The Used
House of Blues
Chicago, IL
April 2nd, 2025
It’s been twenty-five years since The Used’s formation and decades later they remain intrinsic to the identity of early 2000s emo music. In the year 2000, it would have been difficult to predict their current level of impact and significance. Carrying the weight of mental illness, addiction, and growing up in a state ruled by the Mormon church, their music laid it all out on the table from the very start – A vulnerability and messiness that came to define that cultural moment in time.
It’s no surprise that The Used’s music resonated with so many all those years ago and still does today. “I have all the true diehard fans to thank,” writes vocalist Bert McCracken in tandem with the online announcement of their 25 year anniversary tour at which they’d be playing their first three albums across three nights in over a dozen cities worldwide. “These first three records are what put The Used on the map,” McCracken reminisces. “I can’t wait to experience the joy in playing all three records from front to back.”
Chicago hosted the first shows of this tour, meaning the fans who came out to House of Blues this week would be the very firsts to see the band play their self titled debut, In Love and Death, and Lies for the Liars live in their entirety. We caught Night 3 and the play through of 2007’s Lies for the Liars, the record that contains some of The Used’s most well known songs including Pretty Handsome Awkward and The Bird and the Worm. A projection of clips from the making of the album and voiceover of Bert explaining the themes addressed preceded the curtain dropping to reveal the band onstage ready to open with “The Ripper.” Behind them, a giant fabrication of the boxheaded character that lives on the album cover, designed by Alex Pardee and lovingly known as Chadam.
Their set was quick, with the studio album clocking in at under 40 minutes, but held highlights like Bert inviting a handful of audience members onstage to dance along while the band played “Paralyzed.” The play through of Lies for the Liars delivered live debuts of both the opening track, “The Ripper,” and closing track, “Smother Me.” Other songs like “With Me Tonight” and “Liar Liar (Burn in Hell)” hadn’t been performed live in over 15 years.
Gratitude and awe over the support of the last 25 years permeated every note and every line. The sentients were mutual from fans, many of which spent the night reminiscing on all the times these songs saw them through. Fortunately enough, Chicago will have a chance to catch these performances again when The Used comes back for three more nights at House of Blues on April 25th, 26th, and 27th.
