The Used, Papa Roach, Coldrain @ Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide 23/4/2023
Wow! This was a killer bill featuring co-headliners The Used, Papa Roach and rising superstars from Japan Coldrain. With all the bands that have passed through Adelaide in the last week it was great to see a massive crowd at the Entertainment Centre Theatre for what a great night of rock music. If it wasn’t sold out it would have been incredibly close.
Opening proceedings was Japanese rock outfit Coldrain who made their impression felt in their short whirlwind thirty minute set. Wasting no time at all they were of to a barnstorming start with REVOLUTION before charging their way through The Revelation and Cut Me. Hard to believe it has been eight years since they were last year when lead singer Masato David Hayakawa mentioned that. With the crowd well and truly warmed up they were absolutely jumping during No Escape. The Side Effects was stellar finishing on PARADISE (Kill The Silence) and it looked really cool seeing everyone who could crouch down start jumping on cue. Hopefully the scene is set for a return visit for Coldrain.
Papa Roach played an absolutely belter. The problem for any band at a show like this would be coming on after Papa Roach who were incredible who played as if they were in front of a thirty thousand strong crowd. This was stadium rock at its finest. Opening with big opener Kill The Noise the band powered their way through their set. Getting Away With Murder absolutely rocked and front man Jacoby Shaddix spoke a number times about how much gratitude he has being in this position and how music saved his life giving him purpose which served as the perfect intro to Help.
There was plenty in the set for old school Papa Roach fans including Blood Brothers which morphed in to Dead Cell. The Eminem intro Lose Yourself before Broken Home was super cool. Shaddix said that they were so far from home but the fans made them feel like they were home. The Prodigy cover Firestarter (dedicated to Keith Flint) was awesome with Shaddix asking to see the smiles of all the ‘savages’ in the pit wanting to know “what has Adelaide got?” prompting for a circle pit Metallica style. With a few tinges of “Hey Ho, Let’s Go” aka Ramones style To Be Loved got the crowd moving. A brief instrumental Lullaby Jams (The Cure) was cool and Shaddix spoke of individual struggles and that it wouldn’t be forever and to continue fighting for ourselves. Scars was great and The Used front man Bert McCracken joined the band to sin No Apologies. None Of The Above had a teaser from Rage Against The Machine’s Bulls On Parade and the DR Dre cover Still D.R.E.was a great addition. Between Angels and Insects followed and the crowd went off during Last Resort which had a bit of Queen’s We Will Rock You thrown in. Papa Roach’s epic set finished on Born for Greatness setting the bar extremely high for The Used to jump over.
The Used walked out to a heroes like reception and having last been in Adelaide in 2016 there was plenty of catching up for lost time. Going for the big ones early they opened with Take It Away and The Bird And The Worm. Keeping the momentum going on Listening front man Bert McCracken joked ‘if you can’t read we are The fucking Used!” adding that he hoped that fans would leave with the big smiles they had now. Blow Me was about the pandemic, blow jobs and killing yourself according to McCracken. Given that it had been a while since their last show here he asked fans to put one arm around the back of someone else they were standing next to and if they were feeling cheeky enough to give them a kiss, if they consent. Love song I Caught Fire was cool and it was very much about making a memory that lasts a lifetime with this show experience according to McCracken. New song Fuck You, The Taste Of Ink and All That I’ve Got followed.
With McCracken saying they wanted to do something special the chant to do a shoey started and he he added that he quit drinking ten years ago saying there is always hope to get sober. Blue and Yellow was a perfect song for crowd surfing. With new album Toxic Positivity due for imminent the crowd were encouraged to the boo the band after brand new single Numb, to get the toxicity out of their body. Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix joined The Used on Blood On My Hands. After Pretty Handsome Awkward McCracken said he didn’t want it to end and the crowd starting chanting for ten more songs. They got one more with A Box Full of Sharp Objects which went in to Niravna’s Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Great show by all three bands and tour not to miss on the East Coast.
Live Review By Rob Lyon