Long Live The Black Parade: My Chemical Romance Live at the Alamodome 9/12
Written by Lyle Fox
On September 12, around the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, there was high anticipation for what was in store for the faithful Killjoys. The landscape of fans ranged from elder emos to the over-the-top goth stylings made famous by My Chemical Romance. Kicking off the night was The Mars Volta, attacking the stage with their signature experimental sound and stage presence. Frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala captivated the audience with his energetic, rhythmic movements and powerful vocal delivery. The genre-bending, unconventional sound of Omar Rodríguez-López rang out through the stadium, sending fans into a hypnotic trance of amusement and awe. With the combination of their technical backing band and melodic vocals, The Mars Volta delivered a one-of-a-kind music experience that is probably only seen once in a lifetime.
After The Mars Volta departed the stage, fans eagerly waited for the parade to begin. The arena displayed the fictional world of Draag. Propaganda messages in both Keposhka (the Draag language) and English appeared on screens around the venue, along with Draag laws to be followed. The lights faded as the Draag national anthem began to ring out, fully transitioning the audience into the dystopian country. As My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way took the stage as our “protagonist,” he led the audience in a cult-like trial and execution of the Grand Immortal Dictator. This led into a “fair” election, decided by YEA or NAY signs, given to the audience prior to the show, making him the leader of Draag before launching straight into “Welcome To The Black Parade.” As the show went on, fans were entertained by the Quizzo game, the Gentleman being set on fire, and My Chemical Romance being knighted by King Diamond himself. As The Black Parade met its chaotic end, the stage took the form of a demolished and charred landscape, and the beloved leader met his end at the hands of the Grand Immortal Dictator, closing out the Stage A set with a BANG.
Transitioning from the festivities of The Black Parade, the band then moved to Stage B, which was located in the center of the arena. They opened with fan-favorite “Helena,” then delved into their catalog of hits, including “Summertime,” “Hang ‘Em High,” and “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” before closing out with “The Foundations of Decay.” During the Stage B set, Gerard opened up to the crowd about the band’s grief from losing their close friend and producer, Doug McKean. He then mentioned their desire to make another album, which would be their fifth studio album, because of the support from the fanbase over the years. The amount of joy that My Chemical Romance’s music brought to their fans was visible on the faces of everyone filing out onto the streets, where discussions about hidden meanings and hopes for new music could be heard. It’s safe to say that the "Long Live The Black Parade Tour" is solidly implanted in the memories of the audience for years to come.
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