My Chemical Freak: My Chemical Romance All The Time

Photos above property of Kathleen (My+Chemical+Romance)

By: Anna Genoese

At the beginning of My Chemical Romance’s DVD Life on the Murder Scene, guitarist Frank Iero says his group “is definitely a band that wants to save your life.” Let’s all take a moment to be grateful that the punk-influenced New Jersey rock quintet only uses its powers for good. At Saturday night’s sold-out Pageant show, campy frontman Gerard Way exhorted the crowd to jump (they jumped), put their hands in the air (they put their hands in the air), scream (they screamed), clap (they clapped, although not always in time with the music) and, during, “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid,” do their best jazz hands. O, the jazz hands!

The crowd also sang-nay, chanted!-along with every song, swayed to “Desert Song” (My Chem’s version of a torch song), jumped up and down to teen angst anthem “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” and, yes, cried during “Cancer” as Way crooned, “The hardest part of this is leaving you.”

The show lacked a little luster and was uncharacteristically low-key – but then again, My Chemical Romance has been on tour supporting its third album, The Black Parade, since early 2007, so it’s no wonder the band is exhausted.

While drummer Bob Bryar shared a cigarette with Iero between songs, Gerard explained that they’re going on a two year hiatus to relax and record a new album, saying, “Our bodies gotta take a break! You get old… you get tired,” and when he told the crowd, “I’m 31 now!” the grandmother behind me, there with her daughter and her daughter’s daughter, laughed. (Several close by teenagers, though, looked horrified. 31-that’s so old!)

The fans, however, are indefatigable. More than a few had been waiting in line for the show since 7 a.m., dressed head to toe in My Chemical Romance gear: hoodies, fingerless gloves, T-shirts and messenger bags. Several fans there were also dressed up as members of the band. (An uncountable number of kids wore an X over each eye like guitarist Frank Iero used to, although I only counted two fans dedicated enough to paint a stripe of makeup horizontally over their eyes, in a nod to Gerard Way.)

Not to diss the band, but the crowd was definitely the highlight of the evening. More MILFs than a Van Halen show! More little kids than a Cobra Starship show! The audience boasted everyone from toddlers in Avenged Sevenfold T-shirts to grandmothers in MIKEY FUCKIN WAY T-shirts. The kid to my left couldn’t have been older than six years old; sitting on his father’s shoulders, he sang his heart out to every single song. (Which makes me wonder: What exactly does a six-year-old get out of the lyrics “And without you is how I disappear”?)

Set list highlights included a rendition of the b-side “Kill All Your Friends” (with the commentary: “We can play whatever the fuck we want on this tour!”), one of the guitar techs playing harmonica during “Teenagers” and a lovely, soulful piano solo from new keyboardist James Dewees (formerly of Reggie and the Full Effect, the Get Up Kids, and Coalesce).

Guitarist Ray Toro, hands down one of the most amazing guitar players of his generation, requested a set change during the beginning of “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” so that he could play one of his favorites, “Desert Song,” an unreleased track from the Life on the Murder Scene DVD. That DVD, Gerard told us, was made to encourage people to not waste their lives. “Go out!” he yelled at the crowd. “Start a band, do something productive! Do something creative! Start a band, make movies, draw comics!”

They closed the show with “Helena,” a song that’s a tribute to Gerard and Mikey Way’s late grandmother. “Jump!” shouted Gerard — and everyone jumped.

Direct from Reprise Press Release

BURBANK, CA — 05/01/08 — For those who missed the opportunity to see My Chemical Romance live at one of the more than 250+ shows touring in support of their highly acclaimed MULTI-MILLION-selling 2006 album “The Black Parade,” or for those who want to relive soaring concert moments, let the celebration begin. My Chemical Romance will release a live CD/DVD called “The Black Parade Is Dead!” on June 24th on Reprise Records.

The package captures different sides of My Chemical Romance by spotlighting two very different shows. The CD and DVD feature concert highlights from the huge Palacio de los Deportes sports arena in Mexico City on October 7th, 2007 and the intimate Maxwell’s club in Hoboken, NJ, on October 24th, 2007. Both shows demonstrate why critics have raved about The Black Parade World Tour, which began on February 22nd, 2007, and will conclude with a triumphant sold out hometown headlining show at New York City’s fabled Madison Square Garden on May 9th, 2008.

The discs include live tracks from the Mexico City and Hoboken shows, including the band’s smash singles “Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Famous Last Words,” and “Teenagers,” as well as tracks from their 2004 album “Three Cheers For Revenge.” The DVD was directed by Adam Rothlein, whose previous long-form credits include DVDs for Green Day, Disturbed, System of a Down and All-American Rejects.

Beginning on May 5th when the website goes live, fans will be able to pre-order “The Black Parade is Dead!” by visiting www.theblackparadeisdead.com, where they can also view a trailer for the DVD. Anyone who pre-orders the album from this special website will also gain access to downloads of three DRM-free tracks from the Mexico City show: “Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Mama,” and “Dead!”.

“The Black Parade is Dead!” will also be released in a collectible, limited-edition version, which will feature the CD and DVD, plus a mask designed by one of the band members, in a pine box coffin. (Each band member has designed one mask, which has been selected for inclusion in each box at random.) Another CD/DVD bundle also includes an exclusively designed t-shirt. All special editions are available only online at www.theblackparadeisdead.com.

At 15 months, the Black Parade World Tour is the longest and most internationally comprehensive headlining tour that My Chemical Romance has played to date, featuring multiple legs around the world.

www.mychemicalromance.com

Thanks Zntrip for the tip!

By Mary Colurso
For al.com

Where and when: Inside the shed at Sloss Furnaces, with a start time shortly after 9 p.m. Openers were Billy Talent and Drive By.
Influences on display: Queen, certainly. Like that 1970s rock group, My Chemical Romance goes for concept albums (such as 2006 “The Black Parade”) and likes to make “ta-da!” statements with keyboard flourishes, heavy guitars and flamboyant vocals. On the punk side, Green Day comes to mind. At the Birmingham show, lead singer Gerard Way was a confident, charismatic and — he’d hate this description — sharply cute presence on stage.
Set list: Many tracks from “The Black Parade,” including “Cancer,” “Mama,” “I Don’t Love You,” “Teenagers” and “Welcome to the Black Parade.” The band also played “Kill All Your Friends” and “Desert Song.”

Fashion statement: Basic black, with jeans and T-shirts and lots of hair falling in the eyes. In the past, My Chemical Romance wore matching outfits that made them look a Goth version of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Audience: An all-ages crowd that ranged from grade-school kids to gray-haired rockers. Ticketholders just about filled the sloping confines of the shed, with a tighter pack in the front and more room to breathe at the back. Many fans present sang along with Way, reciting the lyrics like personal anthems.

Atmosphere: My Chemical Romance was well-suited to the atmosphere at Sloss, with its rusted metal and rumors of ghost sightings. (Way even mentioned the haunting legends, saying the bass player might pull out a Ouija board.) Fine weather on this spring evening, a dramatic light show and decent sound quality were happy bonuses.

Quibbles: Way seemed to lose the audience on some of the softer and slower ballads. The tight, thrashing rock songs went over better, and so did the spooky carnival numbers.

Verdict: A good band, if not a positively great one. It’ll be interesting to see what My Chemical Romance does on its next CD — something simpler, maybe? — after touring for two years on the elaborate “Black Parade.”

CLICK HERE for new Stubbs Photos and then also the ones below!

and

HERE

This Monday the 5th, on Cinco De Mayo, you’ll be able to pre-order The Black Parade Is Dead!, the new CD/DVD from MCR coming June 24th. It’s got two full shows – one from a small club performance at New Jersey’s own Maxwell’s, and the other from the final performance of The Black Parade in Mexico City. You can also pre-order a limited special edition that comes in a coffin case, plus a mask personally designed by one of the band members, and three songs from the CD that will come right to you after you pre-order! Head over to theblackparadeisdead.com for more info on Monday!

via MCR’s official myspace!

By Brandi Dabbs

Well I got to experience Drive By, Billy Talent and My Chemical Romance tonight at Sloss Furnace.  It was exactly what I expected it to be (the venue). 

Drive By was actually pretty cool.  I was a bit perturbed by the fact that there were two acts before MCR, but I quickly realized I was simply being a bit pissy because I was having to wait. haha.  They reminded me of a more foul mouthed Relient K, which is not all together a bad thing.  I am a fan of Relient K and now Drive By.  I expect to see really good things from them. 

Billy Talent, on the other hand, I wasn’t fond of at all.  I have to be honest when I say I wished Drive By’s set had been longer than Billy Talent’s.  We left our place in the crowd to go away from them HA!

After Billy Talent finally got off the stage it took them about 20 minutes to break down the set; then turn around and put up one.  All the while the crowd intermittenly chanted “MCR MCR MCR,” here and there during the 20 minutes.  Finally we saw some FRO!  And everyone knew immediately it was GO TIME! WOOT!

Frank had on a gray long-sleeve t-shrit that I had seen in pics before.  Gerard had the signature burned-denim jacket with denim vest underneath.  Mikey was rocking the “Mikey Fucking Way” shirt again, and well Bob was just lumber jack Bob again!  I have to say I love the flannel look on him

If memory serves me right, the first song of the evening was “DEAD”.  This was followed by some old familiar favorites such as (in no particular order): 
Disappear
Dead
Cemetery
Give em Hell
Way Home
Black Parade
I Don’t Love You
House of Wolves
Never Told You
Heaven
Mama
Prison
Headfirst
Kill All
Not OK
A new song that i dont know the name of…
Teenagers
Famous
Cancer
Desert
Desolation Row was on the set list but wasnt played.
Helena

They didn’t do any covers tonight.  I was a bit disappointed, but I will get over it.   I am pretty sure Gerard was near dead tonight.  I mean he had awesome energy as usual, but announced after the first song that he was sick and felt bad.  He also said that the crowd was making him feel better, but I think he was just being nice.  About half way through the set, he started to get hoarse.  He was struggling by the end in some spots and it was very obvious that he needed to be RESTING.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, it was a great show and he did an awesome job.  I know no one who can take a stage and go at it completely sick like he did tonight.  Let’s hope that the days rest tomorrow he spends in bed with some soup and hella good meds!  Again I can say the first half you never would have known he was sick, but the second half, well I would have liked to have said… Okay just take a chill pill and drink something warm and soothe that raw throat of yours.  Gerard being the awesome trooper he is, pressed on and upward and finished the set screaming “so long and goodnight!”   They left in a blaze of glory!

I would like to also say that James Dewees doesn’t get the recognition that he deserves.  I was never a fan of him in Reggie and The Full Effect, but after tonight I have a whole new respect for that man.  He has to be one of the best keyboard/piano players I’ve heard.  When the guys took a brief intermission, he kept the crowd entertained with howling melodies and spooky sounds (i guess simply because it was sloss and sloss is said to be haunted).  I very much enjoyed his little numbers through out the breaks.

Mikey FUCKING Way,  Well folks that boy rocked harder than I have ever seen in my entire life!  He gave Frank a run for his money in the energy department!  He was by far the most energetic of all of them besides Gerard.  It was a close race, but Mikey won out!

Ray and Frank really got going one time and were sort of doing this cris-crossed head banging number behind Gerard.  It was really cool to look at haha!

During Teenagers a dude (can’t remember his name) came out and played harmonica.  It was awesome soundeing with the song to say the very least.  He did an awesome job!

Gerard talked a lot.  He said things about Sloss Furnace being haunted etc.  Then he added due to that fact, Mikey would have his Ouija board out later on after the concert trying to haunt himself! I got really tickled at the thought of Mikey “haunting” himself!

He also said that they would be back to Birmingham on their NEXT TOUR so everyone can CHILL with the talk of them never touring again.  I think with THREE new songs that they have been playing at different concerts and the fact that he said they would be back to Birmingham should ease your minds a tad.  He also said they were going on a long break, and truthfully after tonight they completely need it.  Tired isn’t the word for what those guys must be!

OH and last but not least, during CANCER, Gerard sang all the words but these… Never Marry.  I thought it was kind of sweet.  He let the audience sing that. 

Well that is it for now.  I am sitting in the hotel room at 1:21am, writing this and I’m nearly dead!  So I will go for now.  Please excuse any and all typos.  I wanted to get this down before I forgot most of it.  I will fix them tomorrow.

Edited to add:
I was asked my impression of the crowd. 

To be right honest there were only a hand full of people there that I would liked to have choked!  For the most part, people were nice.  There were some doozies in the crowd that were just plain mean.  If you are reading this and you were bald and tall… well sir you should have been at the very back

I met some people there that I will be in contact again.  Then I also met some that I wouldn’t piss on if they were on fire! haha

Also I have come to realize something…  It’s not about how close you get to the guys; it’s about how you enjoy their music, no matter how close or far away you are!  So the next time you are at a My Chemical Romance concert, take it in for all it’s worth and be considerate of those around you.  Good rule of thumb, “Don’t hate, appreciate” as my husband likes to say!

Review By Brandi Dabbs
Editor in Chief of MyChemicalFreak
Please give credit where credit is due if you copy this review.

Click Here to read the interview with Billy Talent.

Review BY:  Joe Gross
For Austin360.com

Gerard Way, lead singer for My Chemical Romance, looked a little tired Monday night at Stubb’s.

You can’t really blame the man. He and his band of Gothy-looking rockers have been on and off tour (mostly on) since their 2006 breakout album “The Black Parade.” This most recent jaunt, the fifth and final leg of “The Black Parade World Tour” is three months long. Way as much said this was the last show they would be playing in Austin for a good long time. I think everyone got their money’s worth.

So it wasn’t all that surprising that in order to keep the energy high (which it was) and to make the 10:30 p.m. hard-deck curfew (which they did), songs felt shortened, limited to a verse or two and a chorus, the better to rip through a high octane set that reached back to the band’s 2002 debut, “I Brought Me My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love.” Gone were the elaborate sets and theatrical cast of their tour’s early legs.

This was a rock band playing to a sold out crowd that absolutely adored them. Way – looking less like a rock strar and more like the comic book writer he established himself last year in the excellent series “The Umbrella Academy” – started cool and sweated himself into a frenzy as the band stripped back its material’s proggier, Queenier (as in Freddie Mercury) elements for articulate, dynamic rock that held the crowd in the palm of his hand.

From MTV hits such as “Welcome to the Black Parade” to mopers such as “Cancer” to the anthemic “Teenagers,” the crowd was easily the equal of Way’s slightly fried voice. When the black-clad masses are with you, they’re with you to the end.

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And here we have them.  Compliments of My Chemical Obsession Brazil…

The guys ala’ Football Jocks!

TEAM MCR!