Review and pictures: Dan Maynard

As the decades roll on, we’re lucky to have bands willing to raise the bar, defy the odds, and do things no one else dares to try. Utah’s finest export, The Used, have done just that. While touring an album in full is nothing new—The Used themselves did it with their first two records—what they’ve pulled off now is something else entirely.

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, a milestone absolutely worth celebrating, the band has launched a world tour performing their first three albums—self-titled, In Love and Death, and Lies for the Liars—each with its own dedicated night. And they’re not just playing the tracks; each set is fully themed to match the album’s vibe (more on that soon). With 20 dates locked in across Australia and three already wrapped in Melbourne, Brisbane now gets four nights—yes, four—as The Used take over The Tivoli for a full week. Let’s go.

All the way up from the frosty depths of Canberra, electronic alt-rock five-piece Hands Like Houses are the sole support tonight—and they make their presence felt. Welcomed warmly by the crowd, they kick things off with Wildfire, coming in hard and large with a punch few opening acts ever deliver.

Wasting no time, they blaze through a tight set that includes Colourblind, ICU, and Parasite, throwing everything they’ve got at the room. They close with Heaven, the opening track from their 2024 EP TROPO, draining every last drop of passion into the final notes. The crowd is more than ready.

As we wait for the main event, a white sheet covers the stage, blocking any glimpse of the setup. The lights dim. A video begins playing across the sheet, flashing back through the In Love and Death era—interviews with the band in their early days, live footage, behind-the-scenes moments. The nostalgia hits hard. It ends with a pair of hands flipping through a physical copy of the album’s booklet. The infamous opening dialogue of Take It Away begins to play, the sheet drops. The band hits the stage. It’s on.

Take It Away is one of The Used’s staple openers, and for good reason. The room erupts and the band are locked in. Frontman Bert McCracken can’t seem to wipe the smile off his face and it’s incredibly infectious. From there, they power straight into I Caught Fire, and the room doesn’t stop moving. After Let It Bleed, Bert pauses to dedicate All That I’ve Got to the diehard fans that have been with them from the very start. The connection between the band and fans is palpable, I’m pretty sure everyone in that room has been with them from the start judging by that reaction.

For the past 15 years or so, there’s been a (for lack of a better word) trend of bands performing albums front to back for major anniversaries. And honestly, I’m all for it. I’ve seen a fair share—including this exact album a few years back—and it never gets old. It gives long-time fans the chance to relive songs we grew up with, some we haven’t heard live in years—or ever. And it gives new fans the chance to experience those moments for the first time. It’s always magic. But this? This is something else entirely.

Each album gets a complete visual makeover themed to the album of the night. Tonight, the In Love and Death set design is stunning. The backdrop features the era’s font, the drum riser is skirted with a custom curtain bearing the album title, and a massive soft red rug stretches across the entire stage. Most striking of all is the glowing noosed red heart hanging above and behind drummer Dan Whitesides—iconic, beautiful and haunting. It doesn’t just sound like the album—it feels like it. The atmosphere is immersive.

As the night goes on, the band tears through the album’s tracklist—hit after hit, raw and nostalgic. Listening gets its own circle pit moment as requested by Bert, ending in a massive extended outro. Hard to Say is intro’d with heartfelt words from Bert, sharing the song’s backstory. It’s an emotional rollercoaster—but one we’re all strapped in for, and one we wouldn’t trade for anything.

We reach the final track—and one of the most impactful cuts on the record. When In Love and Death dropped, I’m a Fake was the hidden gem. The spoken-word poem that intros the song became an anthem, memorised and recited by fans worldwide. Tonight is no different. As the glowing red heart casts its light across the stage, Bert and the crowd scream the poem in unison. The extended outro brings the night to a dramatic, unforgettable close.

As Under Pressure by David Bowie and Queen plays over the PA, we spill out into the chilly Brisbane night. We head to our cars. We talk. We relive it all in our heads. And we look forward to what’s next.

Brisbane, if you’ve got any sense, you’ll be at all of these shows—or at least more than one. What The Used are doing here is something special, and the only way to really get it… is to witness it yourself.