I arrived at the GrandWest Casino bouncing, but whether that was excitement about the show or the after effects of the Red Bull I had just downed remained to be seen. I decided it was the former and ventured inside to go to find some people I knew. After socialising, queuing and buying merchandise the doors opened and it was time for my dream to be realised.
PH Fat were up first and, though maybe a bit ill suited to the event, got the crowd moving and chanting along with their infectious energy and solid beats. Next up were Lark and this got me excited. It had been well over a year since I had last seen the band and my ears were itching for a taste of the musical goodness that I know Lark can deliver. My ears got a lot more than a taste. When Inge Beckmann announced at the beginning of their set that they would be playing some new material I was a bit apprehensive, but that quickly dissolved as they launched into their first song. Lark have never failed to amaze me as a live act and even two members down they lived up to that reputation.
If the changeover time between PH Fat and Lark had felt too long, the changeover between Lark and Fokofpolisiekar was almost too short. The reverie Lark had left me in wasn't dissipating quickly, nevertheless I forged on and prepared myself for Fokof. Fokofpolisiekar were one of the first bands I saw live as a young teenager and I hadn't seen them in a long time. Though the beginning of their set was marred by some technical difficulties they quickly recovered and the problems were soon forgotten as the crowd surged and shouted, and Francois' on-stage acrobatics got everyone excited. Their final song, their namesake, was the perfect ending to a fun-filled and energetic set.
The air was now filled with an electric buzz as the crowd pushed forward to get closer to the stage and closer to the reason we were all gathered there. The Used took the stage to a massive roar from the crowd and seven years of waiting was finally over, and it was worth it. Bert McCracken was the puppet master and we were his marionette army. The show became a huge game of Simon Says and the audience lapped it up. Every self-proclaimed "best song ever written" was played like it would be their last and when they finally reached their last song the crowd was left out of breath, but screaming for more. The inclusion of On My Own as an encore was beautiful and the moment shared between Bert and Quinn was heartwarming. The final encore of their perennial favourite Box Of Sharp Objects was well chosen and a perfect end to an amazing show.
As I left the arena I had little to say. The entire show had been a dream come true and if Bert's pinky promise to come back in 2012 rings true I will gladly relive the dream.
Photography by Michael-Ray Erasmus
