This past week for me personally has been filled with the multitude of ups and downs that comes with a job change and I was super excited to be able to spend the end of my second day at a new job at The Fillmore. There’s something special about live music and its ability to enable a little escapism and being in the moment that makes everything feel like it’s going to be okay. That’s exactly what I was hoping for from my night with the three bands on the Toxic Positivity Tour, headlined by the one and only The Used.
Very shortly after doors, openers Dead American took the stage. The crowd, still trickling into the venue, walked into the sweet sounds of post-hardcore blasting through the venue speakers. Fronted by the familiar face of Cove Reber, Dead American tore through their short but sweet set in what felt like the blink of an eye. Even the snare drum head break after their second song didn’t deter the band; they utilized this unplanned intermission to joke around with each other and the crowd, poking fun at drummer Connor Allen for still having his shirt on after two songs. All in all, Dead American proved to be a fun band to kick off the night.
One quick set change later and Sleeping With Sirens was up on stage to a roar of screams from the crowd. It was honestly very challenging to hear lead vocalist Kelvin Quinn over the singing of the crowd; there was barely a quiet moment from the crowd for the duration of their nine song set. Playing a handful of hits that spanned their career, Sleeping With Sirens closed with their two most popular tracks and biggest crowd reaction songs “If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn,” and “If You Can’t Hang.” Sleeping With Sirens put on a headliner caliber set in a mere 40 minutes that was the perfect warmup for the final band of the evening.
It was probably the anticipation of The Used’s first stop in Minnesota for years (pre-COVID was the last time this band has graced a Minnesota stage), that made the set change feel like an eternity. But as soon as the lights dimmed and the all too familiar opening notes of “Pretty Handsome Awkward” filled The Fillmore, the large banner hiding the stage dropped and the band went full steam ahead in their set. Lead vocalist Bert McCracken invited a handful of fans on stage for “Paralyzed.” Even though this was the Toxic Positivity tour, The Used did a little fan-service and played a very hits heavy setlist, particularly highlighting their first three albums, which easily garnered the loudest cheers and singing, and most moshing and dancing, of the evening. Ending with an encore of a duo of old favorites “Blue and Yellow” and “Sound Effects and Overdramatics,” The Used proved they are here to stay with a stellar performance at The Fillmore.This past week for me personally has been filled with the multitude of ups and downs that comes with a job change and I was super excited to be able to spend the end of my second day at a new job at The Fillmore. There’s something special about live music and its ability to enable a little escapism and being in the moment that makes everything feel like it’s going to be okay. That’s exactly what I was hoping for from my night with the three bands on the Toxic Positivity Tour, headlined by the one and only The Used.
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