The Used is the kind of band that everyone associates with a bygone era of youth at the point of introduction to alternative rock. Only now, we are in a new age where the icons of the past are being resurrected from the grave in the name of commodifying nostalgia with things like “Fuller House,” which Bert McCracken wasted no time on stage denouncing.
This tour did not try to hide its intentions; it was strictly in recognition of the fifteen year anniversary of the release of the “In Love and Death” album. The night they played Boston, The Used played every song off the album, and every single audience member knew the words.
The most striking aspect of McCracken’s performance was how he managed to incorporate the audience into his show, either by entering the crowd himself, or, more impressively, through subtle facial expressions that seemed to break the character of his performance. In doing so, he removed the distance that normally manifests between that of the performer on the stage and the audience members.
He furthered this strong connection by singing to the people up in the balconies, including throwing kisses their direction. The House of Blues can feel like a large concert hall with all three levels, but McCracken succeeded in creating an intimate experience for Boston concert-goers.
Although it would seem that The Used was interested in making the stage disappear, that would be incorrect. The stage had its own role to play in the performance, and it was filled with character. The iconic album art from “In Love and Death” was recreated on stage; only this time, the tree and the fully-functional light-up heart that dangles from its branches were crafted like the set of a play, making it seem three-dimensional as opposed to simply being superimposed onto a flat banner. Because of this, it appeared like the audience was even closer to the stage that was coming out to greet them, and made audiences a part of the spectacle.
Spectacle is the just right word for a concert featuring The Used, a band whose songs are about things like whiskey dick. As Bert so eloquently phrased it, more or less, there are plenty of songs about good orgasms, but there aren’t that many about bad ones. That’s where they comes in—to tell the untold stories of sex and drugs.
That includes the story of Bert McCracken, which almost went untold. He revealed his own struggle with depression when he was writing this iconic album and explained that, “There was a point at the end of this record when I wanted to quit this band and quit this life.”
Bert was able to address how the album not only saved his life, but the lives of countless fans going through the same thing. It has various messages that deeply connected with audiences on an emotional level. That alone has enabled the contents of the album to become timeless, in effect, keeping the tour relevant.
Audience participation has spanned more than just a finite length of time by continuing to listen to the album “In Love and Death.” Apparently, the time that fans of The Used have been given with the album has directly translated to a more sophisticated and premeditated audience participation at live shows as well.
Fifteen years of familiarity with the content of this album has only led to heightened hilarity at their shows. This show in Boston was no exception. There was the standard female admirer who skillfully removed her bra and, with a practiced throw, the purple bra made it to the stage where Bert proudly hung it on his mic. There was also the more impressive feats, if that’s even the right word, of certain audience members who were blowing up condoms like balloons during one of the more sexually explicit songs.
All in all, the performance was as lively as ever, despite the album’s themes grappling with death. Even with the show environment, containing the occasional “wall of death,” Bert gave this act a positive spin: “This is The Used. This is a wall of love and life.”
The Used Perform at The House of Blues
Emo legends The Used played the House of Blues Boston on May 6.
