Latest news with #TheBlackParade
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why My Chemical Romance is bigger than it's ever been
Twelve years after a breakup that didn't stick — and one year shy of the 20th anniversary of its biggest album — My Chemical Romance is on the road this summer playing 2006's 'The Black Parade' from beginning to end. The tour, which stopped Saturday night at Dodger Stadium for the first of two concerts, doesn't finally manifest the long-anticipated reunion of one of emo's most influential bands; My Chem reconvened in 2019 and has been performing, pandemic-related delays aside, fairly consistently since then (including five nights at Inglewood's Kia Forum in 2022 and two headlining appearances at Las Vegas' When We Were Young festival). Yet only now is the group visiting sold-out baseball parks — and without even the loss leader of new music to help drum up interest in its show. 'Thank you for being here tonight,' Gerard Way, My Chem's 48-year-old frontman, told the crowd of tens of thousands at Saturday's gig. 'This is our first stadium tour, which is a wild thing to say.' To mark the occasion, he pointed out, his younger brother Mikey was playing a bass guitar inscribed with the Dodgers' logo. Read more: All 43 of Billy Joel's Hot 100 hits, ranked from worst to best So how did this darkly witty, highly theatrical punk band reach a new peak so deep into its comeback? Certainly it's benefiting from an overall resurgence of rock after years dominated by pop and hip-hop; My Chem's Dodger Stadium run coincides this weekend with the return of the once-annual Warped Tour in Long Beach after a six-year dormancy. Then again, Linkin Park — to name another rock group huge in the early 2000s — recently moved a planned Dodger Stadium date to Inglewood's much smaller Intuit Dome, presumably as a result of lower-than-expected ticket sales. The endurance of My Chemical Romance, which formed in New Jersey before eventually relocating to Los Angeles, feels rooted more specifically in its obsession with comic books and in Gerard Way's frank lyrics about depression and his flexible portrayal of gender and sexuality. ('GERARD WAY TRANSED MY GENDER,' read a homemade-looking T-shirt worn Saturday by one fan.) Looking back now, it's clear the band's blend of drama and emotion — of world-building and bloodletting — set a crucial template for a generation or two of subsequent acts, from bands like Twenty One Pilots to rappers like the late Juice Wrld to a gloomy pop singer like Sombr, whose viral hit 'Back to Friends' luxuriates in a kind of glamorous misery. For much of its audience, My Chem's proudly sentimental music contains the stuff of identity — one reason thousands showed up to Dodger Stadium wearing elaborate outfits inspired by the band's detailed iconography. In 2006, the quadruple-platinum 'Black Parade' LP arrived as a concept album about a dying cancer patient; Way and his bandmates dressed in military garb that made them look like members of Satan's marching band. Nearly two decades later, the wardrobe remained the same as the band muscled through the album's 14 tracks, though the narrative had transformed into a semi-coherent Trump-era satire of political authoritarianism: My Chemical Romance, in this telling a band from the fictional nation of Draag, was performing for the delectation of the country's vain and ruthless dictator, who sat stony-faced on a throne near the pitcher's mound flanked by a pair of soldiers. The theater of it all was fun — important (if a bit crude), you could even say, given how young much of the band's audience is and how carefully so many modern pop stars avoid taking political stands that could threaten to alienate some number of their fans. After 'Welcome to the Black Parade,' a bearded guy playing a government apparatchik handed out Dodger Dogs to the band and to the dictator; Way waited to find out whether the dictator approved of the hot dog before he decided he liked it too. Yet what really mattered was how the great songs still are: the deranged rockabilly stomp of 'Teenagers,' the Eastern European oom-pah of 'Mama,' the eruption of 'Welcome to the Black Parade' from fist-pumping glam-rock processional to breakneck thrash-punk tantrum. Indeed, the better part of Saturday's show came after the complete 'Black Parade' performance when My Chem — the Way brothers along with guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro, drummer Jarrod Alexander and keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac — reappeared sans costumes on a smaller secondary stage to 'play some jams,' as Gerard Way put it, from elsewhere in the band's catalog. (Its most recent studio album came out in 2010, though it's since issued a smattering of archived material.) 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' was blistering atomic pop, while 'Summertime' thrummed with nervy energy; 'Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)' was as delightfully snotty as its title suggests. The band reached back for what Way called his favorite My Chem song — 'Vampires Will Never Hurt You,' from the group's 2002 debut — and performed, evidently for the first time, a chugging power ballad called 'War Beneath the Rain,' which Way recalled cutting in a North Hollywood studio 'before the band broke up' as My Chem tried to make a record that never came out. The group closed, as it often does, with its old hit 'Helena,' a bleak yet turbo-charged meditation on what the living owe the dead, and as he belted the chorus, Way dropped to his knees in an apparent mix of exhaustion, despair, gratitude — maybe a bit of befuddlement too. He was leaving no feeling unfelt. Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Why My Chemical Romance is bigger than it's ever been
Twelve years after a breakup that didn't stick — and one year shy of the 20th anniversary of its biggest album — My Chemical Romance is on the road this summer playing 2006's 'The Black Parade' from beginning to end. The tour, which stopped Saturday night at Dodger Stadium for the first of two concerts, doesn't finally manifest the long-anticipated reunion of one of emo's most influential bands; My Chem reconvened in 2019 and has been performing, pandemic-related delays aside, fairly consistently since then (including five nights at Inglewood's Kia Forum in 2022 and two headlining appearances at Las Vegas' When We Were Young festival). Yet only now is the group visiting sold-out baseball parks — and without even the loss leader of new music to help drum up interest in its show. 'Thank you for being here tonight,' Gerard Way, My Chem's 48-year-old frontman, told the crowd of tens of thousands at Saturday's gig. 'This is our first stadium tour, which is a wild thing to say.' To mark the occasion, he pointed out, his younger brother Mikey was playing a bass guitar inscribed with the Dodgers' logo. So how did this darkly witty, highly theatrical punk band reach a new peak so deep into its comeback? Certainly it's benefiting from an overall resurgence of rock after years dominated by pop and hip-hop; My Chem's Dodger Stadium run coincides this weekend with the return of the once-annual Warped Tour in Long Beach after a six-year dormancy. Then again, Linkin Park — to name another rock group huge in the early 2000s — recently moved a planned Dodger Stadium date to Inglewood's much smaller Intuit Dome, presumably as a result of lower-than-expected ticket sales. The endurance of My Chemical Romance, which formed in New Jersey before eventually relocating to Los Angeles, feels rooted more specifically in its obsession with comic books and in Gerard Way's frank lyrics about depression and his flexible portrayal of gender and sexuality. ('GERARD WAY TRANSED MY GENDER,' read a homemade-looking T-shirt worn Saturday by one fan.) Looking back now, it's clear the band's blend of drama and emotion — of world-building and bloodletting — set a crucial template for a generation or two of subsequent acts, from bands like Twenty One Pilots to rappers like the late Juice Wrld to a gloomy pop singer like Sombr, whose viral hit 'Back to Friends' luxuriates in a kind of glamorous misery. For much of its audience, My Chem's proudly sentimental music contains the stuff of identity — one reason thousands showed up to Dodger Stadium wearing elaborate outfits inspired by the band's detailed iconography. In 2006, the quadruple-platinum 'Black Parade' LP arrived as a concept album about a dying cancer patient; Way and his bandmates dressed in military garb that made them look like members of Satan's marching band. Nearly two decades later, the wardrobe remained the same as the band muscled through the album's 14 tracks, though the narrative had transformed into a semi-coherent Trump-era satire of political authoritarianism: My Chemical Romance, in this telling a band from the fictional nation of Draag, was performing for the delectation of the country's vain and ruthless dictator, who sat stony-faced on a throne near the pitcher's mound flanked by a pair of soldiers. The theater of it all was fun — important (if a bit crude), you could even say, given how young much of the band's audience is and how carefully so many modern pop stars avoid taking political stands that could threaten to alienate some number of their fans. After 'Welcome to the Black Parade,' a bearded guy playing a government apparatchik handed out Dodger Dogs to the band and to the dictator; Way waited to find out whether the dictator approved of the hot dog before he decided he liked it too. Yet what really mattered was how the great songs still are: the deranged rockabilly stomp of 'Teenagers,' the Eastern European oom-pah of 'Mama,' the eruption of 'Welcome to the Black Parade' from fist-pumping glam-rock processional to breakneck thrash-punk tantrum. Indeed, the better part of Saturday's show came after the complete 'Black Parade' performance when My Chem — the Way brothers along with guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro, drummer Jarrod Alexander and keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac — reappeared sans costumes on a smaller secondary stage to 'play some jams,' as Gerard Way put it, from elsewhere in the band's catalog. (Its most recent studio album came out in 2010, though it's since issued a smattering of archived material.) 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' was blistering atomic pop, while 'Summertime' thrummed with nervy energy; 'Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)' was as delightfully snotty as its title suggests. The band reached back for what Way called his favorite My Chem song — 'Vampires Will Never Hurt You,' from the group's 2002 debut — and performed, evidently for the first time, a chugging power ballad called 'War Beneath the Rain,' which Way recalled cutting in a North Hollywood studio 'before the band broke up' as My Chem tried to make a record that never came out. The group closed, as it often does, with its old hit 'Helena,' a bleak yet turbo-charged meditation on what the living owe the dead, and as he belted the chorus, Way dropped to his knees in an apparent mix of exhaustion, despair, gratitude — maybe a bit of befuddlement too. He was leaving no feeling unfelt.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch My Chemical Romance Cover Smashing Pumpkins' ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings'
My Chemical Romance paid tribute to Smashing Pumpkins during their show at San Francisco's Oracle Park over the weekend. The emo punk band performed a rousing cover of the Pumpkins' 1995 hit 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' as a surprise addition on their Long Live the Black Parade tour, which kicked off earlier this month. The band offered a relatively traditional cover of the song, off Smashing Pumpkins' seminal album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, with frontman Gerard Way putting his own spin on Billy Corgan's vocals. More from Rolling Stone Billy Corgan Reflects on Black Sabbath's Final Show: 'We Have Them in Our Hearts' Billy Corgan, Melissa Auf der Maur Reunite to Perform Smashing Pumpkins' 'The Everlasting Gaze' Billy Corgan on Why He Formed a New Band to Play Smashing Pumpkins Deep Cuts My Chemical Romance continue their tour on July 26 in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium. They are also set to perform several shows in August and September, with an array of special guests opening the shows, including Garbage, Death Cab for Cutie, and Evanescence. The tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of the band's 2006 album, The Black Parade. Last year, MCR revived the iconic album at the When We Were Young music festival in Las Vegas in October where they performed The Black Parade in full. Since its 2006 release, the concept album has been heralded in the emo music scene and beyond. Rolling Stone named it one of 'The Greatest 500 Albums of All Time.' Last month, My Chemical Romance unveiled a deluxe edition reissue of their LP Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge featuring several previously unreleased live recordings. The four bonus tracks on the collection all come from a session My Chemical Romance did for BBC Radio 1's 'The Lock Up' in 2005. Among the previously unreleased recordings are live versions of 'I'm Not OK (I Promise),' 'Helena,' and 'The Ghost of You,' while also included is a performance 'You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison,' which was originally released as a B-side on a limited edition UK CD single of 'I'm Not Okay.' Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
Metro
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Outrage over My Chemical Romance's 'demonic' show points to a bigger problem
Imagine seeing My Chemical Romance performing their iconic album The Black Parade live on opening night and being shocked when politics and death are a major theme. Now imagine being so angry you brand their tour 'demonic' and 'woke' and try to sell your ticket, which you seemed to have purchased totally unaware that MCR is incredibly politically charged. According to The Mirror US, this is a reality for some very unprepared Facebook 'fans'. After opening night in Seattle, gig-goers reportedly complained about a 'twisted' section of the show in which singer Gerard Way conducted a mock election, then executed the 'candidates' and sarcastically thanked fans for 'participating in democracy'. To any long-term fan of the legendary emo pop-punk band, this kind of stunt (taking aim at the illusion of choice and rigged elections) will not have been a surprise, but it seems not everyone at the show was a fan – or at least had no clue what they were walking into. The Black Parade Tour appears to be the victim of an increasing trend of people going to gigs simply to say they've been, without actually checking what they're signing up for. Take radio DJ and podcast host Roman Kemp, for example. He recently came under fire for declaring he was shocked Beyonce sang so much Cowboy Carter on the Cowboy Carter tour. Roman, 32, thought he was going to get more of her throwback hits rather than a run through of her Grammy-winning album, despite everything about the tour telling him otherwise. Complaining he didn't know many songs on his podcast with Tom Grennan, the DJ revealed more than he intended about himself and the way he interacts with gigs. In an age where we're all more online than ever, it's baffling anyone is able to walk into a concert blind. More than that, in many cases, it's just willful ignorance. However, this is by no means Roman's problem. It's a wider issue plaguing big gigs where the desperation to not miss out has turned live music into a status symbol. And unfortunately, the more in-demand you are – Beyonce, Oasis, Black Sabbath and yes, even emo legends My Chemical Romance – the more likely you are to attract this rush. Celebrity and influencer invites regularly prove controversial, with reactions falling either under 'look how much fun they're having, what a legend' or 'how dare they not enjoy this more'. Selena Gomez came under fire for keeping an eye out for the Knicks in May as she watched a game on her phone, while in a private suite at the Cowboy Carter tour. Let's not underestimate the sheer status symbol that comes with being able to afford the hefty price tag. Just like a skiing holiday or buying a cocktail in London, concerts are a luxury item. If you've spent hundreds on a ticket, merch, outfit, and travel, then of course, you're going to boast about it on social media. Let's be honest, VIP tickets are unlikely to have taken away any seats from the average gig-goer. This pet peeve is most likely driven by jealousy, rearing its ugly head as we watch influencers — who probably got there for free —enjoying an incredible view. While we whinge about influencers, we're all trying to be one as we watch the show through our phone screens, recording the entire thing. Even filming for songs that, for whatever reason, don't bring in viewers, which get posted less and less as the tour continues. Often, you'll find influencer-minded gig-goers chatting during these. As Sabrina Carpenter once said: 'There's so many more moments than the Juno positions, but those are the ones you post every night and comment on.' Concerts have become an easy path to viral fame without having to even put your face out there — the only barrier is the cost to get there. Fear of missing out is a huge factor, especially when all your idols are posting about going to the show. This FOMO starts before the first gig, when you're told tickets are going to be in demand, so people who wouldn't normally have bothered to see an artist pile onto Ticketmaster in hopes of securing a seat. UK Music reported that in 2023, 19.2million Brits went to a live music event, a 33% increase on the previous year. Taylor Swift's mammoth Eras Tour pushed this feeling into the stratosphere as if you weren't dressing up as your favourite album with friendship bracelets at the ready, you were on the outside of a crucial moment in culture. @taylornation To all the fans who took part in experiencing the joy that #TSTheErasTour has brought us over the past two years… We saw you spend hours designing your costumes, trading friendship bracelets, singing and dancing nonstop to the entire setlist, spreading love to everyone, and welcoming each city into our shared traditions. While the tour has come to an end, your smiles, tears, and friendships will last a lifetime. Remember to hold on to the memories — they will hold on to you. 🫶 #LongLiveTSTheErasTour ♬ Long Live (Taylor's Version) – Taylor Swift Sporadically dropped, re-recorded (and brand new) albums meant that if you missed a single show, you really could miss out on breaking news. More than the music, this was a shared bonding experience between lovers of Taylor's songs, with fans at home playing SwiftAlert as they guessed her costumes for each night. This was a cultural moment, broadcast out via livestreams every night and, with such a large fanbase, it's no surprise those feelings of missing out have leaked into other tours. Sabrina Carpenter brought a little of this to her Short 'n' Sweet Tour, with the playful Juno poses going viral every single night. With the vast online coverage of her show, it's hard to miss her pin-up aesthetic and innuendo-filled songs However, as her fame grew, those who had not been aware of this began clutching their pearls. Her shows left people — particularly parents — shocked, having bought the ticket blindly and only thought of not missing out. The same goes for My Chemical Romance, maybe you loved Welcome to the Black Parade as a teenager, so frantically thought 'well I can't miss out on this' but never actively listened to the band. This anniversary tour has been particularly highly sought after, with the band performing the entire rock opera front to back. Not your usual gig for a casual fan. As with all things that are becoming overrun with cynical capitalism – the very thing My Chemical Romance rallies against – real music lovers will inevitably push back. The nature of music is that it connects with us on a human level, whether it's Lewis Capaldi's triumphant Glastonbury return or getting into a mosh pit at Black Sabbath. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video You don't need to be the biggest fan in the world to deserve tickets but a quick Google search before you buy them wouldn't be a waste of time. Maybe then you won't be ridiculed for calling the band that famously formed after queer icon Gerard Way witnessed the 9/11 crash and has an entire rock opera about the downfall of capitalism, 'too woke'. More Trending Even if you walk in blind, make sure it's with an open mind, like the girl was caught Shazam'ing Bitter Sweet Symphony while Richard Ashcroft opened for Oasis. She was blasted for not knowing 'the national anthem' and 'taking tickets off deserving fans', despite the fact that this wasn't even the act she was there to see. However, instead of talking through the entire song or tuning out, she looked it up – you never know, that might be her favourite song now. There's no issue with buying tickets for an artist you only sort of like but don't complain when they then do exactly what they've been telling you they're going to do. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 80s rock band sue each other after on stage punch-up ended reunion tour MORE: 'Disturbing' horror film starring Daniel Radcliffe and Sabrina Carpenter will soon be available to stream MORE: Miley Cyrus won't tour new album because of her mental health and sobreity
Malaysian Reserve
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malaysian Reserve
MCR is not just for Millennials
Gen Z belongs in The Black Parade too by AKMAR ANNUAR WHEN news broke that My Chemical Romance (MCR) would finally be returning to Malaysia for a live concert in 2026, this writer immediately received messages from her Gen Z nephews. 'Block your dates — we're going to see MCR LIVE!' But as the hype built online, so did a strange wave of territorial gatekeeping. A handful of Millennials — who, to be fair, were in high school when The Black Parade dropped in 2006 — began posting TikToks and tweets declaring that the concert was 'not for Gen Z,' and younger fans should 'give way' or 'stay home.' The implication? That MCR was somehow a generational badge of honour something only they deserved to experience. It was funny at first — until it wasn't. Music has always been about bridging divides, not building them. And MCR, perhaps more than most, is a band that has transcended generations. Emo isn't A Phase For many Millennials, MCR's arrival in the early 2000s coincided with a time of inner angst, MySpace aesthetics and eyeliner-lined rebellion. I'm Not Okay (I Promise) and Helena weren't just songs — they were soundtracks to hallway heartbreaks and teenage drama. But that doesn't mean Gen Z can't relate. This writer's 25-year-old nephew first stumbled upon Welcome to the Black Parade during his primary school days, catching it on the radio and through his auntie's emo-heavy playlist. He didn't dress like Gerard Way or mimic the band's aesthetic — but something about the song's message on death and the afterlife struck a deep chord with him. It wasn't just a phase; it was a philosophy he quietly carried into adulthood. To him — and many of his peers — MCR isn't 'vintage' or 'Millennial' music. It's a living, breathing part of their own coming-of-age story. The same way Gen Xers once passed down Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody or Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer to us Millennials — songs we didn't grow up with but somehow knew every word to — Gen Z now finds catharsis and community in MCR's discography. Because emotional resonance isn't bound by the year you were born — it's about finding yourself in the music, whenever it finds you. Black Eyeliner, Shared Grief MCR's Kuala Lumpur stop, part of its 2026 South-East Asia tour, was officially confirmed earlier this month — much to the delight (and relief) of Malaysian fans who had been burned by hoaxes before. This time, it wasn't a scam. And here's the part that will make your heart (and wallet) skip a beat: Tickets for the Malaysian show, presented by Hello Universe, go on sale today at 11am. Fans can get them via Go Live Asia website or by downloading the GoLive Ticketing App. So, if you've ever belted out Disenchanted (this writer's personal favourite) alone in your car or doodled broken hearts on your school desk, now's your chance to do it live — with 15,000 other black-clad souls. When Nostalgia Meets Discovery MCR isn't the only band that's sparked generational debates recently. Similar discussions followed Paramore's reunion tour, and even Coldplay's multi-night run in Bukit Jalil drew quips about who 'deserved' to be in the stadium. But the very notion of concerts being generation-exclusive is flawed. Good music doesn't expire with age. For Gen Z, discovering MCR isn't an act of mimicry — it's a form of musical excavation. Many were not born yet when Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge came out, but the emotions — loss, identity, rage, longing — still speak to their world today. In fact, today's younger fans are arguably keeping the band's legacy alive in the digital world — remixing clips, animating lyrics on TikTok and introducing MCR to new global audiences who never set foot in Hot Topic (a US store that sells music and pop culture merch, especially for fans of emo, punk, goth and anime styles). Gatekeeping only harms the community it claims to protect. A Seat in the Parade for All Whether you were 15 in 2005 or 15 today, you deserve to scream 'I'm not okay' at the top of your lungs in a crowded stadium. You deserve to wear black, cry glitter tears, and feel the goosebumps when that first piano note of Welcome to the Black Parade hits. Whether you were 15 in 2005 or 15 today, you deserve to scream 'I'm not okay' at the top of your lungs in a crowded stadium. You deserve to wear black, cry glitter tears and feel the goosebumps when the first piano note of Welcome to the Black Parade hits. This writer is already planning her concert outfit — matching skeleton tees for her and her nephews. Because MCR is not a museum exhibit. It's a parade. And everyone, regardless of age, has a seat in it. As Gerard Way himself once said on stage: 'If you're here, you belong.' And that's all that really matters.
