:: The Used - Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne - March 2010

By: April Chaplin

The Used played Melbourne’s Hi Fi Bar on March 16 and, having been a long time fan but never seeing the band live, I was very interested to see if they were as amazing in the flesh as they are in my bedroom with April as lead vocalist and ‘wardrobe’, ‘bed’ and ‘curtains’ as my band mates. So I dusted off my obligatory black ensemble and headed on down, noting once I arrived such an eclectic array of music lovers gathering to see a band often viewed as only for the ‘emos’ or the ‘Goths’.

The show was loud, entertaining, and funny, just as a true live show should be. Much to the delight of the crowd who knew all the words, they belted out tune after tune, old and new. Hearing ‘Buried Myself Alive’, ‘Take It Away’ and ‘Pretty Handsome Awkward’ were highlights for me. It was an utter thrill and sent shivers down my spine.

There were mosh pits, the crowd was split into two and then ordered to ram each other, McCracken brought a beverage of the alcoholic variety onto stage and swigged as he told the crowd how much he loved them, flashing his ass and kissing his band mates on the mouth on a regular basis. I have to admit, his antics were amusing. The man himself looking as if he would be more at home in the dumpster behind the venue than on its stage. His hair and clothes were bedraggled, his pants falling down, and he stumbled around like he was high or drunk (maybe he was?)

A disappointment would have to be McCracken’s voice struggling to match his former range. Having undergone a throat operation in mid 2007, the lead vocalist's almost feminine vocal lustre of years (and albums) gone by has been replaced with something below par. Thrusting the microphone into the crowd during the more difficult notes may be a satisfactory tactic for seasoned Used fans but for us first timers (to the shows, anyway) it was a blatant cover up and disappointing. The question has to be asked; whether you want to pay to see someone sing ‘almost’ as well as he or she used to. Once – yes. Again - not likely.

The crowd demanded encore after encore and the band delivered, but the show as a whole ended on a frustrating note as McCracken jumped onto the stage solo, and proceeded to screw around on the drums and pretended to know what he was doing – for fifteen minutes. The bored crowd dispersed and only a few die-hards were left to hear McCracken swear profusely and tell them that he ‘hated everyone’ and wished they would all ‘go f**k off and die.’ I’d be angry too if I used to be able to sing well. Overall, an experience, but not one I would want to repeat.