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The Used at The Rev First Perspective

 The Used, Modern Color, Silkobra
The Rev, Boise, ID
10-05-2026
      This year has felt like a trip back to high school with the shows I have had the chance to cover. Each show was off the wall and high energy. The Used was looking to meet expectations, and then exceed them. With the crowd lining up outside, I was excited to see and hear Modern Color for the first time…

     I walked into the venue just as soundcheck was wrapping up for the opener. I thought I was hearing Modern Sound. That wasn't the case the night before, and tonight two techs on tour with The Used were opening. A third act was on the bill. The doors opened, and people surged from the door to the barricade. I don't get to observe this moment in a show often. The speed at which those first fans move to get their prime real estate on the rail is impressive. Once there, the partner (if there is one) rushes to be first in the merch line. It was like a westward expansion reenactment. 
     Aside from the land rush from the doors, everyone seemed ready for a great night of music. The lights went down, and the first group took the stage. Kameron Biehl and Zach Callahan formed Silkrobra while on this tour with The Used. They debuted the night before in Spokane. This synth-pop duo was a delightful surprise. Their masterfully composed music echoed through the venue, catching everyone's attention. They did a great job hyping the crowd between songs during their 3-song set. I wasn't disappointed at all. It was a great opening set.      I wouldn't be disappointed at all tonight. Next up was Modern Color. This was the group I thought was opening, and the synth duo on stage at the end of soundcheck. Vastly different, but still great. As soon as they started playing, I was reminded of the bands Freethrow and American Football. Midwest emo bands that came through earlier this year. I never would have guessed this band started in metalcore from what I heard on stage. I would place them in the Midwest emo-influenced camp. The internet would say otherwise. But placing bands in genres is just a way to categorize everything. That is difficult when bands like Modern Color don’t fit the mold and span genres. Their set was great, and so was their sound. Though their crowd engagement was limited, they maintained a simple stage presence; it fit their music, and I was ok with that. 

     At this point, I had another one of my writers with me at the show, so later you will get to read their perspective as well. Fan engagement also shifted when The Used took the stage. I was excited for this. From Orem, UT, this show and Las Vegas would be the closest to home they will play on their Fall 2026 tour. I would think, celebrating 26 years, they would go back to the beginning. This was their first time back in Boise in 3 years, playing the same venue.
      The room's energy was electric when they came out on stage. Fans screamed, hands raised high, phones in the air, ready to feed the social media machine. The lighting was a simple mix of their package and the house rig. Downstage was clad with a large banner bearing the band's name, hung high for us to see. The rest of the stage was wide open, and they made great use of the space. They sounded immaculate all night. Even when I removed my earplugs to talk. Rebellious teenage angst rode the sound waves that ricocheted throughout the room. Everyone was back in high school, trying to find their identity and finding comfort in Bert McCracken's lyrics and The Used's sound. I saw longtime fans in tears tonight from the joy of seeing them on stage again.      Throughout the night, a handful of crowd surfers appeared, and a few circle pits opened up. The first pits were not meeting Bert’s standard, so he had them open it up from pole to pole, and they did so successfully. Marking itself as one of the larger pits I have seen at the Rev. Near the end, he brought up fans to dance on stage for a song. Keeping the engagement constant through the set. I don't think there was ever a point where I sensed a separation between the energy the fans gave the band and the energy the band gave the fans. It remained in a constant flow state. 

     The night wrapped up, and the crowd either moved to the door or the merch. Some stayed at the rail for a minute to try to get their pick, drumstick, or setlist, maybe even a combination of all three. I usually linger a bit to see if band members come out and say hello to the handful of fans who remain, signing the odds and ends they have with them. They had no such luck tonight. I said my goodbyes to my security friends and made sure to swing by the mix to tell production they did a hell of a job, and they did. I found my colleague and offered him a ride home and a chance to share his experience. You will just have to wait for their update coming up later.
Photography and review ©Justin Webb
The Used
Modern Color
Silkobra

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