My Chemical Romance
12th February 2011, Wembley Arena

“The boys and girls in the clique, the awful names that they stick, you know you’re never gonna fit in much kid” – Teenagers, MCR

Firstly I know. I know I’m far too old for this kind of gig. But having said that I still feel as though I haven’t grown up a single day in the last ten years. And even then, a decade ago, I was probably too old for this. A friend at work when asked where I was going to on this fateful Saturday night was told “I’m going to see My Chemical Romance” to which her reply was “Oh I’ve heard of them, my friends little girls like them”. But well, to be fair, this was a great gig. I have no shame. It’s not as though I was going to see McFly. I’ve already been there and done that.

I’ve always felt a bit out of place expressing my love for My Chemical Romance. I must admit, I’m not an avid fan as such. I always liked I’m Not Okay from second album Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge but it wasn’t until they released The Black Parade album that I really enjoyed them as a whole. I still stand by my opinion that The Black Parade is not only their best album but that it is a great album in general. By anyone. Ever. I wasn’t blown away at all my their new album Danger Days when I first heard it but I grew to love it. One thing I will say though is the very poor choice of singles so far. But no one buys singles anymore do they? Or do they? I think you’ll find they do. But that’s not for now.

Right, so finally we get to the actual gig. There is a huge amount of energy before the band even come on-stage. All Mexican waves and just a great atmosphere from the crowd. It’s like a huge party already. And then we open with the appropriately titled Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na (repeat ad infinitum) and do you know what? It’s fucking brilliant. It’s a great opener. the new album songs probably get the biggest cheers of the night. And some of them are shit but mostly they are great. Big minus though is SING. Why is this a single? It just never goes anywhere. Mama makes everything a bit miserable but gets again a rapturous applause. This band can do no wrong in anyone’s eyes. Thus far I’ve only known about three songs. But loved all of it.

But then about halfway through the gig they throw in I’m Not Okay as if it were, well, a throwaway song. They’re probably sick to death of playing this song to be fair but it set the whole of Wembley alight. And in a shithole like Wembley, that is quite a feat. But no, now we’re on the best period of the night because they follow it my personal favourite ever Famous Last Words and then The Ghost Of You. From here on in it’s just amazing. New album track DESTROYA isn’t so great but then we get Welcome To The Black Parade, the ever infuriating yet brilliant Teenagers, new album corker The Kids From Yesterday before finishing on a triumphant and moving Helena.


Pix by Rustie Allie
More here

As an encore we get Gerard and a piano for the song which always makes me want to cry in all its naked honesty, Cancer. And then something we don’t know at the end and we run away to try and get home. Which eventually we do.

And I got through all of that without even mentioning the fact that we have the worst railway service in the world.

Set list here

Richard Bull