Cover Photo – @darrendman on IG

Spoiler Warning – this article will contain information and details of what happens during the show

Long Live The Black Parade

11th of July 2025 will be one day that is written down in music history. It’s the day that My Chemical Romance began their “Long Live The Black Parade” tour, and it started of in the most epic of ways.

Setting the scene at the T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, the monumental stage took a couple of days to erect, as well as a smaller B-Stage in the middle of the pit.

It’s a sell out crowd and the energy is peaking with excitement, curiosity and emotion. Most of the fans in this stadium have been waiting for this to happen for a couple of years. Today is the day they get to witness what the band have conjured up

Starting the night, screens are projecting “rules” that people should follow, some more ridiculous than the last including ‘Fun having is mandatory’.

The song “Tonight You Belong to Me” by Patience & Prudence, rings out across the venue, before a snare drum starts playing a marching beat. Two men dressed in guard uniforms, walk out with a bale of wheat, laying down in front of the drum kit, which suggests this is the band’s tribute to Bob Bryar, their ex-drummer who unfortunately passed away last year.

Behind the two guards is a gentleman in a suit. This man is Charlie Saxton, an actor known for movies such as “Trollhunters” and “Art of a Hit”. Behind Charlie is well known drummer Tucker Rule, from the band Thursday who has also teamed with band member Frank Iero before on his solo projects, as well as their joint band LS Dunes.

Across on the B-Stage, an opera singer appears and begins singing the “DRAAG National Anthem” before My Chemical Romance comes out on stage, decked in the well known outfits that became popular during the album’s original release, and start the intro to “The Black Parade” album with “The End”, leading into “Dead!”.

Frontman Gerard Way gives a speech, welcoming everyone to the show and introducing the band as “The Black Parade”. He carries on talking about what a wonderful day it is and they are there to perform for their wonderful, grand dictator. A shot goes to a lifesize dummy of a man in an official suit, which looks somewhat haunting, and then Gerard introduces the “DRAAG National Auxiliary Band” which consists of Tucker Rule, Kayleigh Goldsworthy and Jarrod Alexander amongst the team.

My Chemical Romance then blast into the next song “This Is How I Disappear” which the crowd goes wild for. Mikey Way, playing his bass, has the biggest smile on his face.

Charlie Saxton, still in his official suit, appears again and gives Gerard a piece of paper and then the band goes into “The Sharpest Lives”. After the song finishes, a plinth is rolled onto stage, Gerard takes his position behind it and the opening note of “Welcome to the Black Parade” rings out across the stadium, causing a roar from the crowd. Fists in the air through the venue as they play the infamous anthem.

After the song fades out, Gerard takes to the microphone and declares an election. Fans were given signs as they entered the stadium. Each sign has a red and black side with “Yea” or “Nay” on them. Four men appear on the B- Stage and Gerard announces that the crowd are to vote if these gentlemen should be elected or not. There is signs held up around the stadium and it is decided it’s a “Nay”.

Pyrotechnics go off on the B-Stage and a mock execution is performed, with the four men falling to the ground with gasps and cheers being heard from the audience. Straight after that, My Chemical Romance start to perform “I Dont Love You”.

“House of Wolves” is performed next on the extensive setlist and afterwards, the plinth is removed from the stage. Charlie appears once again and has a muted discussion with Gerard, in which the frontman seems to mock him. Charlie then slaps Gerard around the face, causing a sea of gasps as they watch the played out scene on stage. Definitely a reaction the band were going for. This leads into the emotional “Cancer” being performed with fans holding up their phone torches for a sea of white lights scattering the venue.

Kayleigh Goldsworthy starts to play the violin and “Mama” is next to be sung. During the song, there is a change of the normally familiar lyrics as Gerard sings out about a dagger as a feel of retaliation to the dictator fills the air.

Gerard then calls for ‘Marianne’ as the opera singer takes to the B-Stage once again and sings the part made famous by Liza Minelli on the original studio version of the song. Fire pyrotechnics shoot up from the stage as the song progresses, as a man, seemingly another actor, runs across the stage on fire. This part of the show seems to be a turning point of darker things to come as the backdrop is folded away and a screen appears with what seems to be military style information upon it. There is a red hue from the lights on stage too.

As the song finishes, Gerard is seen sitting on a chair, brushing his hair and reading a magazine, titled “Murder”. The same magazine is an easter egg back to the Danger Days era of the band as it was also featured in the music video for “Na Na Na”. Behind, on the screen, there is a video played out with rockets, scenes of a vast empty land and various parts of a military base being shown.

The band then lead into “Sleep” with pulsing blue and red lights covering the entire stadium. The video of several military style pictures, coding and information playing on the big screen until a rocket is pictured being launched and then goes to static as the song plays out.

Charlie Saxton appears on stage once again, in his suit and demands Gerard to put his band jacket back on, that he had previously took off. Gerard acts out as if he’s extremely uncomfortable with the jacket as the band lead into “Teenagers”. The back screen shows clips of what can be understood as this ‘countries’ regional TV shows, giving an aspect that order is being restored and that the band is following the rules.

“Disenchanted” is next on the setlist with a flood of blue lights filling the crowd from a fan project set up for this specific song. A picture of the ‘Dictator’ is shown on the back screen throughout the song and fades to black once it’s finished.

Fire and smoke start again as My Chemical Romance ramp into “Famous Last Words”, giving similarities to the famous music video of the same song. The crowd’s hands are all in the air as this soul wretching anthem sings out, bringing a sense of togetherness and community amongst fans.

As the song finishes, an acoustic guitar is brought on stage as Ray Toro takes to playing a beautiful rendition of “The End” as Gerard sings. Charlie appears on stage again but his outfit has been downgraded from a suit, now he’s in a white clown outfit. The song ends and the clown character mock stabs Gerard as Ray, Mikey and Frank get dragged off the stage by men dressed in guard uniforms. The song “Blood” is played out over the speakers as the clown dances and entertains the crowd, until he peels off his costume and shows a black military style vest, which then has pyrotechnics blast from it as the last chords of the song ring out.

There is a short interlude where cellist, Clarice Jensen is playing a beautiful piece of solo music, while the crew set up the B-Stage with a drum kit and guitars.

This leads to the second part of the extensive show, in which the band comes out to play several of their songs from other albums and b-sides. Gerard introduces them as “My Chemical Romance” and this leads into “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)”.

“Our Lady of Sorrows” is next with a roar of appreciation from the crowd, followed shortly by “The Ghost of You” and “NaNaNa”.

Gerard and the rest of the guys are more relaxed during this section of the show, joking around with each other and with the crowd. The band give out their thank you’s, especially Charlie Saxton, laughing at the fact he had to slap Gerard. They then head into “Give Em Hell Kid”

“Planetary Go” is next on the agenda, followed by two rare songs that don’t often get played, “Heaven Help Us” and “Bury Me In Black”.

The show ends with fan favourites “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” and the hit song “Helena”, making the night unforgettable amongst the audience.

This is a show that has been perfectly and intricately planned, right down to the minor details and was executed amazingly. The storyline, the characters and the whole production, made this a show like no other. Those who have tickets to see this in future, are really in for the ride of their lives, especially as the band have teased that there may be some more surprises up there sleeves.

My Chemical Romance are back and they are putting on one hell of a show.

Words by Haylea Allison

Photos by @allltherage on X, @MWhiteShelley on X, @days_fade on IG, @delaney_nye on IG, @dustin_t._dust on IG, @darrendman on IG, @trashmacabre on X, @massbroadcast on IG, @offlleash on X, @carolinehewer on X, @xmckvrx on IG