Exactly 6 years, 10 months, and one week since officially announcing their breakup in 2013, My Chemical Romance posted a cryptic video to their Instagram page on January 28th, 2020. Fans were quick to decode the message, finding references to a total of 18 locations which were later confirmed to be stops on a North American tour beginning in September of the same year. Tickets sold out immediately, but the excitement soon turned to sadness for many when just a few months later all dates were postponed because of Covid-19. 2021 came and went, and so did the rescheduled dates. Once again the tour was pushed back by a year but, with venues and festivals beginning to resume operation, this time felt more promising. As the new 2022 dates grew nearer even more shows and locations were added and, on Friday, August 26th, My Chemical Romance took to the stage at PNC Arena Raleigh, North Carolina for their first show in the state in over a decade. After this ten year wait, nothing was going to stop some GA ticket holders from securing that coveted spot at the barricade, not even a strict “no lines before 12pm” rule announced by the venue. Fans were showing up to camp out at the fairgrounds across the street at 4:00am, waiting over 14 hours to be among the first in line. By the time the doors opened at 6:30pm, multiple lines covered the perimeter of the arena, snaking back and forth to cover open areas and extending out to the parking lots.
Soul Glo opened the show at 7:30PM to an already buzzing crowd. This date was the only one to include the punk band from Philly, who released their third album Diaspora Problems earlier this year. While many of the fans I talked to hadn’t seen them before, everyone expressed how they enjoyed the set. Their short yet high energy performance was a great kick-start for the evening!
Soul Glo:
Pierce Jordan – Vocals
GG Guerra – Bass/Vocals/Programming
Ruben Polo – Guitar
TJ Stevenson – Drums
After a quick 15 minute changeover, Turnstile ran out to begin their fifth and final performance supporting this tour. Right from the get, it was clear the band was there to put on a show. Front man Brendan Yates spent most of the set jumping, running, and dancing around or standing on the speakers in front of the stage to hold the mic stand out over the crowd. The time and care put into the lighting for Turnstile’s performance was also immediately noticeable, featuring intense sequences and projections of cool designs on the crowd and up to the ceiling of the arena. The set ended with “Turnstile Love Connection” off of their 2021 album, Glow On, after which Brendan thanked the crowd and jumped down to the floor to fist bump fans in the pit. While this was their last show with My Chemical Romance, Turnstile will be headed back on the road later this year headlining their own North American tour.
Turnstile:
Brendan Yates – Vocals/Keyboard
Franz Lyons – Bass/Vocals
Pat McCrory – Guitar
Daniel Fang – Drums
Setlist:
1.) MYSTERY
2.) BLACKOUT
3.) DON’T PLAY
4.) UNDERWATER BOI
5.) FLY AGAIN
6.) Real Thing
7.) Big Smile
8.) ALIEN LOVE CALL
9.) HOLIDAY
10.) TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION
After two great opening acts, fans were beyond excited for the main event. In between the Turnstile and My Chemical Romance sets, when the lights were still up and soundcheck was yet to be done, a chain of crowd surfers started from the back of the pit. Multiple employees of the venue had stated that this show was by far the loudest they’d experienced (one attendant in the elevators said she usually couldn’t hear the music at all), but during soundcheck fans were still asking that the levels be turned up even higher. When the lights finally dimmed and the artwork for “The Foundations of Decay” appeared on the screens that hung on each side of the stage, the crowd went wild.
After a few minutes of fans screaming at a dark, empty stage, the members of My Chemical Romance walked out to the intro of their new single. While the setlist has been different for each tour date thus far, it always starts the same with the 2022 single “The Foundations of Decay,” the first and only new release since their 2013 split. Part way through the song, the curtain backdrop fell to reveal a post-apocalyptic city scape set, complete with blown up buildings and an overturned taxi. With what seemed like every person in the arena screaming back every word, you’d think they were opening with “Welcome to the Black Parade” or one of their many other classics. While this song is incredible and will rightfully take it’s place among the band’s other iconic hits, when the second song “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” started the already impossibly high levels of excitement were turned up about 10 notches.
For many in the crowd, this was their first time seeing My Chemical Romance perform. The first chance to sing along (live) to the 2004 song that was such a staple for so many was not taken lightly. After so many years of waiting, the now 20 and 30-year-olds who did not get the chance the first time around were re-experiencing the music that literally shaped their childhood and teenage years, and it was amazing to be there for it. All of the other heavy hitters including “Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Teenagers,” and “Helena (So Long & Goodnight)” have appeared on the setlist every show. Other than that, the setlist is a surprise each night. During this show, 2013’s “Burn Bright” was played live for the first time ever. Unfortunately, it was also the only show from this tour where not one song from the band’s debut album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was played.
Another nightly mystery involves vocalist Gerard Way’s wardrobe. He has worn some interesting pieces at various shows this year, sometimes appearing in a clown costume, a white and bloody suit with the Meta logo drawn on, and, most recently, a custom tailored vintage cheerleading dress. For this show his outfit was less extreme than some of the previous examples, featuring a bloody eye bandage, short camo colored shorts, and a New York bug tee shirt corresponding with the phrase “Free Bugs” that was written on the bass drum head.
During the performance the band stopped only once when they thought a crowd member was down. It turns out he was fine, just excited to open a mosh pit when “DESTROYA” was introduced. Gerard yelled out never mind and continued the set without further incident. It was evident how much care was taken for the safety of those in attendance. A message on screens around the venue before the show reinforced the “When someone falls, we pick them up” mentality that has been fervently embraced in the recent months and multiple times throughout the set security was at the barricade between songs handing out bottles of water.
The set ended with an extended version of “Sleep” off of the album The Black Parade and, as soon as it was over, the entire arena was chanting for an encore. After a short time the band came back onto the stage with Gerard saying that it was time to “send you off proper.” “Vampire Money” and “Helena (So Long & Goodnight)” were played and made for a very punchy, albeit short, encore. As “Helena” came to an end, the band thanked the crowd and moved to the front of the stage to throw out their picks and sticks, marking the end of the show and a successful return to North Carolina for My Chemical Romance. It is great to see that they are back in full force and I am looking forward, along with the rest of the fanbase, to more shows and hopefully more music from them soon.
My Chemical Romance:
Gerard Way – Vocals
Ray Toro – Lead Guitar
Frank Iero – Rhythm Guitar
Mikey Way – Bass
Jarrod Alexander – Drums
Setlist:
1.) The Foundations of Decay
2.) I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
3.) Bury Me in Black
4.) This Is How I Disappear
5.) Summertime
6.) House of Wolves
7.) Teenagers
8.) Boy Division
9.) Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
10.) DESTROYA
11.) The Ghost of You
12.) Give ‘Em Hell Kid
13.) Welcome to the Black Parade
14.) Burn Bright
15.) Mama
16.) Famous Last Words
17.) Sleep
Encore:
18.) Vampire Money
19.) Helena (So Long & Goodnight)
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My name is Courtney and I am a concert photographer based outside of Orlando, FL. For decades I’ve been an avid enjoyer of music and photography (separately), but recently found the joy that comes from putting them together. There is nothing that beats the rush of live music, but being able to relive that time through photographs sure comes close. Join me as I dive into the Central Florida music scene!
