There have been quite a few album shows to attend this year but tonight at the Enmore was the biggest I have been too all year, it felt so good being amongst such large numbers of people all in support of a band who are on their 15 year Anniversary Tour. Tonight it is a special performance of their phenomenal debut self titled album.
As soon as the support act Storm The sky finish up their quite amazing set complete with stunning visual display, we are treated some classic pop music hits ( Something Burt confesses to being a fan of in our pre tour interview ). The sound of these pop melodies, we were all content with bopping along too would soon fade from our minds as for when the house and stage lights dim the screaming begins. Now the stage lights flicker in red and a siren echoes out the speakers and when all members take to the stage the noise level in the room just climbs too ear shattering.
The set starts just like you expect and wanted it too with Maybe Memories instantly I can feel the floor bounce from where i am standing down the front and although lead singer Burt McCracken was at the microphone screaming his lungs out it was us in the crowd that would scream and sing even louder word for word not just from the opening song but practically all set long. The hit single Taste Of Ink was next up but before they get into Burt takes the time to gesture to the crowd much love for being here along with the message ‘that if you believe that if music has the power to save the whole fucking planet then put your hands in the air and clap‘ and that’s just what we all did, what an incredible moment to be present for. Before playing Poetic Tragedy we got another touching live music moment as Burt bought on stage his little girl and asked us to all help sing her favourite song the theme song from Play School imagine a whole Enmore filled to the brink with massacrer wearing, dressed head to toe in black, fans of punk, emo hardcore singing an Aussie Kids TV classic, that is something you just don’t see at any live music gig but it’s how us fans of The Used roll.
Knowing the set list is following the album track for track you can get ready to go even harder on your favourite tracks the first example of these would be on Buried Myself Alive we would move about a lot harder, sing louder and go over the barrier. If you know the album you know what comes next but Burt would tease us by saying “we are going to take a small break now and play the greatest song ever written” then its a few bars of Nirvanas Smells Like Teen Spirit before we get the song of glory we all wanted to hear A Box Full Of Sharp Objects. When it came time for On My Own the acoustic guitar comes out and Burt makes a confession that this is one of only two Used tracks he has ever written that still to this day when ever he experiences trouble times it helps him through it. The rest of the set literally plays out just like on the album with hidden tracks and all and Choke Me played for the encore then its mic drop and good night.
There is a reason the Used have been a band for 15 years they deliver awesome live shows, sound spectacular and have written some of the best albums of the genre and tonights show only goes to further prove what i have always known that this album has resolutely stood the test of time and it was so great to be able to hear them play it live.
Review – Chad
Photo Gallery – Christian Ross