The Used wrapped up the Melbourne leg of the 25th Anniversary tour on Monday 25th August at Northcote Theatre, playing their third album in full, Lies for the Liars.
Finishing off a massive six shows for Melbourne, a packed venue eagerly waited for The Used to take to the stage. Lies for The Liars was first released in 2007 and, 18 years later, it’s clear that many of the songs still hold a special place for fans, and for the band. Vocalist Bert McCrackin stated it was their “favourite record to play” because they “never get to play these songs” and they “love the play them”.
The show started with a short-projected video montage of footage of the band from the album’s era, followed by clips of the physical CD. The lights then flashed intermittently on the white curtain that was the projection screen, showing glimpses of the band’s silhouettes, while the instantly recognisable first guitar notes of the opening track ‘The Ripper’ were heard. The fast-paced and energetic feel to this opening song setting the atmosphere high where it would remain for the rest of the show.
The iconic box-head character that graced the album cover art, known as ‘Chadam‘ (a character that even has an animated short web series), loomed over the stage with the eyes synced up to the lighting design. The character was illustrated by artist Alex Pardee, who also contributed visually to several other characters and art pieces on the Lies for the Liars and In Love And Death albums, as well as music videos and merch designs.
Popular singles ‘Pretty Handsome Awkward’ and ‘Bird and the Worm’ had the whole crowd singing along, providing supporting evidence for lead singer Bert McCracken’s next statements of The Used being the “best emo band in the world”.
Joining McCracken on stage was other original founding member, bassist Jeph “Jepha” Howard. While drummer Dan Whitesides did not record the drums on the record Lies For the Liars, he had joined the band before its official release and was part of touring and promotion surrounding the album. Guitarist Joey Bradford joined the band in 2018 but embraces performing the band’s past catalogue with as much love and enthusiasm as the rest of the band members.
‘Hospital’ provided a fun moment in terms of production, with red and blue ambulance style lights flashing throughout and sirens overhead. ‘Paralyzed’ was another clear fan-favourite with its upbeat thrumming repetition. While it was never an official single, the band did release a stop-motion style music video for it, and it is one of the most popular tracks from the album. The Used invited five fans up to the stage to dance along to the song and joked the band “didn’t want to leave Melbourne” and should do “six more shows right here”.
‘Wake The Dead’ was a standout performance, with the heavier beginning section before transitioning into the slower and softer bridge, where every almost every single audience member had their hands swaying side to side. McCracken even commenting it was nice to see some people slowing dancing in the middle of a circle pit. The spooky lighting and scream sound effects adding to the layers of the song.
Between album tracks ‘Liar Liar’ and final song ‘Smother Me’, the band performed a lesser-known B-Side ‘Pain’, a treat for the most dedicated fans. Sadly, the tongue-in-cheek hidden track ‘Queso’ was not played. After their performance, the band came together at the front of the stage to take a photo and bow arm in arm, and handed out roses to the crowd, a happy conclusion to run of Melbourne shows.
This tour had an apparent special feeling for the band and fans alike. A reflection and look back on all the memories of the past 25 years, the good, the bad, and everything in between. The Used’s music has been with fans throughout several life eras at this point, and it’s amazing to see how much of an impact and connection that remains today. The Used shows no signs of letting go of their music career, with ongoing tour plans, and frequent releases over the past years.
Proudly presented by Destroy All Lines, The Used performed their final Melbourne show of their 25 Year Anniversary Tour of their album Lies For The Liars from start to finish on Monday the 25th of August 2025 at Northcote Theatre. The band continues their Australian leg of the tour in Adelaide, Fremantle, and Sydney.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.destroyalllines.com/tours/the-used
https://www.instagram.com/theused
https://theused.net
Photography by Grant Alexander.
