The Used at Electric Ballroom
The Used – The Electric Ballroom – 23 September 2009
Support: Hexes and We Are The Ocean
Words by Brendan Monteiro / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz
Unfortunately I’m just a little too late to catch Hexes set and walk in through the doors of The Electric Ballroom as We Are The Ocean make their way onstage. From their opening chords I can honestly say my attention did not stray from the stage at all, their music is a solid mixture of intense and brutal riffs cross-bred with harmony’s that captivate and an energy unobtainable by many bands. The singing style is much the same, on one side of the spectrum is the angst fueled growls of Dan Brown and on the other is the clean vocals of Liam Cromby. Although fan participation is not the best tonight the guys press on and never give up, a very admirable quality. Some of their new stuff has a slighty raw hollow western feel to it, especially in the intro’s, and it’s gives it a fresh organic spin on the scene. All the songs are delivered with passion and these five young guys show incredible signs of maturity in their writing abilities. Look out for their debut album Cutting Our Teeth which is due later in the year, it’s going to be absolutely huge.
Opening acts aside, It’s obvious that every one in the venue is here for one band only. As soon as the Utah noise mongers take the stage the message is clear. They start the night off with a bang, Blood On My Hands rips through the venue and erupts the crowd like an improvised explosive devise with fists pumping and body’s heaving to it’s infectious hooks. By the time the second song starts there is already a fan on someone’s shoulders, swaying simultaneously with her carrier from below. Empty Without You gives off a really romantic feel and it is in it’s live form that this song really shines out, with a kaleidoscope of rhythmic drums, enchanting melodies and lyrics sung by a room full of devotees that makes it something truly special. Looking around at the faces singing back to Bert, it’s a no-brainer that so many of the people here tonight feel a connection between themselves and the songs. It comes down to the fact that Bert puts his heart in his lyrics, and every word from the frontman is sung with so much conviction that you cant help but be trapped in his grip.
Dan Whitesides command post behind the drums is utterly amazing and surprisingly no police officers were called in during Take It Away, with it’s shotgun muffled blurs pounding from his sticks. Quinn and Jeph do not take a minute to stand still, the energy in the two is crazy tonight and it certainly seems like they are having the time of their lives on stage. Antics that graced the show included an onstage impromptu T-Shirt competition, as no one knew the answer to Bert’s sing-a-long the game was soon enough scrapped with no winner declared. Another strange highlight so to speak was the mexican wave from the rear all the way to the front, breaking on the stage in a collision of spotlights, drums and guitars that give way to Hospital. The most memorable part of the evening though has to be the medley of iconic Used songs, starting with really atmospheric guitar work and light percussion that builds up until the crowd slowly start cottoning on to what song it is. Soon enough The Taste Of Ink whips the crowd back into action with EVERYONE screaming “It’s four o’clock in the fucking morning”. This is one of those shows you only wish would carry on till the early hours!
Setlist: Blood On My Hands, Empty Without You, Take It Away, I Caught Fire, Hospital, Come Undone, The Taste Of Ink / All That I’ve Got / Buried Myself Alive / All That I’ve Got, The Best Of Me, Paralyzed, Pretty Handsome Awkward, Encore: On My Own, A Box Full Of Sharp Objects
