MagsGet out your face paint, ripped jeans and black coats, the Black Parade has returned after 20 years of marching. Emos from near and far gathered for one out of the three sold out shows in Wembley Stadium, London. I was one of the lucky few who were there for the resurection. What felt equal parts religious and cultish, My Chemical Romance delivered a dazzling show filled with murder, fireworks and heartfelt performance. Tugging on emotional heartstrings, it’s indisputable that Welcome to the Black Parade has stood the test of time as the best emo album ever made.
A Young Emo
At around the age of 13 or 14 I really got into emo/pop punk music. Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and Green Day were a few of the bands that sonically blasted though my headphones walking into secondary school. My Chemical Romance were no exception. Welcome to the Black Parade was a turning point for me as a young girl. A point where I moved away from a playlist of singles to undertaking albums in their entirety.
Listening to some emo or pop punk albums now as an adult is usually a cringe worth experience for me. I’m talking Save Rock and Roll, not Pretty Odd; an album I frequently go back to. However, when I hear MCR were back touring Black Parade again, I knew it would be an unmissable gig. I missed getting a ticket at release so I scoured Ticketmaster looking for two standing tickets. I lost all hope and I decided to leave it. The videos of their Wednesday night gig piqued my interest again. Do you know what the catalyst was for me to buy the ticket?
Jedward.
Thanks Jedward
Yep you read that correctly, Jedward. After seeing multiple different point of view of people spotting Jedward having the time of their life in the crowd, I knew I had to get a ticket. I asked myself, “Would I be upset if I missed this?”. The answer was an irrefutable yes.
After checking again for a few hours on Ticketmaster I finally spotted a £35 resale ticket in a reasonable spot and I grabbed it. I was on the verge of buying a £60 obstructed view ticket but here was my shining, glowing ticket of hope. Under no circumstances would I have had the same experience unable to see a screen.
On Friday, once work finished adorning my black dress and heavy eyeliner, I headed out the door to Wembley to have as good a night as Jedward.
The Black Parade
After going up ten escalators I received a Yay or Nae card and found my seat in Block 502. It was very high up but a very good view for a measly £35 pricetag. I used the card as a makeshift fan in the 30 degree heat sitting in the stadium. Fans were dressed up in their usual black attire with some in full costumes and face paint.
MCR came on at 8pm. A hauting and eerie “We’ll Meet Again” echoed through the crowd of pale faces. “The End” followed quickly after before being blasted apart by the earth shattering yell at the beginning of “Dead!”. Fans ripped themselves from their seat screaming the cathartic lyrics after twenty years of waiting for the Black Parade.
The show was spectacle and theatrics. A full narrative storyline took place in between songs with references to Danger Days. A screen at the back of the stage depicted a suited man staring into a screen and reacting at everything unfolding on stage. Apparently they all tied in together to reveal some crucial piece of information (none of which I fully followed).
The single G piano note struck and whirlled the MCR fans into a flurry of “When I was, a young boy, my father…“. It was a truly special moment hearing the blasting Welcome to the Black Parade chorus bouncing off the walls of Wembley as the emos together united for their national anthem.
The energy was kept high with songs like “Sharpest Lives” and “Teenagers” which rilled the standing crowd into a hypnotic army waving frenzy. Emotions were particularly high during songs like “Cancer” and of course “Famous Last Words“. One could truly feel the emotional crutch that this song has become for many people during hard times. Fire and fireworks blasted through the stadium adding to the (literal) heat of a sentimental night.
The first act finished off with Gerard Way getting killed by the secretary. Shortly after, she pranced around the stage in a clown costume doing theatrical jazzy moves to the hidden track “Blood” before exploding on stage.
B Stage
A short instrumental cello break insued allowing fans to gather composure before the second half of the night launched. Gerard way switched from his Black Parade uniform to a child’s skeleton costume for an array of B-sides. He poignantly dedicated one of his songs to his past friends Lauren. More lore unfolded as baroque style actors were shimmied on and off stage perfomring on vaious songs. The emo chorus was once again risen for “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” and the frenetic arm waggling was back for “Na Na Na Na“. The cultish atmosphere hypnotised me until the spell broke as every arm moved in unison, as if controlled by the same machine.
Friday night also got “My Way Through Home Is You“, “Summertime“, “Zero Percent“, “S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W” and finishing with “Demolition Lovers“. This was a stellar end to the night wrapping up the saga with more fireworks.
After seeing Saturday night’s B-stage setlist, I definitely would have preferred to go that night because the band cut more songs from Danger Days. But for £35, beggars can’t be choosers.
