The Used Return to the Northeast for Two Special Nights

After over a year of waiting, The Used finally made their return to New Jersey.

The band brought their two-night-only run to the Borgata Event Center in Atlantic City on July 19, with The Color Fred joining as the opening act for both shows. The Atlantic City performance marked the first of the two special nights, giving New Jersey fans the chance to finally see the band back onstage.

Hanging above the crowd was The Used’s iconic heart logo, glowing red and pulsing with the music as everyone waited for the show to begin. Once the lights went down, the room erupted as Bert McCracken opened the night with his signature scream, “Kickin’ it out!”

The band wasted no time transitioning straight into “Take It Away” and “The Bird and the Worm,”  after a killer opening of “Pretty Handsome Awkward,” creating a three-song opening run that immediately had the entire room covered in goosebumps.

The setlist moved through every era of The Used’s career, from MEDZ to their self-titled debut and everything in between. Songs like “Buried Myself Alive” and “All That I’ve Got” brought some of the biggest reactions of the night, while “The Ripper” and “Listening” showed the range of a catalog that has continued to connect with fans for over two decades.

There was something special about seeing so many different generations gathered in one room for the same reason. Kids experiencing their first The Used show stood alongside fans who have been there since the beginning, with every person in the venue sharing the same excitement.

The connection between the band and the crowd was on full display during “Paralyzed,” when McCracken’s brought 20 fans onstage to experience the song alongside them. Throughout the entire set, McCracken kept the microphone aimed at the crowd, letting fans take over sections of songs and sing the words right back to the band. The audience was so loud that at times they were louder than the band themselves, proving just how much these songs still mean to the people who have listened to them since the beginning.

McCracken’s vocals remained the centerpiece of the performance, carrying the same emotion and intensity that has always defined The Used’s sound. Backed by Jeph Howard and Joey Bradford’s harmonies, the songs felt just as powerful live as they do on record, while Dan Whitesides brought you that unmistakable beat that can’t help but make you move.

The show ended on the highest note possible. “The Taste of Ink” brought out crowd surfers and one of the loudest singalongs of the night before “A Box Full of Sharp Objects”. The band closed out the evening with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” paying tribute to one of their biggest influences since the beginning.

The Used’s return to New Jersey was a long-awaited one, but the band made sure it was worth the wait. With their next stop at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on July 22, fans still have the chance to catch the band live and experience the energy that continues to make their shows so special.

Photos and review by Bek Allegretti