MCR Returns to BK and NJ For First Time In 10 Years

by Amanda Meth | Sep 30, 2022 | Features

My Chemical Romance (photo by Amanda Meth)

Three years after announcing their reunion, esteemed American rock band My Chemical Romance finally went back out on tour and—for many of us—provided a much-needed space to collectively scream while donning our darkest eyeshadows. Here in the New York City area, the group played two nights at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on September 10th and 11th before playing their largest hometown shows yet on September 20th and 21st at Newark’s Prudential Center. Many convened from around the country to see the band on these dates, with some purchasing plane tickets and hotel rooms to see them in different cities along their tour route.

Although I didn’t make a road trip out of seeing the band, I did attend all four of their NYC-area shows, which marked my first time seeing them since 2005. I had even been lucky enough to see them play a 2,300 cap venue as a teenager in San Francisco opening for Story of the Year. Things have changed a lot since then and this time around, the band had a few more songs under their belts (and I no longer had a studded belt).

My Chemical Romance

When it came to their setlists, My Chemical Romance honored their past while leaving room for their future by including a wide variety of songs from their discography. They opened every show with their latest single, “The Foundations of Decay,” while also programming select visuals and sound effects from the song’s music video onto the venue’s screens about 15 minutes prior to the start time of their set to get the audience buzzing. Setlist staples included hits such as “Helena,” “I’m Not Okay,” “Teenagers,” and “Welcome to the Black Parade,” while tracks such as “Boy Division,” “Cemetery Drive,” and “S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W” also made an appearance a few times across the four shows. A few songs were also played for the first time in several years at their Newark and Brooklyn shows. “I Never Told You What I Do for a Living” and “Desert Song” were both played live for the first time since 2008 while “Demolition Lovers” was performed for the first time since 2004 on their first night at Prudential Center.

Visually, the stage featured a backdrop of crumbling infrastructure and debris, perhaps a nod to their most recent single. Most of the band members wore casual clothing while Gerard Way had on a few different costumes for different shows, including a bat costume and a glittery gold blazer with a bow tie, designed by Marina Toybina. No matter how they were dressed, the band’s energy radiated throughout the venue, getting people to rock from all parts of the arena.

In addition to the band’s intense preparation being obvious was the level of care the band had for the audience. Singer Gerard Way instructed members of the pit to take “three steps back” throughout the night to make more room for others on the floor. The band also stopped and then restarted “It’s Not a Fashion Statement, It’s a Fucking Deathwish” after a man was trying to start a fight with someone in the crowd. And while MCR didn’t make many remarks about their Newark concerts being their first hometown shows in over ten years, the setlist, costumes, and band lineups spoke for themselves.

My Chemical Romance

Joining My Chemical Romance onstage for both Brooklyn shows and their first night in Newark was New Jersey’s legendary post-hardcore band Thursday—singer Geoff Rickly is a longtime friend of the band who also produced their first record, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. Rickly played a substantial role in helping MCR get to where they are today so getting to witness the camaraderie between the two bands was particularly special. During their second Newark show, Gerard Way joined Thursday onstage for a spectacular performance of Thursday’s “Jet Black New Year” while Rickly later joined MCR onstage for “This Is The Best Day Ever,” which Rickly also sang on for Bullets. Thursday were also joined by Anthony Green for “Understanding In a Car Crash,” who had been touring with them on several of their headlining dates.

Thursday

On their second night in New Jersey, pop-punk outfit Midtown opened for MCR, marking the band’s first show since 2014 after briefly reuniting to play Asbury Park’s Skate and Surf festival. They played fan favorites such as “Become What You Hate,” “Like a Movie,” and “Just Rock and Roll,” without missing a beat, at one point instructing the entire pit to all kneel down and jump back up during one of their songs. They also covered The Killers’ “When You Were Young,” a logical and refreshing addition to a nostalgia-heavy set.

Other supporting acts on MCR’s tour included Badflower, The Lemon Twigs, and Homeless Gospel Choir, the latter of whom were joined by MCR rhythm guitarist Frank Iero for a song in Newark.

The memory of these incredible shows will carry on for years to come and it’s enthralling to exist in an era where My Chemical Romance are truly at their peak. I am hopeful that there’s much more to come from them in the months ahead and I can’t wait until I’m right back in the pit again, singing along with thousands of other people and rocking out with my favorite band of all time.

Scroll down for fan shot videos and pics from across the four shows (photos by Amanda Meth)