LIVE REVIEW: The Used + Papa Roach with special guests Coldrain

Coldrain opened the show and they were so tight and sounded so effortlessly clean that I could have swore I was just listening to a recording. The vocals were absolutely exceptional, as the band brought an energy and enthusiasm to the stage that headline acts would fear – it’s possible for them to have a SWAT team show up after it’s all over for stealing the show.

Papa Roach hit the stage and it was more of the same, they didn’t have to worry about Coldrain and their stage presence, because when it comes to The Roach, they are in an untouchable league. The fans were hungry, thirsty, oozing with power from every single solitary second Papa Roach tore it up. Lead Singer Jacoby Shaddix needs a lot of props for his commanding of the stage and of the attendees. He had them in the palm of his hand, and it was really andrenaline enduring to see so much energy in one building pass between band and stage. These guys must be drinking from the fountain of youth but also seeking advice from father time – because whilst they are young, wild, proud and lively like a band in their early 20s, they perform like veterans, consulate professionals who have live performing down to a fine art.

Does it sound like I’m blowing smoke up their clackers? Probably – but words only merely describe how absolutely wild and fun Papa Roach are. Things really picked up when they decided to play some Prodigy, and they roared along with a cover of ‘Firestarter’ and the people certainly did not seem to mind. The frenetic energy of that song without a doubt fit the mould of The Roach and what they do. ‘To Be Loved’ was next and ladies and gentlemen, “Welcome to Monday Night Raw!”.

It was cute as hell when they started playing ‘Scars’ and all the ladies lit up more than they had prior. The song clearly hits a chord with the female and sensitive male population, the words have that meaning that conveys with the hardships and heartaches of life, and when you are in that party mode, in the bliss of happiness, a song like this gives a nod from everybody in attendance that being sad is temporary and it’s good to celebrate how happy they feel in this moment and how a song like that got them through those dreaded times. ‘Between Angels and Insects’ brought the house down. What a song, what a performance. ‘Last Resort’ was an out of body experience with the whole crowd in unison absolutely losing their collective shizat.

The time was near and the anticipation built. The entrance music for The Used set the scene as they entered the stage to many screams from the ladies in attendance, and probably the men but you couldn’t hear them over the female hootin’ and hollerin’! ‘Take It Away’ took us away as the audience lost their sanity the open the set. The crowd were unglued as soon as The Used got up there to do their thing, and you can tell that there’s a real love from Perth for this act. ‘I Caught Fire’ sent the ladies into a Beatlemania Emomania frenzy!

This was a night for a good amount of nostalgia as The Used cranked out more classics like ‘The Taste of Ink’, ‘Buried Myself Alive’ and ‘Blue and Yellow’. They finished the night off with ‘A Box Full of Sharp Objects’ and a surprising cover of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’! It was a great end to a fun evening. The sound, stage presence and professionalism of the performers was second to none and that’s all that matters, even if the beer did run dry.