The Used Live in Concert: Who 'New'?

I became a fan of The Used two summers ago while listening to a sampler disc in my shi#y, upstairs attic apartment in Dinkytown, Minneapolis. After being introduced to The Used via The Osbornes on MTV I was less than thrilled to see this band start making it on the "Alternative Market" with it's success. Then after hearing this disc I began to appreciate this group much more. The band was solid, inventive, and the singer Burt (Kelly's former flame) actually has a great approach and delivery. At the same time saying something that has some meaning. This being two summers ago still didn’t get me to rush out and buy an album, but it did keep my eyes open for the band.

Two years pass by and I’m in Rochester, MN after a break up and thinking what the f#$k had happened to me? Then The Used (thanks to a friend that is a fan) came out with an unbelievable album. I have listened all the way through it several times... something you cannot do with most music today. It's a record that has the quality in production as well as song writing to make you want to listen to it all the way through. The first album is fantastic, this album rules. I have become and avid listener of the group, and then WHAMMM... The Used are came to the Quest Club for $15 (OK $30 with all the Ticketmaster bulls#t). So I got tickets and went, thanks to a recently maxed out credit card.

The line moved fast and the atmosphere was one of electric porportions. I saw a lot of the young high school crowd filled with the energy of pep really knowing a friend will be having a keg later. The crowd was definetley a reason why music is changing. This crowd was dedicated, the under 18 crowd does not take anything for granted, the band spits- the crowd swallows.. its beautiful. Then there is the young college crowd, which was more evident than I first anticiapted, followed closely by the 21 and up crowd. This group of fellow audience members took a much milder approach to the whole thing. As the night wore on I noticed I was in a growing crowd with much more love and dedication to this band than I had expected.

With Alternative Press Magazine poster boys opening acts The Plague and Atreyu, the The Used walked on stage. The crowd was already in a frenzy and moshing from the first onset of music off the openers. The heat from the mashed bodies below began to rise to the balcony crowd who were enjoying their cold beer and mixed drinks. The Used came out and started the set with the single "Take It Away" off their new hit record. The album was just released a few weeks ago and the crowd knew every word. I’ll gladly admit, I did as well. It was a high energy show with lights that were much like Pink Floyd on cocaine. The crowd was reminiscent of Nirvana loyalty, shouting back everything on cue.

The band ripped through the set list at a blistering pace only to take a moment to have a little time with the audience. I remember Burt saying something like: "Hello Minneapolis, how the f#%k you doing?". The crowd was as deafening as the Northwest 747's taking off from Minneapolis international. "I guess we have some fans here huh?" He said back to his bandmates while the crowd cheered even louder. He was making his statement a fact in the mind of any critic within a 700 miles. Then I noticed, this band and most apparently Burt had every person in the entire Quest on the tips of his fingers. Its was magic, and I knew that I was witnessing something I hadn’t seen or felt in a long time. This was a band worth all the hype and all the press. I’ve been reading heavily for the past few months, they really had something to offer the disillusioned rock fan.

High fives to the fans in the front, looking everyone in the eye and totally living the moment. Burt was truly amazing! One could go as far to saying he is arguably one of the better frontmen in the business today. What the f#%k did I just say? Yeah.. he was that good. The band was perfect every note, everything about the show, the performance, and then the songs that you thought they wouldn’t play and they did. I think one of the best things about the show was Burt's unrelenting rant on how "what a dumb bitch Ashley Simpson is..." It got the whole crowd laughing and taunting the famous sister of singer Jessica Simpson who had just biffed a lip sync on Saturday Night Live a couple nights before. Until that moment I didn’t know how far Burt would go with his Rockstar platform he was given the other night. He passed the test, proving he is one that doesn’t believe in a fake either.... Perhaps something with his Osborne’s familiarity he had to shake from image? He is uncompromising, and defiant, but has a lovable side all his own. This, backed with a fan base that would jump off the IDS Building in downtown for him is real. A fan threw onstage a Burt Doll from Sesame Street's 'Burt and Ernie'.. Burt picked up the doll and said with out hesitation: " I bet you all want me to bite the head off this thing don’t ya?" The audience responded by going wild.. So what did he do? He did it all with a "that’s what I get for being with an Osbourne" attitude. It was great, a rockstar with a sense of humor about himself. Then he followed it all up with a little private talk with the audience, one that would remind me of a Doors concert of the generations passed. The lights dimmed.. The spotlight closed in on Burt, with the crowd all there at attention. You could hear a pin drop when he was speaking. Going on about how we need to have people close to us and love them. He then urged the audience (if they had someone they loved next to them) to grab them and hold them..... Then came a favorite song of mine.. "Lunacy Fringe."

They finished up the set and left the sold out Quest screaming for more. It was amazing to see the bodies below and the body surfers hopping on for one more ride. Leaving us upstairs wiping the sweat off of our foreheads from the sweltering heat created below. Rising to the roof which had been raised.