Live Review: My Chemical Romance - Victoria Park, Warrington 27/05/2022
Back in 2005, a friend gave me a ticket for a band I'd heard little about, and even less from. I entered Manchester's Academy 3 that night not knowing what to expect from a band who, whether anyone knew it or not, were about to take over the world. I left the venue that night a convert. Like others before me I'd fallen massively in love with My Chemical Romance.
A lot has changed since that time. My own personal affair with them ended around the same time they released their third album. They went on to release a fourth before calling time on the band back in 2013. Many thought that signalled the end of the band. And at the time, it did. At least until 2019, when rumours became fact and a reunion tour was announced.
Unfortunately, the small matter of a global pandemic threw everything into disarray. Thankfully though, despite two years passing since the shows were originally announced, tonight sees My Chemical Romance descend on Warrington's Victoria Park on the Northern leg of their reunion tour.
With Neighbourhood Weekender taking place the same weekend, a festival vibe permeates the crowd from the minute we arrive. And while tonight's crowd might be dressed a little different to the bucket hats and Adidas trainers that will arrive tomorrow, the sense of excitement and expectation is palpable.
Arriving fashionably late as a result of expected traffic, we miss local openers Crawlers, but thankfully make it in time to catch LA rockers Starcrawler. Though much of the crowd is somewhat distracted by the prospect of My Chemical Romance, or perhaps the price of the cocktails, the band put on an impressive show, rattling through a nine song set that includes an expected (and excellent) cover of Ramones' 'Pet Sematary' and a surprise inclusion of Roger Alan Wade's 'If You're Gonna Be Dumb You Gotta be Tough', before ending on 2019 single 'Bet My Brains'.
While Starcrawler feel a fitting support, main support Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls seems a little left-field. That doesn't stop him from giving it his all though. And though pockets of the crowd appear uninterested, there are those who love Frank Turner, and belt back each of his 10 tracks as if he was tonight's headline. And given his energy and his performance, he could well have been. New tracks such as the weighty 'Non Servium' and 'The Gathering' make early appearances but fit easily in beside established tracks like 'Plain Sailing Weather' or 'Try This At Home'.
It's a shame that, at least from where we're stood towards the rear of the crowd, his inimitable brand of folk-punk falls flat. It's something Turner takes in his stride though, joking about the “little known band” that's to follow, before launching into a rousing rendition of closing track 'I Still Believe', its hook line of “Who'd have thought, after all, something as simple as rock 'n' roll could save us all” feeling particular apt given who tonight's headliners are, and given how much they mean to so many.
The sheer size of tonight's crowd is a testament to that. As is the deafening roar that engulfs Victoria Park the moment Gerard Way and the rest of the band appear on stage and launch into their recent single 'The Foundations of Decay'. From here on out it's clear just how important this band was, and indeed still is, to the thousands of people that have flocked to Warrington tonight.
And despite some confusion as to just exactly where the band are playing (“Who the fuck knows where Warrington is anyway?”), it's pretty clear that any geographical faux pas on the band's behalf are swiftly forgiven by the time 'The Black Parade' provides the evening's first taste of serious arena-level anthemics; the huge sing-along it provokes yet further testament to the importance of the band on stage.
It runs deeper than that however. My Chemical Romance are more than just four emo kids from New Jersey made good. For so many they're a symbol of hope, of acceptance, of inclusion. And the crowd tonight proves that point. A hugely mixed mass of people with one thing in common - a love of the band on stage.
Though much of the set relies heavily on later material, tracks such as 'Thank You for the Venom' and 'Ghost of You' still get an airing for of those of whose who've followed the band since the early(ish) days. Interestingly, the back half of the set is given over largely to more recent tracks. 'DESTROYA', 'Vampire Money' and 'Summertime' forming a triumvirate of tracks from the band's final album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, the latter being dedicated to Manchester promoter Johnny Philips who first brought the band to the city. An impassioned rendition of 'Helena' breaks up the newer material, whilst an emotional 'Cancer' (dedicated this time to guitarist Ray Toro, who recently lost his father) closes out the main set
Unsurprisingly, the band waste little time in returning to the stage for a two song encore, 'Masters of Ravenscroft' is first up, but naturally the track everyone's been waiting for ends things in truly spectacular fashion. 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' was arguably many people's gateway into the band, myself included. And now, 18 years on from its release, it still feels just as important as it did then. An anthem for the outcasts and misfits who, in My Chemical Romance, found somewhere they finally belonged.
It's for that reason that tonight is so important, that the band's reunion is so important. It's evident on the faces of the band as the final notes ring out, and it's written on the eyeliner stained faces of the crowd as they head towards the park's exists, relishing in the fact that they've just witnessed something truly magically.
Words by Dave Beech
Photo credit - BEEMER
