The Used (In The Venue- 4/10/15)

I saw The Used a couple weeks ago, and let me just start by saying the concert was amazing. There were three opening bands. Usually, for me at least, three bands is the point where it seems to get a bit tedious to have to stand through all three sets to get to the main event, but each of these bands brought something new and exciting to this show. The lighting and presentation for each set was also very well done, so I tip my hat at the crew for each of these bands as well as the staff at In The Venue in downtown SLC.

The first of the opening bands were The Eeries, and if you read my review of their EP, you know I love them. I had already seen them once before at the X96 Big Ass Show (or BASH) in  2014, where it rained relentlessly; the show was held in an outdoor venue, The Gallivan Center, so there was soon a vast amount of mud and standing water on the premises. At the BASH, along with playing a great set, Isaiah (lead singer/rhythm guitar) contracted pneumonia and, on a slightly less tragic note, Eliot (bassist) ruined a pair of shoes while he was in the crowd to watch Neon Trees, who headlined the festival. At this show with The Used, I was able to see that they have gotten even better at performing live than the last time I had seen them. They played amazingly well, and they tried to get the audience as involved as they could- though few people, aside from myself, as Isaiah so eloquently put it before performing a new song "know who the fuck the are".  They were able to get people who had no idea who they were before the show to fall in love after a 25 minute set.

The Mamozets went on after that. They are a grunge-punk inspired band made up of two sets of siblings out of West Yorkshire, England. During their set, they were very energetic and brought a different sound to the show that reminded me, personally, of the a Sex Pistols. Becca (lead singer) brought an attitude to the stage that set the tone for their band, and I think that will help this band to become more successful in the future, They have a very loud, guitar and drum based sound, and the vocals are on the cusp of being what I would consider yelling. Each member of the band is very talented and come together with such chemistry that there is no surprise when I found out they were siblings.

Last of the opening bands was Every Time I Die, who were formed in the late 90s out of Buffalo, NY. They came onto the stage with the aura of veteran musician. With ETID came the beginning of the mosh pit, and for me a scary sense of calm. Once the mosh starts, as anyone who has been to a show where this has happened, it doesn't really end until their set does. My favorite part, personally, was the energy and presentation the band had; they were a genuine grunge band with the amazing instrumentals to back it up. One of their guitarist, Jordan, just jumping off of speakers, moving around, and showing that he was really into the amazing music he was making. This band was very easy for me to get into because they brought such a lively presence to the stage.

Now to the main event, The Used. I have also seen The Used at a BASH of the past, and they were lively and caused me to be involved in my first mosh pit; I fell very deeply in love with 90s music that day. At this show, one of my favorite parts was the wall of old TVs that were stacked up on each side of the drum kit; in each TV was the face of someone famous with their eyes covered by a red slash with a light shining through the back of each one, this immediately drew in my attention and guaranteed I would not look away for the rest of the show. during the show, there was a little boy, no older than ten, that was brought up onto the stage and if it wasn't cool enough that his parents were badass enough to bring him to that show, but I could see him singing along to every single song for the rest of the show. Burt (lead singer) brought the energy and political messages that are apart of every one of their shows, and let me tell you, he was fabulous. I, as you could pick up pretty quickly after having a conversation with me, am very interested in politics, so it was especially amazing for me, Each person in the band knew what they had to do to make that show amazing and they executed it perfectly.











After the show, I went and talked to, and cried in front of, The Eeries. They are some of the nicest people I have ever met and they made sure that I got good pictures with them, and I will forever be grateful. Since I did not meet Isaiah that first night, and they were doing a second show in Salt Lake the night after I dragged my mom downtown to try and just speak to them. When I finally did hear them, Nadir (drummer) of all people speaking in his amazing Italian accent, and I freaked out. When they came out from the fenced in area on the side of the venue where the bands' buses, vans, and trailers are held, not only did they remember me from the night before, they remembered that I hadn't met Isaiah, and made sure I got to meet him that second night and that I got all the pitures I wanted to. They were amazing on and off stage, and any time they come to Salt Lake, you better believe I'll be there.

The Used's Website
Every Time I Die's Website
The Marmozets' Website
The Eeries' Website