The Black Parade has entered the park. My Chemical Romance kicked off night one of their coveted doubleheader at Dodger Stadium to a sea of fans clad in black, representing all albums and wearing their MCR best. Ahead of My Chemical Romance’s set, local indie rockers, Wallows, warmed up the crowd before we took our trip down memory lane with The Black Parade and several other MCR favorites that have branded memories, both joyful and sad, across our hearts and souls.
What can I say about My Chemical Romance that hasn’t been said before? When I was growing up, it wasn’t cool at my school to say you liked MCR. So I’d go home and watch the music videos and listen to their songs (and yeah, I’d read the fanfic) on my own. And then the news broke, they were no longer a band. I never got the chance to convince my mom and dad to take me to see them, and my dreams, along with everyone else’s, were shattered. When the opportunity presented itself to photograph the one-and-only My Chemical Romance at Dodger Stadium on the first night of The Black Parade doubleheader, I teared up for younger me and present-day me.
Now, at my more mature age, I know that being cool is loving what you love and being kind to others. When I entered the photo pit, I saw a lot of familiar faces lining the barricade, fans who had dedicated themselves to the cause. Faces painted in blood, matching outfits from different album eras, and the secret language created for this tour drawn across their hands.
Standing there in the photo pit, I felt a beautiful sense of community, with people who had never had the chance to see them, and those who had seen them countless times, all there to share in this absolutely insane production of theatrics and music. It made my whole heart swell; tears filled my eyes, and I quietly thanked everyone for helping make this real.
The whole first half of the show is an album play, yes, but also a performance of the fictional dictator in this dystopian society. As they traveled through The Black Parade, we watched Gerard Way struggle to please and adhere to standards, ending with his stabbing by a clown at the end of “Famous Last Words.” I constantly found myself in awe of the level of storytelling and production they were able to create, literally bringing the album to life in every sense. It wasn’t just sonic; it was visual, astounding, and captivating.
Once The Black Parade ended, we were treated to a beautiful interlude of strings while the B-stage was set up. The duration of the set was played on the aforementioned stage, and they delved into each of their albums, even playing a song they had never released. Fans yelled with joy to be a part of something so special when Gerard announced the unreleased track titled “War Beneath The Rain.” The song was dedicated and recorded by MCR’s friend Doug McKean. Gerard dedicated the song to McKean’s family, who were at the concert watching this very special song make its debut to a crowd of over 50,000 people.
A concert always makes me feel insanely emotionally connected to those around me. However, nothing can compare to the level of emotion and community that My Chemical Romance brought to Dodger Stadium.
See More Photos of My Chemical Romance at Dodger Stadium
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