The Used 25 Year Anniversary @ The Filmore Detroit
Three nights in the same city, a full album each night. That was the formula for The Used’s 25-year anniversary tour, celebrating the first three albums that helped cement them as one of emo’s top bands.
Each night began with a projection on a white curtain covering the stage, showing old footage of the band playing on a CRT TV. The crowd watched as glimpses of interviews and tour footage flashed before them. It then cut to the CD being played that night, just before the curtain dropped and the music started. The stage, decorated with red carpet and black risers, featured a different themed hanging decoration each night: a porcelain face for the self-titled album, a bleeding heart for In Love and Death, and a box face for Lies for the Liars.
Each show also had a different opening act, featuring local talent. Something that stayed the same across all three nights was how committed the fans were to showing their love, screaming every word, moshing, and filling The Fillmore with energy. These albums shaped a lot of people’s youth, and it was awesome to see everyone reconnecting with music that means so much to them.
Night one we kicked off Detroit’s trio of shows with The Used (2002), their self-titled debut. Released to critical acclaim, it put the band on the map and launched what's now a 25-year (and counting) career. They played the album in order, just like you’d hear it on the CD. Fans, both young and old, sang every word. About halfway through the set, lead singer Bert brought a young fan named Arlo to the stage. Arlo shined in his moment on stage, waving to the crowd, fist-bumping the security, and loving the attention. I have a feeling it’s the first of many times we’ll see him in the spotlight. The whole band was having fun, and before I knew it, the set was over. I was sad it had to end, but excited for what was still to come the following nights.
Night two continued with 2004’s In Love and Death. The Fillmore was absolutely packed for the sold-out show. When I walked up to the box office to grab my ticket and press pass, the line stretched around the building, farther than I could see. Inside, the anticipation was magnetic. Of the three albums being performed that weekend, In Love and Death was the most commercially successful at the time of its release. Even people who aren’t familiar with the band usually know at least a few songs from this album. That popularity fueled what turned out to be the wildest show of the three. At one point, Bert said that this album had saved his life over and over again. Looking around, I got the sense that many people in the crowd felt the same way.
Night three closed out the weekend with Lies for the Liars. Bert was in such great spirits and it was contagious. It felt like a night of unity, especially for those of us who went to all three shows, it was the perfect ending to a shared experience. Mid-set, Bert invited about ten younger fans on stage to dance during the song “Paralyzed.” It was such a special moment, one I know those young fans will never forget. As the show came to an end, Bert said he didn’t want the night to be over, and I felt the same. They closed with the love song “Find a Way,” and then we all stumbled out into the cold Detroit night together.
For these three shows, I drove from Cleveland each night. Those long drives gave me time to reflect on what The Used means to me. They were my first favorite band, and my first concert back in 2010. Hearing them again in their completion instantly brings me back to when I first heard them. It’s nice to look back on the angst I felt back then from a more stable, grown-up place, and appreciate the songs as a time capsule of who I used to be. Some tracks I even understand better now from an adults eye, that I didn’t have before. I know I’ll keep listening to these albums for the rest of my life, and I’m so grateful I got to experience them like this for The Used’s 25-year anniversary.
Photos by Shelly Duncan
The Used
In Love and Death
Lies for the Liars
