The Used Deliver a Sold-Out Performance in Riverside Ahead of My Chemical Romance Shows
Ahead of their highly anticipated appearance alongside My Chemical Romance at the Hollywood Bowl, The Used returned to Southern California on Thursday night for a sold-out performance at Riverside Municipal Auditorium. With a packed room of fans ready to shout back every word, the band delivered a fast-paced set that barely allowed the audience a moment to catch its breath.
Before The Used took the stage, Los Angeles rock band Speed of Light gave the Riverside crowd plenty to get excited about. The group has been gaining traction following appearances at Warped Tour and Sick New World, and Thursday's opening set was another strong showing from the emerging act.
For a band more than two decades into its career, The Used showed little interest in slowing things down. Frontman Bert McCracken was in his element, moving between emotionally charged vocals and explosive screams as the band tore through its catalog of hits. The songs came in rapid succession, with little time to recover before the next familiar opening notes sent the room into another round of shouting.
The setlist pulled heavily from the band's earlier releases, including fan favorites “Take It Away,” “I Caught Fire,” “All That I've Got,” and “The Bird and the Worm.” There was plenty for longtime listeners to appreciate, particularly with songs like “Blue and Yellow” and “Buried Myself Alive” making their way into the evening. Drawing from several of the band's most celebrated records, the selection highlighted just how many recognizable songs The Used have accumulated over the years.
Inside the auditorium, the large standing-room floor was packed wall to wall, leaving little room to navigate between fans. Under dramatic blue and white stage lighting, McCracken and the band played to an audience that was just as involved in the performance as the musicians themselves. The crowd sang through entire verses and choruses, with hundreds of voices joining McCracken throughout the night.
That connection has always been a defining part of The Used's live shows, but there was something particularly enjoyable about experiencing it in a room this full. These songs haven't simply remained popular over the years. They've become deeply familiar to the people who grew up listening to them, and Thursday's performance was proof that the enthusiasm surrounding them hasn't faded.
The Used saved “The Taste of Ink” for last, ending their Riverside set with one of the most recognizable songs of their career. It was an especially satisfying way to close a night that had drawn so heavily from the band's earlier catalog. After an evening that seemed to pass in a blur, the final song brought the sold-out crowd together one last time, ending the night on the same enthusiasm that had carried it from the beginning.
