The first My Chemical Romance show in over seven years was always going to be an emotional affair.
Held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles last night (December 20), there where 6,300 lucky fans – including famous faces like Halsey and Panic! at the Disco‘s Brendon Urie – who got the chance to witness a performance by a band they assumed they’d never get the chance to see.
Emma, 19, from Riverside, California, said the band had more than lived up to her sky-high expectations. “I got into them around April 2013, so you can see how sad I felt then!,” she said, referencing the band’s initial split back in 2013. “It was truly amazing. I was so worried coming in because I just wasn’t sure what to expect but then I realised I am here in the most momentous occasion for the emo kids, the scene kids and everybody here.”
She added: “I am just truly honoured to be a part of this. I hope they do a tour because I would love, love, love, love to come back and see them again.”
Emma’s moment of the set came during ‘Famous Last Words’. “When I started hearing that I could feel myself just crying,” she said. “I was still waiting for it to hit me, and then it finally hit me. I am here watching My Chemical Romance and this is my favourite song. It was beautiful.”
It wasn’t everyone’s first time. Colin Fitzgerald, 27, said he’d previously seen the band perform at Fiddler’s Green in Colorado, where they’d “set the stage on fire!” He said: “This was the better show because they didn’t get interrupted by stage fire. Dear God. Gerard Way has not lost his edge. Nobody’s lost their edge. It’s a comeback!”
Another fan, 25-year-old Kristen, told NME that although she’d been a fan of My Chemical Romance since she was 10, this was her first time seeing them live.
“I didn’t get to go to concerts when I was younger and by the time I was finally able to they had already gone on hiatus,” she said. “They were one of those bands I never thought I’d actually get to see live. I’ve lived through their songs. ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ is one of my all-time favourite albums. To see them play and actually perform the songs was absolutely incredible. It was something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. I feel like a lot of us were just a little bit too young to get to go. Now they’re back it’s really awesome to finally get that chance.”
She added: “They’re such an iconic band that they’ve picked up a generation of new fans. It doesn’t really end.”
As yet, it is unclear whether the band will be recording new music together or if their forthcoming live dates will be purely focused on performing their existing material. Needless to say, the fans want both.
Emma pointed out that there are still thousands of fans waiting to hear them play the classics. “I think just doing what they’ve done before for the initial part of the tour would be pretty good, just because of all the people trying to get in to see them,” she said. “But then I have no qualms whatsoever about some new music from them. I’m down for it.”
Colin, too, would like to hear new music from the band. “Honestly, there are still people who are looking for this kind of music, this kind of identity,” he said. “I think it resonates with a lot of people.”
Not only were those present in awe of what they were witnessing, plenty of fans watching online have taken to social media to share their thoughts and feelings after the show was live-streamed by various parties.
“This moment is going in the history books,” one fan wrote. Another said: “Can’t believe I’m ugly crying on my bed instead of being there singing every lyric to this song with them.”
this moment is going in the history books folks #mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/Dg4OplPjuL
— ree (@jkyoongs) December 21, 2019
can’t believe i’m ugly crying on my bed instead of being there singing every lyric to this song with them #mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/ZQgRi2kcLa
— ツ (@maggotlyss) December 21, 2019
See a few other social media reactions below:
Gerard: LET ME HEAR YOU
Me halfway across the country staring at my phone:#mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/ZM0ds99TaT— Natalie (@sparkee088) December 21, 2019
Gerard at the end of the reunion concert: "WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE"
Me in my bedroom:#mychemicalromance #MyChemicalRomanceReturn pic.twitter.com/hvhQtgZGSX— J E A N ? (@thebuwiset) December 21, 2019
"Thank you for waiting around for all those years" #mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/wb8Ie7yPLS
— Queen of Retail Hell ? (@ThisislikeBuffy) December 21, 2019
mcr: *plays g note*
me, on my phone: #mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/EdreH0q3cf— joanna ?? (@josuisjoanna) December 21, 2019
Teenagers !!
Damn look at the crowd !!!@GWayFUN #MyChemicalRomanceReturn #mychemicalromance #mcr pic.twitter.com/ziy7AevuV5— Tracey Jeanne // NJ (@TraceyJeanne_) December 21, 2019
the way gerard pulled helena music video move man i love him sfm #mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/EhydNgJLYX
— 카야옹 (@VELNSKAI) December 21, 2019
Nothing is better than seeing people this happy. ♥️♥️? #mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/VNFw52OQcs
— Lola + G (@LolaPlusG) December 21, 2019
THE BEST PART OF HELENA YES I SAID IT THIS IS IT #mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/F3G70kELaG
— 카야옹 (@VELNSKAI) December 21, 2019
Gerard (constantly thanks crowd for being there and is shocked and surprised anyone cares about them at all)
All of us, having known this for years:#mychemicalromance pic.twitter.com/C0w7fQfczW— Natalie (@sparkee088) December 21, 2019
In a five-star review, NME‘s Kevin EG Perry said of the show: “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a crowd where so many people knew not just every word of every song, but even roared back every sample and snippet of dialogue. There were pogoing riffs and big, silly guitar solos.”
He added: “How else can I say it? I get it now. I get it. I’m a convert. I turned up a reporter, I left a screaming fan. My Chemical Romance are back, but as for me? I’m still not okay.”