September 12th, 2001, Gerard Way, alongside his brother Mikey and guitarist Ray Toro, formed one of the most influential bands in the 2000s alternative rock scene. After adding rhythm guitarist Frank Iero and creating two albums, My Chemical Romance broke out in 2006 with their album The Black Parade, reshaping the alternative rock and “emo” genres. This album, alongside their three others and numerous singles, brought fame to four young adults from New Jersey. But after the band broke up in 2013, no one thought they would ever experience the live vocals and unique guitar solos of the band ever again. That was, until the 2022, Swarm Tour. With the band back together and better than ever, things began looking up for My Chemical Romance. After a successful tour the world waited for what the band would do next. In September of 2024 their questions were answered, when the band announced Long Live the Black Parade, a tour in which the band would perform eleven shows across North America, playing their famous album, The Black Parade, in full.
The Black Parade is not just any album, it tells a story. The concept of the album follows a man on his death bed. As he says farewell and reminisces on his life, he is welcomed to the afterlife by none other than “The Black Parade.” The band wear their monotonous black marching band uniforms and lead the Parade into the afterlife, not just with acceptance, but with fire. The original Black Parade tour in 2006 was a worldwide success. The full skeletal makeup and theatrics of every performance bolstered the reputation of the band almost more than the songs themselves. After the tour the band released their fourth album and a line of singles before deciding to abruptly disband, with no public idea of if or when they’d return. After a 2022 reunion tour, the band announced they would be reliving their most influential years with Long Live: the Black Parade in 2025.
However, these shows were not just to relive the same old story, but to revitalize it through new ideas, and create a bridge between the concepts of the band’s third and fourth album. Each show takes place in a totalitarian nation, Draag, with the “Grand Immortal Dictator” waving to the crowd before the show. My Chemical Romance is no longer themselves, but instead “the Black Parade,” dusting off their old undead marching band uniforms and being forced to perform. The shows include rigged elections, executions, and the destruction of the world as the band gains consciousness and seeks rebellion from their oppressors. As lead singer Gerard Way launches a missile, seemingly to destroy the world, long-time fans see a glimpse of the bigger picture in this revolution storyline. The band’s fourth album, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, is another concept album, taking place in the nuclear fallout of California, with a small yet until now insignificant connection to its predecessor The Black Parade. The events throughout each concert build off the last, with the band seemingly destined to always destroy the world and then be brought back to life to perform once again. Yet the band slowly gains consciousness and gets closer to banding together for freedom each time.
Almost every show in the North American tour was performed in the United States. However, one show was performed north, in Toronto, Canada. Each show adds a slight twist to the story, and Toronto was no exception. While some shows had different turns of events on stage, including new endings, theatrics, and songs, Toronto’s most prominent difference was in their “elexecution” part of the show. As concert goers walk into the Rogers Centre, they are given a double sided sign, used in a later part of the show for a vote. Toronto’s signs, instead of the usual “Yea” or “Nay” seen at other concert venues, displayed “chicken” or “fish” on either side. The voting went on as usual, but My Chemical Romance’s Toronto show was the only one that saw these signs, and there’s still no explanation for their unknown meaning. Toronto also experienced what many fans saw as an unofficial hint towards the band’s future musical creation. Between songs on the B-stage, lead singer Gerard Way mentions an unreleased song, “War Beneath the Rain.” This song was played at other shows, but Toronto was not so lucky. Instead, Way rambles on about how he remembered being in the studio with one of the song’s contributors, failing to mention if this was back before the band’s initial disbanding, or much more recently. This small slip up followed by visible reactions from the band led many fans to believe new music is in the works for My Chemical Romance.
Toronto also had an electric and unforgettable B-stage setlist. Each show on the Long Live: the Black Parade tour featured MCR’s Welcome to the Black Parade album in full, followed by an encore on the B-stage. However, each setlist on the B-stage, while consisting of ten songs, did not always feature the same melodies. While hits like “I’m Not Okay (I promise),” “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na),” and Helena (So Long and Goodnight),” were played at every show on the tour, the other seven songs were a complete surprise to each venue. Toronto’s setlist was either perfection or a tragedy, depending on the fans’ preferences. Although no songs from their true emo debut album, I Brought You My Bullets You Brought Me Your Love, were heard in the Rogers Centre, fans of the pop-punk Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, were ecstatic to hear four songs off the band’s “dancey-est” album. With a mixture of hits like the album’s heartfelt “Summertime,” and the energetic “Planetary (GO!),” Toronto truly heard the best of the Killjoys at the Rogers Centre. Toronto audience members were also one of few who were able to hear the Conventional Weapons Single, “Boy Division,” live on this tour. The encore opened with the single, and included hits like “Thank You For the Venom,” and “The Ghost of You,” off of the band’s breakthrough album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Possibly the biggest shock of the show’s setlist, was the band’s decision to play a song from their Welcome to the Black Parade B-Sides. Three B-sides are featured in the deluxe edition of the band’s most famous album. The most well-known B-side, “Kill All Your Friends,” was previously only played in Arlington on this tour. But as the show was nearing its end, the iconic guitar riff and isolated drums shocked the stadium.
The sole Canadian venue on the North American tour did not disappoint. The band’s usual theatrics ensued flawlessly, alongside some twists and memorable moments, and including some of the band’s most famous and eccentric songs. Now, My Chemical Romance is preparing for their European tour, and will return to the U.S. again for the second leg of the North American tour next summer.