“His Grand Immortal Dictator wishes to celebrate our rich and storied culture, fine foods and musical entertainments by welcoming you to these great demonstrations of power and resolve… And lending voice and song for the first time in six thousand two hundred and forty six days, their work privilege ceremoniously reinstated, will be His Grand Immortal Dictator’s national band… The Black Parade.”
What would the emo revolution of the 2000s be without the resurgence of My Chemical Romance? Fronted by Gerard Way, guitarist Ray Toro, bassist Mikey Way, guitarist Frank Iero and current drummer Jarrod Alexander, the band has been reunited since 2019 after their 2013 split. After a highly anticipated performance at When We Were Young Festival last year and a slew of teasers, they are on the road with their Long Live The Black Parade tour. MCR’s mission seems clear: re‑immerse us all in their classic The Black Parade album performed in full (along with other surprises as well).
The show began hauntingly with two atmospheric tapes: “Tonight You Belong to Me” and “Over Fields (The National Anthem of Draag),” immediately immersing the crowd in MCR’s dark, theatrical world. Then after, the show launched into gear, prompting a full play-through of The Black Parade from start to finish. Visually and emotionally immersive, MCR transformed Dodger Stadium into their own theatrical spectacle. They brought the crowd together with their ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ voting ritual, charging the audience up while fueling communal voice.
Instrumentally, the guys sounded smooth as ever. Gerard’s vocals were on point as Mikey carried each song with those grounding basslines. Frank and Ray maintained our favorite riffs and melodies flawlessly. Jarrod’s drumming anchored the performance with punches and bass pedal beats that resonates deep within our emoest years past. He delivered with precision and flair that honored both the legacy of Bob Bryar and the evolving sound of the band. After The Black Parade, we were treated with some of the utmost sacred classics we all know and love like: “Helena,” “Na Na Na,” “The Ghost of You,” and “I’m Not Okay (I Promise).”
Night two at Dodger Stadium was more than just throwback nostalgia — it was a full-throttle time capsule that can only be executed perfectly by these true emo veterans. The tour will continue through September, trickling its way across the states hitting the east coast and a few other cities (Chicago, Toronto, Tampa) before wrapping. We can’t wait to see what further may be in store for My Chemical Romance.
GALLERY: My Chemical Romance at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California (July 27, 2025)
