The Used Rocks the TCU Amphitheater in Indiana
Words & Photos by Ashlyn Siples | View the full concert gallery here
The Used
September 16, 2023 — Saturday 9/16 marked the day that The Used came to town, bringing Sleeping With Sirens and Dead American with them. The venue, especially the pit, was packed full of fans who’d been sitting out in a bit of drizzling rain for several hours. Some other excited faces in the crowd had even gotten the chance to meet the band(s) before the show.
The night started off with Dead American, a post-hardcore band “with a modern twist” from southern California. The band currently consists of vocalist Cove Reber, bassist Marshall Gutierrez, guitarist Chad Rexton, guitarist Steven Pollock, and drummer Connor Allen. They pride themselves on being “students of the Warped Tour” taking influence from many bands of the era.
Their setlist was mainly songs off of their 2022 EP New Nostalgia. They all had a blast on stage, jumping around and overall just having a great time filling up the amphitheater with their presence. To my surprise, they said this was the second time they’ve played a venue like this - something you definitely wouldn't be able to tell by the way they acted.
Dead American
Second in line for the night was a band I’ve loved since middle school: Sleeping With Sirens. Sleeping with Sirens is a rock band from Orlando, Florida - one you may well have heard of from their Warped Tour days, though they’ve certainly only grown more popular since. The current touring members consist of lead vocalist Kellin Quinn, bassist Justin Hills, lead guitarist Tony Pizzuti, rhythm guitarist Nick Martin, and drummer Matty Best.
Sleeping With Sirens played a good mix of songs new and old, a great choice to make fans who’d followed them through the years and those who’d only heard the top hits happy. They started out the night with “Break Me Down,” a track off their 2019 album How It Feels To Be Lost before throwing us all the way back to 2015 with their song “Kick Me.” Kellin Quinn made sure to get the crowd amped up, leading everyone in the venue to wave their arms and pump their fists in time to the music. My favorite moment of their set was finally getting the chance to hear “If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn”, which has been my favorite since I discovered them.
Sleeping With Sirens
In case you’re out of the loop, The Used is an iconic rock band from Utah. The band is comprised of vocalist Bert McCracken, guitarist Joey Bradford, bassist Jeph Howard, and drummer Dan Whiteside. They self-proclaimed themselves as an emo band that has never broken up in their 23 years since formation, something McCracken made sure to announce at our show.
The Used took the stage with spirits and antics high, appearing from behind a dropped stagecloth and jumping straight into “Pretty Handsome Awkward.” The stage set itself was gorgeous, with artwork draped in the background and pink florals adorning everything from a backdrop to the amps to the front stage risers. McCracken proudly paraded around the state with his floral microphone stand and middle finger held high for most of the show. McCracken also got the crowd to all erupt in a chant of “F*ck you!” along with him, obviously leading into the song with that same title.
The Used
McCracken also made sure to spend a good chunk of time talking to the crowd as well. Once asked how many fans in the crowd had been there since the beginning, around three-quarters of the venue revealed themselves to be long-standing fans. He also asked what everyone’s favorite tootsie roll flavors were, talking bad about anyone who preferred chocolate or vanilla and defending those who liked the lime ones. At another point, McCracken found out a girl in the pit was celebrating her 16th birthday, promptly asked for her phone, took a few selfies on it, and then led the venue along in singing “Happy Birthday” to Kayla.
The Used still has plenty more stops on this tour, so be sure to check them out! You can view the full list of dates and purchase tickets over at LiveNation. It was truly a fun night for everyone involved, and you’ll surely have a great time if you get the chance to go.
