The Black Parade Never Died: My Chemical Romance’s Wembley Spectacle
For many metalheads, New Jersey emo pioneers My Chemical Romance were their gateway into heavier stuff, and for many more emo kids, they were the defining band of their teenage years. For a band who hasn’t released an album in years, they’ve had no trouble selling out stadiums globally while celebrating the 20th anniversary of arguably their most famous album, ‘The Black Parade’! This tour, titled Long Live The Black Parade, transports attendees to a parallel universe where the band’s ‘Black Parade’ alter-egos, presumed dead after the release of the live album ‘The Black Parade Is Dead!’, are alive. Alive, but kidnapped by the Grand Immortal Dictator of the fictional authoritarian country of Draag…
Supporting My Chemical Romance this time round were Brit-rock legends Skunk Anansie. It’s easy for a band to feel lost on such a huge stage, but vocalist Skin has such an enormous presence that even Wembley Stadium felt small! Pulling no punches, Skunk Anansie tore straight into their set with ‘This Means War’, a powerful declaration. Musically, they were on fire, with Skin getting the crowd clapping and waving along throughout the set before entering the audience to sing ‘I Can Dream’. She dominated the stage in an all-leather ensemble, with her signature bold makeup and shaved head, her vocals demanding the stadium’s attention.
Throughout the tour, the story of Draag and My Chemical Romance’s alter-egos is being told across the many shows. For this performance, the first of three sold-out nights at Wembley Stadium – we saw the Grand Immortal Dictator force the band to play the entirety of ‘The Black Parade’ on the main stage, with various interludes woven throughout. Featuring two stages, pyrotechnics, several additional musicians – including drummer Jarrod Alexander, keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac, violinist Kayleigh Goldsworthy and percussionist Tucker Rule – alongside multiple actors onstage, ‘Long Live The Black Parade’ feels far more like a theatrical production than a mere concert!
Easing us into the set, ‘We'll Meet Again’ by Vera Lynn drifted dreamily through the speakers whilst an ominous “Please take your seats” message appeared on the screens. The Grand Immortal Dictator then made his appearance, accompanied by a military drummer. A Trump-esque figure escorted the opera singer Marianne (Lucy Joy Altus) to the B-stage before instructing everyone to rise for the Draag national anthem, ‘Over The Fields’.
MCR burst onto the main stage in their ‘Black Parade’ era costumes, kicking off the show with ‘The End’. If you, like me, happen to have a more obscure song from the album as your favourite, then this tour might be the only chance you get to hear it live – ‘Dead!’ was next, and it was everything fans could dream of! Vocalist Gerard Way still has the drama and flair of a theatre kid, delivering not only flawless vocals but fully embodying each song through his performance. The rest of the band were on fire too, with every track bursting with energy.
The theatrics continued after ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’, with Way asking the audience to decide whether to execute or spare four members of the crew using flyers handed out on entry. Unfortunately, mercy wasn’t in the cards tonight, and the decision resulted in a live execution by firing squad. The stage design was excellent, adding another layer to the world-building, while the pyrotechnics during ‘Mama’ – complete with blasts of fire and a flaming member of the crew dashing across the stage – were truly dazzling. Marianne joined them again for the parts originally sung by the late and great Liza Minnelli, and the spectacle was unbeatable.
Ticket prices feel absurd lately, but MCR made use of every penny to deliver an unforgettable night. Despite the heatwave, Way commanded the crowd with ease, with most of the seated areas on their feet and dancing throughout the set, a testament to the dedication of their fans. The pyrotechnics continued during ‘Famous Last Words’, with fireworks and shooting flames accompanying the magical sight of an entire sold-out stadium singing along. “I am not afraid to keep on living”, indeed. The band were then black-bagged and dragged offstage, bringing the first set to a close.
If you follow MCR on socials, you’ve probably seen the Pierrot dancing (and exploding) to ‘Blood’, which was followed by a cello interlude from Clarice Jensen, performing her song ‘From A to B’. Moving onto the B-stage in the centre of the arena, now sans ‘Black Parade’ costumes, MCR began their second set of the night. Fans were treated to a selection of songs from across their discography, with the setlist varying from night to night throughout the tour. For this particular evening, the set included ‘I'm Not Okay (I Promise)’, ‘Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us’, ‘Thank You for the Venom’, ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)’, a cover of Morrissey’s ‘Jack The Ripper’ (last played live in 2003) and more!
With a career-spanning set, an ambitious storyline and a production unlike anything most bands would attempt, ‘Long Live The Black Parade’ proved to be far more than a nostalgia trip. My Chemical Romance didn’t just revisit their most iconic era, but instead expanded it into a full theatrical experience, bringing ‘The Black Parade’ back to life for old fans and new generations alike. With just two European shows left in Florence on 15 July and Madrid on 18 July, the parade is nearing its final march, but after Wembley, it’s clear that The Black Parade is far from dead.