House of Music

The Used

Emo’s

Austin, TX

October 29, 2025

Photos and Review by Roy Vergara

The line outside Emo’s wrapped deep around the corner as fans swapped memories of first shows and favorite lyrics, the kind that shaped entire teenage years. By the time the doors opened, the Texas air was thick with anticipation. Inside, the crowd pressed forward early, drinks in hand and smiles that said they had been waiting for this night for a long time.

This was night three of The Used’s Austin residency, the closing night of their 25 Year Anniversary Tour stop celebrating a quarter century of heartbreak, chaos, and catharsis. Each city on the tour gets three nights and three albums performed in full. For this final Austin show, the band played Lies for the Liars, the album that captured a generation of emotion and still feels just as powerful today.

The night opened at 8:00 pm with Notions, who wasted no time making their mark. “This one’s more of a sensitive song, it’s called Confide,” their frontman, Kalan Beal, said as a sea of phone lights filled the room. Midway through, he climbed down to the rail, screaming face to face with the pit while their guitarist crowd surfed through a wall of hands, still playing. They closed their set with “You Got Me,” a final burst of raw emotion that left the crowd buzzing for what was next.

At 9:05 pm, the house lights dropped and a massive backdrop hung over the stage flickered to life. A countdown began, ticking from ten to zero before cutting to old footage from the Lies for the Liars era. Grainy backstage clips, vintage live shots, flashes of Bert McCracken in smeared eyeliner, and fans singing along two decades younger filled the screen. The montage played like a time capsule, each image met with louder cheers until the screen faded to black and the band appeared in a blaze of light.

“This third night is for all the hardcore The Used fans,” Bert shouted as the opening riff of “The Ripper” ripped through the venue. The crowd erupted, fists in the air, bodies moving as if muscle memory had taken over. During “Paralyzed,” Bert pulled fans on stage to dance with him, turning the set into a shared release. “This next one’s a sing along,” he said before “With Me Tonight,” and every voice inside Emo’s shouted the chorus back like it still meant everything.

Halfway through, the chaos softened. “We’re going to slow things down for a second,” Bert said as the lights dimmed for “Wake the Dead.” The room swayed, hands raised, voices breaking on every line. Later, he offered a treat for the diehards. “We’re gonna play something special right now. It’s a B side track called Pain.” Fans screamed their approval before the first note even hit.

As the night neared its close, Bert paused to take it all in. “Thank you for keeping this dream alive for twenty five years,” he said. “We have one last song. It’s a slow one. Turn your flashlights on and shine them up here.” The lights rose like stars as the band eased into “Smother Me.” The crowd sang every word, voices trembling but strong. When the song ended, Bert and other band members started handing out red roses before waving goodbye at 10:05 pm, the stage glowing in soft light and the air heavy with gratitude.

The Used didn’t just revisit Lies for the Liars. They revived it. The songs hit as hard as ever, fueled by the same raw emotion that made them timeless. Twenty five years later, The Used still make the room feel alive, reminding every fan why they fell in love with this band in the first place.

Check out the gallery below to relive the night or see what you missed.

Notions

The Used