By Mia Posada
Middle-school-me could only dream of seeing my favorite band live. Broken up for years with no sign of return, nothing could have prepared me for the fantasy that 19-year-old me would get to live out. On Halloween of 2019, My Chemical Romance announced a reunion show in Los Angeles, followed by a world tour. The show I had only ever imagined was now becoming a real possibility. From being in the Ticketmaster queue during high school calculus to a long-awaited concert, I was finally going to see my favorite band in the flesh.
After much anticipation, my high school best friend, Alex Alonso, and I set out on our journey in late August of 2022 with a plane ride from Orlando, Florida to Albany, New York. Upon our arrival, we caught a Lyft straight to the venue, frantic as we read the tweets of people waiting in line for nights on end. With our baggage in hand, we realized what we had to do if we wanted to make it to barricade. We walked up to the girl in the very front of the line, and were granted our lucky numbers: 27 and 28. We booked a hotel and accepted our fate. The next 27 hours were to be the longest of our lives, spent sleeping on the sidewalk and waiting to see My Chemical Romance.
Now this whole process looks absurd to any outsider – it begs the question, why do this for an artist? Even we had our doubts as the hours passed, but My Chemical Romance isn’t your typical concert experience. On top of the fact that they had not been playing shows since 2012, the band played into the excitement and suspense. Alonso, who also went to their original Los Angeles “RETURN” show recalled the band’s original announcement of the reunion, which included occult related imagery that fans spent days trying to decipher. Alonso viewed this as the band’s perception of their fan base: “that’s how they view us, so devoted to them that we would sacrifice anything to bring them back.” Having gone to three shows on their tour and having spoken to others who waited and traveled for shows, I can confirm that fans would indeed do anything.
Though I can spare the gruesome details of waiting through the night (and day), the show was absolutely incredible. From the minute they walked on stage, I was overflowing with awe.
Opening with their latest single, “The Foundations of Decay,” their performance was nothing short of surreal. Lead singer, Gerard Way, never failed to disappoint with the theatrics, and the rest of the band followed suit, with epic solos from guitarist Ray Toro during “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid,” and charismatic interactions between members throughout the show. Every song they played filled me with an indescribable euphoria, personal favorites like “DESTROYA,” “Vampires Will Never Hurt You,” and “Boy Division'' gracing the night’s setlist.
The sheer vitality Gerard Way radiated as he sang for the masses was relentless, making every line full of more angst than the last. Their stage presence could undoubtedly be felt by every last person in the gigantic arena. I was stationed on the left side of the stage, with a perfect view of guitarist, Frank Iero, and bassist, Mikey Way. Watching Mikey Way dance around the stage, somehow never missing a note, was definitely a highlight of the night. His energy and excitement towards the crowd made us that much more enthusiastic through endless headbanging and screaming. They closed with “Sleep,” a song that holds strong personal significance for me, and ultimately the perfect ending to a beyond perfect night.
I left the venue soaking in sweat, still reeling from what will easily be remembered as the best night of my life.
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