RULES & REGS

Everyone is equal, everyone should be excellent to each other, and everyone should be supportive. No racist, sexist, or otherwise derogatory messages will be allowed here. We’re all one family, so be sure you act accordingly.

MCRmy members can support MCR in many ways. If there are promotional materials to distribute, you can help do that. You can also help by helping spread videos and news online when asked, or simply by talking to people you know about the band. You can help in any way that you feel comfortable.

Oct 31, 2011

VIDEOS: Voodoo Experience 2011 - City Park - New Orleans, LA - 10/28/11

"HELENA"


"THE KIDS FROM YESTERDAY"


"THE ONLY HOPE FOR ME IS YOU"


"S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRANK IERO (HAPPY IEROWEEN!)

30 candles on the cake this year! Thank you for being an inspiration to so many, WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Oct 29, 2011

VIDEO: My Chemical Romance Can't Wait to Move Forward - Voodoo 2011

The band will start work on new music soon - and they already know what their direction is going to be. But are they still proud of what they've done before?

VIDEOS: Voodoo Experience 2011 - City Park - New Orleans, LA - 10/28/11

"DESTROYA"


"THE KIDS FROM YESTERDAY"


"PLANETARY (GO!)"


"FAMOUS LAST WORDS"


"INTRO"


"WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE" (CLIP)


"HELENA"


"NA NA NA (NA NA NA NA NA NA)" (CLIP)

VIDEO: My Chemical Romance Share Their Best Costume Tips: Video



My Chemical Romance really love playing Voodoo, thanks to the positive energy of the crowd, the mix of genres, the spirit of New Orleans – and the chance to dress in costume. Gerard, Frank, Mikey and Ray won’t reveal their Voodoo costume plan (but you can see ‘em right here) but they did tell Top 20 Countdown’s Juliya about their favorite costume ever.

source

Oct 27, 2011

VIDEO: We'll Carry On - The Black Parade 5 Years


Brazilian Killjoys telling how they met MCR and how the band changed their lives- TBP 5 years

Oct 25, 2011

CONTEST: Win a MCR-Signed "We've Got the Bomb" Tee from Masscanvas

Time to get the creative juices primed for our epic new contest next week! MASScanvas Boy is ready to get his Halloween fright on, so he’d like you to create your favorite scary scene (e.g., from a movie, your nightmares,…) that features him. Use the template here:http://bit.ly/qAV5up, post it to your Facebook Wall and tag us by Sunday October 30th at 11:59pm PT. Top 3 will each win an MCR-signed “We’ve got the BOMB” tee!
 source

Oct 24, 2011

SCANS: Kerrang! #1386


for full-size images, click below

check out the most comprehensive MCR magazine collection on the web!

REVIEW [excerpt]: Concert review: Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance with Matt and Kim at 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre, Tampa

"..Next up, New Jersey natives My Chemical Romance kicked off their set of anthemic alt rock with "Na Na Na," the first single from their 2010 LP, Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys, and everyone in the amphitheater surged to their feet, jumping and singing along. There is something extraordinarily theatrical about the way frontman Gerard Way commands the crowd's attention as the dynamic ringleader of this massive rock and roll machine. On this night, his vocals were raw and unforgiving as he continually urged us to jump, clap and participate throughout. Lead guitarist Ray Toro's skilled solos blended flawlessly with guitarist Frank Iero's passionate rhythmic accompaniment as Mikey Way, Gerard's younger brother, pulled everything together with his pounding basslines. Touring keyboardist James Dewees (The Get Up Kids) performed in a full-on vampire costume, complete with a cape and mask as he backed up the band's piano-heavy jams. One-time touring drummer Michael Pedicone (The Bled) had been kicked out of the lineup for betraying the band a few weeks earlier and his replacement, Jarrod Alexander (A Static Lullaby) impressively held his own for someone who'd learned these songs in such a short amount of time. Their performance kept the energy level up and the setlist drew from all four of their albums and included "Our Lady Of Sorrows" from their debut, 2002's I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. They closed out their set with the haunting balladry of "Cancer" off 2006's The Black Parade"

full article here

REVIEW [excerpt]: Living the Middle School Dream **WARNING - Negative Review**

"...With My Chemical Romance’s screaming start, pink and white lights flashed in our eyes, shielding us from the lead singer, Gerard Way’s blinding red hair.  It was as though the band was trying to distract us from the obvious aging the group had done since we had last heard their hit song on the radio, “Welcome to the Black Parade.”  The crowd was semi-enthusiastic and only somewhat responsive to Gerard Way’s best attempts to pump them up.  I found myself wondering what Gerard Way’s opinion of himself was.  When Way walks down the street, does he think, “This is me, lead singer of the band, My Chemical Romance, an artist?”  Or does he chuckle to himself when he catches his flaming red hair in a window reflection and wonders at his own fame?  These questions I will never answer, but listening to the attempted rockstar transitions from song to song and seemingly sarcastic remarks to the audience, I secretly hoped but highly doubted it was the latter.  After the initial intrigue in the emotional vibes of My Chemical Romance, I became impatient to finally see the band I had come to see in the flesh."

full article here

REVIEW: My Chemical Romance live in San Diego

Call them Emo, call them Goth/Punk/Pop/Alternative, call them whatever, there's no denying My Chemical Romance's popularity.  You would be hard pressed to tell whether the crowd at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater was there to see the headliner blink-182 or My Chemical Romance.

I was surprised how much I liked this bands show.  I had heard nightmare stories about the lighting (from a photographer's perspective) but it wasn't as bad as I expected.  Yes, red lights everywhere but they were bright red lights, with a few white spots and some blue/green/yellow thrown in as well so it made for some decent photos.

Singer Gerard Way knows how to work the crowd, that much is for sure.  One foot on the monitor, both hands on the mic, a powerful and moody figure surrounded in red light and even redder hair. Call them what you will, they delivered a powerful show that I wouldn't mind seeing again.

source (+photos)

REVIEW [excerpt]: Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance rock at Shoreline

"...It wasn't long before My Chemical Romance came on stage, and the crowd really started to get excited. My Chemical Romance started off their set with a popular song off their most recent album, "Na Na Na." The song pretty much screams "get up and jump around," and that's exactly what people did. This vibe continued with the next two songs, "I'm Not Okay" (hit single off their 2004 album, "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge") and "Planetary (GO!)" (from their most recent album, "Danger Days," which is one of my favorites).

The rest of My Chemical Romance's set included a few older hits ("Helena," "Famous Last Words"), and several newer songs ("Mama," "Welcome to the Black Parade" and "Scarecrow"). Something notable about My Chemical Romance that puts them in a completely different category than most of the bands with which they're usually classified is their versatility. They have poppy tunes like "I'm Not Okay," more punk-rock songs like "Our Lady of Sorrows," and ballads like "Cancer." Amazingly, they manage to pull off singing all these songs in the same set and still maintain their solid identity.

The band held the energy for which they're so well known, even with the absence of their usual on-tour drummer Michael Pedicone (who was dismissed by the band after they found out he was stealing from them). Their replacement drummer Jarrod Alexander made sure their transition went over smoothly, and My Chemical Romance knocked their set out of the park."

read full article here

Oct 23, 2011

NEWS: 5 Year Anniversary of "The Black Parade"

On October 23, 2006, My Chemical Romance released “The Black Parade” album. Five years later, they’re still rockin’ like there’s no tomorrow.

Oct 22, 2011

VOTE: Who is the Hottest Dude in Hard Rock or Metal? - Revolver Magazine - ALL THE BOYS ARE NOMS!

Poll: Who is the Hottest Dude in Hard Rock or Metal?

Every year, when we put out our annual Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock issue, we hear requests for a list of the Hottest Dudes in heavy music. So we have prepared this poll for you to tell us just who the sexiest of them all is. Below, we’ve started a short list of some of the guys you’ve told us are hot in the past, but, if you want, you can write in your own choice for other people to vote on, too. Who knows, we might just interview your top pick about his hotness.

UPDATE: Due to the fact that pretty much every dude in every band is being written in as a candidate, we’ve suspended the option to add new hot rockers to the poll. If you can’t find someone to vote for among the current 100-plus nominees, you’re probably waaaay too picky.


VOTE HERE


NEWS/VIDEO: Our fellow Brazilian Killjoys need our help! - PHASE 2

Transmission 77.9 - Art is the Weapon


by Camila Terra

Look Alive, Killjoys, how are you?

As many of you who follow our activitier could notice, we were forced to launch the already late video for phase 2 of our project. That happened on purpose due to an emergency.

You all know that the World Contamination Tour is almost over and still, there isn’t a single scheduled show in Latin America. That is because of the new responsible for the band’s show booking in our region is, for some unknown reason, to make it as hard as possible, nearly impossible, to schedule a show here. Further, there is the indifference from each of our country’s Warner division. My Chemical Romance does not receive the publicity it needs as it happens in other countries. We are alone. Few try to help us, help us reach our dream and see them again. We need to join forces if we want to draw the MyChem staff, the band itself, or other company’s attention. Drawing their attention to all the trouble we go through and stops us from going further, leaving us with minimal chances of bringing them to our continent.

NEWS: The White Violin shirt designed by Gerard Way is now available to buy online.

The White Violin shirt designed by Gerard Way is now available to buy online.

Buy it here.

Very limited numbers available.”

source

Oct 20, 2011

STORE: Welcome to Boo-tiful Newark NJ

The official Halloween t-shirt of 2011!

Black slim fit t-shirt with "Welcome to Boo-tiful Newark NJ" graphic printed in GLOW IN THE DARK ink of the front.

 This t-shirt also has the Roman numeral "X" on the back to signify the 10 year anniversary of MCR.The shirt is a re-print of one of MCR’s very first tee designs.

This shirt is also available at your local Hot Topic.

BUY HERE

Halloween Contest: Design Your Own Killjoy Jacket

Look alive Killjoys! We saw your petition for a replica Killjoy Jacket and we’ve decided to run a contest to celebrate Halloween. Design your own Killjoy jacket (make one, draw it, or use your photoshop skills) for a chance to win one of the official Danger Days Jackets (Jet Star, Kobra Kid, or Fun Ghoul).

Grand Prize:

1 winner will receive an official Danger Days jacket of their choice (Jet Star, Kobra Kid, or Fun Ghoul) AND a “Welcome to Boo-tiful Newark, NJ” Halloween shirt.

Runner Ups:

2 runner- ups will receive an official Danger Days jacket of their choice (Jet Star, Kobra Kid, or Fun Ghoul)

Here’s how to enter:

- Register for MyChemicalRomance.com
- Take photos or submit images of your entry
- Fill out this form to submit your entry

The deadline to enter is October 31, 2011 at 6pm PST. Winners and their submissions will be announced on mychemicalromance.com.

Good luck and can’t wait to see your work!

Official Rules and Regulations

source

Oct 14, 2011

NEWS: Gerard Way designing for 'Shirts for a Cure'

Gerard designed an exclusive shirt using artwork from Umbrella Academy for @ Get them at @ this wknd at booth #241

source

PHOTOS: Candids - MCR with fans

NEWS: Our fellow Brazilian Killjoys need our help!

by Camila Terra

"HEY GUYS! Well, maybe some of you know me from the Grammy Museum (02/26) but I think some of you don't know me so... I'm brazilian, I was in LA only for that event... And brazilian Killjoys needs your help. It's been a long time since we have an MCR concert here (2008), so we need some votes (5,000) to have concerts here. I have a tutorial here, so if you can, just help us PLEASE! http://www.mcrbrasil.net/noticias/tutorial-mobsocial-com-imagens/ Here it is, you can vote with your Facebook account. I'll post the translated tutorial soon! THANK YOU, help us to MAKE SOME NOISE CALI KILLJOYS, pleeeeease!"

more info here

REVIEW: Tour Blogger: Honda Civic Tour Detroit

by Sulfursiren

While standing on the bank of the Hudson River in New Jersey and watching the twin towers fall ten years ago, Gerard Way could not have imagined that today he would be surrounded by over 15,000 fans. That long journey is what brings us here, to Clarkston, Michigan, preparing to witness something truly unique: a My Chemical Romance concert on the 10th anniversary of September 11th. As with every key show in their career, MCR rose to meet the moment and delivered an unforgettable performance.

From the opening audio onslaught of Na Na Na, My Chemical Romance demonstrated early in their set that this show was going to be one to remember. The band ripped into their songs with unparalleled ferocity and the crowd responded by increasing their excitement with each high kick and fist pump from Gerard, who applauded the audience’s wild energy. The crowd jumped as one to the sounds of Teenagers and Mama, including many energized Blink 182 fans. With the arrival of Helena, Gerard encouraged old fans and new fans to sing together and the audience countered by throwing their hands in the air.

PHOTOS: Honda Civic Tour - Master Photoset List


Oct 07 - fetchingcody - tumblr
Oct 07 - gettyimages.com
Oct 07 - play987.radio.com

REVIEW [excerpt]: Blink-182 And My Chemical Romance At Hollywood Bowl

"...The real power of Saturday night show, which was kicked off with a short set by Matt & Kim, came from MCR. Although the group’s costuming and video backdrop reflected the aesthetic of their latest disc, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, the foursome, aided by temporary drummer Jarred Alexander and Get-Up Kids keyboardist James Dewees, didn’t differentiate when it came to their back catalog. Every song was performed with the same intense vigor, which illuminated the fact that “Helena” (from 2004’s Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge) remains one of the best songs of the last decade.

Perhaps the difference is that MCR is a band still rising into their own while Blink-182 is a band trying to climb back up from the other side. There will always be a surge of joy in a fan when Blink play “What’s My Age Again?” but Saturday night’s show raises the question: Is there still any joy left in the band members themselves? (For the record, we hope the answer is yes.)"
full article here

Oct 11, 2011

REVIEW [excerpt]: Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, Matt and Kim October 7, 2011 at the Red Rock Amphitheater

"...The barrier had a much different crowd pressed against it when co-headliners My Chemical Romance took the stage. Make up, dark shirts, and colorful costumes were in full effect when the emo turned rock band took the stage with “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na).” To set the mood, the stage itself was reflectively darker than the bands that proceeded and followed them, vocalist Gerard Way’s fiery red dyed hair often the only thing that could be clearly made out. When it came time for “Planetary (GO!),´ the band filled the audience with giant, colorful, bouncy balloons, the crowd fighting the wind to keep them from returning to the stage they came from. “Welcome To The Black Parade” “I’m Not Okay,” and “Helena” were among the songs warmly greeted with huge cheers and even louder sing alongs, but the band also showcased their talent for quiet beauty with the haunting “Cancer.” I’ll admit that My Chemical Romance is the band I’m least familiar with on the tour, but I’ve always admired their willingness to push their sound to new areas with each release and they put on a fantastic live show."

full article here

ARTICLE: My Chemical Romance's Frank Iero Designs Guitar for Charity

My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero has designed a six-string guitar for Epiphone called the Phant-o-matic. "I took the body from the Wilshire, I took the Anico Humbuckers out of the Les Paul, I put the Les Paul neck on it and headstock, changed the tuners around, and fucked a little bit with the electronics – and we made the Phant-o-matic," Iero tells Rolling Stone.

As a kid, Iero says he had his dream celebrity guitar, the Kurt Cobain-created Jag-Stang. But being approached by Epiphone to make his own model made Iero think about his family before any guitar legends. "Basically when given this opportunity the first thing that came to mind was my dad buying me my first guitar," he says. "And the reason I got into music was my grandfather and dads played drums and were in bands forever."

So, what did his dad say about the Frank Iero Phant-o-matic? "They were like, 'Are you serious? That’s crazy,'" he says. "My dad was super psyched." And to pay tribute to his family, Iero is turning the venture into a philanthropic endeavor. "About six years ago my family was affected by multiple sclerosis and that was the first thing that came to mind. The only reason I would be doing this is because of my family, so why not give back?" he says, adding that Epiphone is matching every dollar he gives to MS.


Designing guitars hasn't been his only recent burst of creativity. He says MCR have been very inspired of late as well. "Whether it be writing a new My Chem record or working on a different kind of project, there are a couple of things that are coming in the works," he says. "But I definitely see new music coming out or at least being worked on throughout the rest of this year and hopefully maybe something coming out by summer."

source

Oct 10, 2011

PHOTOS: Honda Civic Tour - Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA - 10/08/11

more photos below:

VIDEOS: Honda Civic Tour - Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA - 10/08/11

"CANCER"


"FAMOUS LAST WORDS"


"HELENA"


"I'M NOT OKAY (I PROMISE)"


"MAMA"


"NA NA NA (NA NA NA NA NA NA)"


"OUR LADY OF SORROWS"


"PLANETARY (GO!)"


"S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W"


"TEENAGERS"


"WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE"

REVIEW: Tour Blogger: Honda Civic Tour Miami

The drive out to Cruzan was filled with anxiety and all kinds of useless negative thoughts clouding my head. But after driving for what felt a year but was only an hour or so, my sister arrived at the venue. After collecting our tickets and photo pass, I was instantly greeted by Nicole, whom I was meeting for the first time after running the South Florida MCRmy together since March. The area outside the amphitheater was hustling and bustling with a large crowd of people of all ages who were just as excited as I was as they got their Honda Civic Tour air brush tats, band merch, and other goodies I wanted to snag so badly. But alas, I had to prepare myself, for in less than thirty minutes or so, I'd be photographing my heroes.

The rest of the photographers and I were escorted to the press pit, and I held fort on Ray's side. I looked back to the diverse crowd, and as the countdown for My Chem commenced, I felt my heart stop.

I positioned my camera high, determined to capture the essence of MCR as they put on an awesome show. Still, an eternity of mental preparation couldn't have readied me for all the emotion I felt as the guys walked on stage. They instantly jumped into NaNaNa, and the crowd went insane, singing the words right back to Gerard full force.

REVIEW: Tour Blogger: Honda Civic Tour Charlotte, NC

by Rayven

Despite getting to the venue an hour-and-a-half later than I planned on, I was psyched to get to see My Chemical Romance for the first time, after waiting for what seemed like forever. When we arrived, I got out of the car to find hundreds of lovers of MCR, Blink-182, and Matt & Kim being just as excited as I was. I was taken to an area where a few others and myself waited for entry to the photo pit. Then it was time. We were walked out to the stage to wait for My Chem to come on, and that's when all those feelings finally started hitting me.

Nervous. Excited. Amazed. Just to name a couple, that is. My whole body was shaking at the overabundance of emotions, and at the thought of being just a few inches, maybe even centimeters, away from the men that saved and changed my life. I glanced up at what was going to be Gerard's mic stand in about thirty seconds and thought "Wow. I'm really here. They're really going to be that close to me." It pretty much brought those tiny little tears you only get when something wonderful is going to happen to my eyes. That's when the lights went out and everyone started screaming, signaling that I was about to have a life-changing experiance.

At first I couldn't see anything, as it was already dark out, then the lights came and directed all of our impatient eyes to the entry way. First I saw Ray walking out, with a huge smile on his face, then Frank, wearing a little vampire cape with "Dracula" scrawled across his shirt, Mikey, casual as always, and Gerard, hinting a smile as he walked to the mic. There they were. Right in front of me. Ready to give us their all. A huge grin instantly took over my sweaty, slightly teared face. The music started coarsing through our veins as we busted into Na Na Na. All the while I was singing along, trying desperately to keep my camera steady. I was running back and forth, trying to capture every moment I possibly could on camera. Behind me there were thousands of people screaming every word at the top of their lungs. It was the first time in my life I had felt that I was meant to be somewhere, like I had finally found somewhere I belonged, the very first time no one was going to look at me like another species for doing what I loved the most.

REVIEW: Tour Blogger: Honda Civic Tour Virginia Beach

by Emma

Have you ever noticed how crazy life can get? One day you hear an amazing song by an amazing band for the first time, then two years from that exact day, you're in the photo pit taking pictures of that same band performing that same song.
Yeah...life can get pretty insane.

Soon after my friend Marlena and I arrived at Farms Bureau in Virginia Beach, I began to take pictures like I was paparazzi. Of course the place was overflowing with teens in Blink 182 t-shirts. Still, every now and then, a burst of ferocious colors would catch my eye. My heart would skip a beat, knowing this ensured a killjoy was nearby. Although, in spite of the differences, a smile was plastered on everyone's faces as if permanent.

When I finally knew the deal about access to the photo pit and when to come and go, I was able to sit down and let the butterflies in my stomach rest. Anxiety blazed in my eyes while enchanment boiled under my skin...itching in my palm where I clutched my inadequate camera. Once Matt & Kim were finished, I was to rush to the edge of the photo pit and relax with the other photographers. We would wait there until ordered to do otherwise. For now though, my job was to enjoy the lovely duo Matt & Kim. This, of course, was immensely simple due to the band's impeccable talent and energy. The two did a splendid job of raising the crowd's enthusiasm. After their farewell, I knew it was time for them. My Chemical Romance.

I hurried on over to my arranged meeting spot and settled with the other professionial photographers. We all huddled together to shield ourselves from the rain. Afterwards, we were given the signal to take refuge in the pit. While waiting for the band, my nerves were taking over and I started to tremble. This can't be happening, this can't be happening continually repeated in my mind. All of a sudden, the lights went off.

Screams rang in my ears and my heartbeat echoed in my head. I waited painfully for the band to step out after the BL/ind agent. A countdown began. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...

REVIEW: Tour Blogger: Honda Civic Tour Albuquerque, New Mexico

by Taylor

September 29, 2011. Four months to the day since my very first My Chemical Romance concert and this time, my dreams of photographing them during concert were coming true. The atmosphere of the Honda Civic Tour show and the concert I attended in May of 2011 were very different things, and I'm glad I got to experience both.

Arriving at The Pavilion in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I honestly did not see a vast number of kids who looked to be big MCR fans. However, the ones I did see were dedicated beyond belief. I saw multiple fans dressed as Killjoys and many more than that wearing shirts and jackets from other MCR tours. Unfortunately, due to the timely process of receiving my press pass and having it confirmed, I was unable to take pictures of any of these awesome fans.

After I received clearance for my press pass, we were brought into the venue by the media director who was so helpful in showing us around the venue since we had never been there before and also giving me direction for what to do when it came down to go into the photo pit.

When the media director left us at our seats, we were very eager for the show to start. I had heard many good things about Matt & Kim, and I was very excited to see them live. They did not disappoint me, they were very talented and I enjoyed their set a lot. I don't know, though, if they were exactly fitting for the audience of My Chemical Romance and Blink-182 fans, so there were times during their performance when crowd enthusiasm was at low.

Towards the end of Matt & Kim's set I started to get butterflies as I knew it would soon be time to travel to the photo pit and photograph my favorite band while they performed, something that had been on my bucket list for years. When Matt & Kim finished playing I made my way to pick up my camera and then followed my escort to the entrance of the photo pit. It was about to happen, and I was beyond nervous.

ARTICLE: My Chemical Romance Gives the Voodoo Line-up That Punk Rock Flavor: Interview with Band Member Ray Toro

On the line-up for the first day of Voodoo My Chemical Romance will be rocking out with their signature theatrics and crazy costumes. Ray Toro, on guitar and backup vocals, talks about the band’s plans for Halloween weekend in New Orleans, surprise plans for Voodoo, and their ever evolving sound.

What are you guys most excited about performing in New Orleans at Voodoo?
Well we’ve played in New Orleans a couple times before so we’re excited to get back to the city. It’s such an amazing place with a rich culture and energy. You can feel that energy empowering the shows we play in New Orleans. We’re even going to take time off after the show to hang out for the weekend. Some of the band members’ wives are flying in for the show so we’re excited to really kick back and enjoy the city.

PHOTOS: Honda Civic Tour - Red Rock Resort Hotel & Casino - Las Vegas, NV - 10/07/11

more photos below:

VIDEOS: Honda Civic Tour - Red Rock Resort Hotel & Casino - Las Vegas, NV - 10/07/11

GERARD BY HIS TRAILER PRE-SHOW


"CANCER"


"WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE"


"PLANETARY (GO!)"


"HELENA"

REVIEW [excerpt]: Honda Civic Tour Review: Blink-182, MCR, Matt & Kim

Next up was My Chemical Romance (MCR), to promote their latest effort from last year, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. This was my 2nd time to see them live, the 1st being four years ago in 2007. I was surprised how many in attendance were there to see MCR. I should have remembered the multicolored hairstyle group still has a large fan base. They opened their set with a video and then the song “Na Na Na”. They then played “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)”, “Planetary (GO!), and concluded later with fan pleasers “Helena”, “Teenagers”, and “Welcome to the Black Parade”. I counted a total of a dozen songs before they called it quits. The other item worth mentioning is that MCR had a new drummer, Jarrod Alexander, with them. The 6 piece had to recruit someone new just a few weeks before, since the former Michael Pedicone was caught stealing from them.

full article here

REVIEW [excerpt]: Wet and Wonderful? Leeds Fest 2011 Reviewed

Having no interest whatsoever in seeing Thirty Seconds to Mars, I headed back to the tent and got some food before heading back down to the main stage in time to catch My Chemical Romance’s set. Again, I had no real interest in seeing My Chemical Romance, however I had even less interest in seeing Beady Eye or Unkle Sounds, so I decided to meet up with my friend again and watch MCR, partly to see Teenagers, partly to say I’d seen them and partly because otherwise I’d have been doing nothing. Despite not knowing most of their songs and disliking most of the songs I did know, My Chemical Romance were great. The crowd were livelier than they had been for anyone other than Frank Turner and The Offspring and Gerard Way was a really entertaining front man. I enjoyed singing out the words to Teenagers and by the end of the night, I found myself singing along to Welcome To The Black Parade despite not really liking the song. My only complaint – other than I don’t like most of their songs – was that the show seemed to end a little prematurely, though I guess the fact that I’m saying I’d like to have seen My Chemical Romance play longer than they did is testament to how good they were as prior to seeing them, I’d have never believed there was such a thing as a My Chem concert as ending prematurely.

full article here

REVIEW [excerpt]: Show Review: blink-182, My Chemical Romance, Matt & Kim (Honda Civic Tour) at Shoreline Amphitheater,

My Chemical Romance are a band that the editor in chief of this blog adores, as well as many good friends of mine. And, by the reaction of the crowd, nearly every ticket purchaser of this evening’s event. I, however, have had very little interaction with them. I know the singles, and have heard plenty around me, but I’ve never sat at home and listened to MCR (as they are rather known by there fans, although this contraction makes me think of CCR, which is a totally unrelated thing.) I was expecting some darker toned pop punk music, at times leaning towards the dreaded “emo” banner. And, yes, those were some of the influences, but singer Gerard Way seems to have a different soul that he’s channeling. He has the androgynous swagger of Marc Bolan, only of filtered through an aggressive, nearly metal ferocity. He is the kind of frontman that comes along ever so rarely. Sure, they played the catchy, pop punk hits like “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” and “Helena,” but they were at their strongest when they were indulging in their 70′s UK Glam Rock influences. There was the disco strut of “Planetry (GO!)” that could have easily been released on Factory Records, a Kurt Weill meets David Bowie of “Mama,” and the epic suite of “Welcome To The Black Parade,” all songs the showed a much more musically complex and mature band than most of their fellow Warped Tour graduates. Sure, since I was unfamiliar with much of their material, at times some of the songs started to blend in with each other, but they were a thoroughly entertaining support act, and definitely something that I would see again.

full article here

REVIEW: My Chemical Romance Live in San Diego

Call them Emo, call them Goth/Punk/Pop/Alternative, call them whatever, there's no denying My Chemical Romance's popularity.  You would be hard pressed to tell whether the crowd at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater was there to see the headliner blink-182 or My Chemical Romance.

I was surprised how much I liked this bands show.  I had heard nightmare stories about the lighting (from a photographer's perspective) but it wasn't as bad as I expected.  Yes, red lights everywhere but they were bright red lights, with a few white spots and some blue/green/yellow thrown in as well so it made for some decent photos.

Singer Gerard Way knows how to work the crowd, that much is for sure.  One foot on the monitor, both hands on the mic, a powerful and moody figure surrounded in red light and even redder hair.  Don't dare call them an Emo band though.
Call them what you will, they delivered a powerful show that I wouldn't mind seeing again.

PHOTOS: Candids