My Chemical Romance headlined Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, TX, on August 2nd as part of their Long Live the Black Parade tour. [Photo credit: Reagan Johnson]
REAGAN JOHNSON | Go Venue Magazine
My Chemical Romance Headlined Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, TX, on August 2nd as part of their ongoing Long Live the Black Parade tour.
Garbage was the sole opening act for this stop on the tour. The band played a perfect setlist, including favorites like Stupid Girl and Push It. Lead vocalist Shirley Manson joked that she wasn’t sure how many people in attendance would have even been alive to see their hits being played on MTV. The band sounded strong, and the vocals were incredible. Drummer Butch Vig was celebrating his 70th birthday on Saturday, with family and friends in attendance. Manson brought shots on stage for them to toast and then lead the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to him. It was a high-energy, feel-good set that was enjoyable all around.
My Chemical Romance originally toured their album The Black Parade in 2007. At the end of that tour, they “killed” The Black Parade, which was the band’s alter ego, in Mexico City. There, they famously proclaimed that “The Black Parade is dead”. The waves that the announcement of this tour made were huge. Many fans missed the 2007 tour, or were too young to attend. Some fans complained that they weren’t even born yet in time to see their favorite album live. The resurgence amongst new and young fans that My Chemical Romance has seen in recent years is unprecedented. This band has an unmatched talent for updating their older work and keeping it fresh. This can be attested to by the huge wave of new fans who weren’t around for the band’s initial come-up.
My Chemical Romance started their signature theatrics before they even took to the stage. The world-building that this band does for their albums is distinct. The themes of the tour are very apocalyptic and feel like those of an oppressed land currently under a dictatorship. Lead vocalist Gerard Way had a custom language commissioned just for this tour. Images flashed on the screens alternating between English and the tour’s language, “Keposhka”. Rules and tips were given to the crowd, each one more bewildering than the next. Fans recorded and tried to decipher them as they waited for the show to begin.
The “Grand Immortal Dictator” is a character that is in attendance at each show in one form or another. For the first few tour dates, he was a wax figure seated by the sound tent. As the tour went on, the actor portraying the dictator was in attendance in the flesh. In Texas on Saturday, the dictator entered the stadium, his cape trailing ominously behind him, and took his seat on his throne. A large jumbotron overhead fixated on just his hands as he sat and oversaw the show. The unease could be felt as he barely moved, only occasionally gripping this throne tighter, conveying the tension in the music and performance.
In a series of promotional videos announcing the tour and dates, it came to light that the dictator of “Draag” is throwing a grand celebration. He has found that his favorite band, The Black Parade, is actually still alive, he has brought them to perform for him. Whether they are performing willingly or against their will isn’t made clear, but the tension of the show seems to lend to it being the latter.
A woman in a large red ballgown and dark glasses called Marianne was brought on stage to instruct concert-goers to stand for the “Draag national anthem”. Following the delivery of the anthem, a marching band paraded across the stage, leaving an offering of freshly cut wheat. With that, My Chemical Romance entered the stage donning their iconic marching band uniforms, and the crowd was in an absolute uproar. Every song was met with the crowd signing along just as passionately as the band.
Between songs, the band has staged elaborate scenes to immerse fans in the apocalyptic story they are telling. One of the most notable scenes of the show is the “election” that has been held on every date so far. Lead vocalist Gerard Way leads the crowd in an “election”, and the concert-goers cast their votes using signs we were given upon entering the stadium. The red side of the sign reads “Yea” and the other black side reads “Nay”, both in English and Keposhka. When asked if the crowd thought that the four hooded figures on the stage should be executed, concert-goers unanimously voted with a sea of red “Yea”s. The four figures were lined up and executed by firing squad. One figure remained upright as the “winner”. Way noted that the firing squad missed and that they should have employed someone from Dallas to do it instead.
My Chemical Romance played through their renowned album, engrossing the crowd into its story like never before, just as they had always intended. Every song is a fan favorite, and the energy never wanes. For the performance of “Mama”, flames and pyro lit the stadium, and the bursts of heat could be felt at the back of the venue.
Lead guitarist Ray Toro’s solos sounded insanely good as always. His talent is undeniable, and it’s a privilege to witness every time. The band’s current drummer, Jarrod Alexander, is a powerhouse. He played through the album like it was second nature to him, impressing fans with his effortlessly powerful sound. Rhythm guitarist Frank Iero is known for his explosive stage presence and for the raw punk rock energy that he brings to the table. He shows no signs of slowing down up there and sounds better than ever. He and Ray Toro complement each other’s guitar playing and backing vocals like a dream. Bassist Mikey Way is visibly and audibly in his prime. In the early years of the band, his stage presence was more reserved and stoic. These days, he works the entire stage and has never looked happier. It’s been a pleasure to watch his growth with the band over the years. Gerard Way’s vocals sounded impeccable Saturday Night. He didn’t miss a beat and gave the best performance I’ve ever seen from him. It is clear he takes his vocals seriously and has been mastering his techniques. His screams sounded strong and perfectly supported. All the members came together for a sound that’s better than ever. It’s crystal clear that My Chemical Romance has used the years under their belt to continue to perfect their craft.
Each track played from The Black Parade was met with more excitement than the last. The vocals for the band’s hit song “Welcome to the Black Parade” were performed from a podium, as if Way was giving a speech. The gesture felt grand and fitting for a song that continues to have such a profound impact on music and culture.
After the album’s last track, My Chemical Romance once again played the opening track, “The End”, to end their performance. The album has a “hidden track” buried in the silence after it ends. This track, titled “Blood”, played over the speakers as a man in a white and black clown costume and makeup danced onto the stage like a jester. Gasps erupted from the crowd as the clown plunged a dagger into Gerard Way’s chest, and blood spurted from the wound. Way fell to the ground as men in uniforms threw black hoods over the other four members’ heads and dragged them off the stage. To end the album’s performance with a bang, the clown removed his jacket to reveal a bomb strapped to his chest. He smiled menacingly as the bomb detonated with a series of deafening explosions. The crowd was left in awe as the stage was left empty.
After the smoke settled and the stage was cleared, cellist Clarice Jensen performed a solo for a brief intermission. The five band members then made their way to the B Stage. This small, round stage stood above the crowd on the back side of the GA pit. This new vantage point gave fans an even closer and more intimate view of the show. My Chemical Romance had now shed their costumes and makeup for a stripped-down show. The setlist for this half of the concert was a perfect balance of all of My Chemical Romance‘s work over the years. The band also added an outstanding cover of “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins. Way prefaced the cover of the song by proclaiming that he “had a religious experience” with it.
The crowd lit up the stadium with blue lights for multiple songs as part of a fan project. We were given blue slips of paper to hold over our flashlights to create the effect. Gerard Way remarked that it looked like the night sky, and recounted stargazing in Texas, as the sky is so large and beautiful there. The band performed “The world is ugly” from their album, Conventional Weapons, and fans were elated. When the band started into their track “Planetary (GO!)”, the crowd got LOUD and danced like no one was watching. Way then let us know they’d be performing a B-side track from The Black Parade as they began to play their fan favorite song “Kill All Your Friends”. My Chemical Romance ended the night with their unreleased song “War Beneath the Rain” for the second time ever.
As a lifelong fan, I’ve never heard My Chemical Romance sound as good as they do in 2025, and I am so glad that they are back and better than ever. The guitars were face-melting, the vocals were magnificent, the drums were driving, and each song was perfectly executed. The band’s dedication to their art, their music, and the worlds they have created is unmatched. It’s safe to say that no one is doing it like My Chemical Romance is right now. This tour is a whole different kind of experience. Fans are eager to see what the future holds for this groundbreaking band, and if this show is any indication, the sky is the limit.
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