in the House Of Blues. The energy was infectious. After waiting in the pit for about ten minutes the lights turned down and the place went crazy. The band slowly started coming onto the stage and were met with fierce screams, and then out came Bert. Spitting a signature spray of water into the air, the band went right into “Take It Away”. From there it was “I Caught Fire” and one of my personal favorites “Let It Bleed” and at that point it was time for me to make my exit from the photo pit to join the crowd and soak the rest of the night in.
As I sat back and watched the rest of the performance I felt alive again. I was hanging on every word as Bert continued to belt out song after song, keeping the crowd on it’s feet and starting circle pit after circle pit. In the middle of one, I saw a guy drop down on one knee and propose to his girlfriend. That’s what it’s all about with The Used, utter chaos mixed with a lot of love. The band was getting close to it’s last song and after a great break from the madness where they played “Yesterday’s Feelings” to slow things down a bit. You knew they were going to bring it home with a bang, and they did just that, performing “Pretty Handsome Awkward”; turning what was already a adrenaline infused room into a pure hurricane of human emotion that was raining down the blood, sweat, and tears of everybody that was fortunate enough to be in the room that night.
The Used at the House of Blues – Boston
