Long live My Chemical Romance
Graphics, and Writing by Emma A. Walker
Featuring Photography by Marissa Hollingsworth, Bryce Hall, and Emma A. Walker
My Chemical Romance has resurrected The Black Parade (2006), their 3rd studio album 20 years later, their most successful LP named one of the Greatest Records of All Time by Rolling Stone. Whether you’re a casual listener, or you know the lore of The Black Parade’s fictional world-building of the authoritarian country of Daag, regardless of where you fall on the MCR fanbase spectrum, the Long Live the Black Parade tour is more than worth attending. It’s an incredible display of talent and captivating theatrical performance. This tour will go down in MCR’s history as their largest produced and most heavily attended tour, 2 decades after their rise to fame, re-affirming their legacy.
Never Mind magazine attended the Nashville date of Long Live, which marked the band's largest U.S. headlining concert ever with 70,000 people in attendance. This tour stop was one for the books. Even the fans in anticipation deemed this show as the “emo superbowl” not just because of the stadium setting but the opener, fan favorite Pierce the Vail kicked the night off featuring their hits “Emergency Contact” and “King for a Day”, the crowd matching their energy immediately.
This show was also a record for bringing the heat- according to Gerard Way, the vampiric lead singer during the B stage set- “the hottest show we’ve ever played”. With a heat index of 109, it’s an accurate statement. Even in the sweltering humidity in the soon-to-be demolished Nissan Stadium the fans were sporting elaborate costumes referencing characters in the Black Parade cast. Fake blood splattered on excited fans faces, ready for the show.
The main stage performance comes not from My Chemical Romance but rather performed by the fictional band of “the Black Parade” taking place in the eastern bloc country of Draag. While they play through the entire rock opera album including an extended version of “Mama”, the title track with a billion hits “The Black Parade”, and “Blood” which is accompanied by a bloody death of Gerard by the character “The Clerk”. Each member of the band’s performance fed off each other’s energy, Frank Iero and Ray Toro on rhythm guitar, Mikey Way on bass, and Gerard Way leading them to their fictional demise.
The concept album has turned into a fully immersive event on tour parodying political authoritarianism. Prior to the show, “rules” and in-world advertisements in the fictional language of Keposhka (created by Nate Piekos and Gerard Way) are displayed on a loop. When the show begins the Immortal Dictator is welcomed by a drumroll and the national anthem sung by Marianne, his blind daughter. Throughout the show there’s a live “execution” with audience participation using “yay” and “nay” signs. There’s playful moments with easter eggs of what the characters are going through.
Pyrotechnics set the stage ablaze during the lyrics: “Mama, we all go to hell." The audience experiences the song inside an inferno, bringing the lyrics to life. The heat warming your face, it genuinely feels like you’re standing at the gates of hell, and I say that with the utmost compliments. Their larger than life theatrical performance combined with the detailed world-building truly transports you into the brutalist world of draag.
After the death of the black parade, they return as My Chemical Romance in civilian clothes and perform additional songs from their discography in an intimate B stage set. In between songs Gerard comically shared anecdotes about throwing up, shouted out the cast members, and riffed of the heat.
The B stage set list is compiled by rhythm guitarist Frank Iero and a 10 song set list that varies somewhat from show to show. MCR Nashville’s set included “Ambulance” from their EP conventional weapons, “Zero Percent” off Danger Days, “Vampires will never hurt you” from their first album, and closed out the show with “Helena” from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Ending the unforgettable night with the lyrics “So long and goodnight”.
The opportunity to see this iconic band live on this historic run of Long Live the Black Parade continues through Halloween this year, look up dates near you!