My Chemical Romance - Wembley

If you grew up in the Myspace emo era or even after you'll know how important this band are to so many people. 

My Chem are a band who hold so much meaning for so many of us self declared "elder emos". A band whose songs and albums are part of our growing up and will forever hold a special place in our little black hearts! So when they announced they were doing a Black Parade tour and it was hitting the UK you can imagine the excitement this bought! 

The absolute lottery that was getting tickets for these shows is one for the books before we even start talking about the gig! I was in the middle of Edinburgh refreshing frantically last year, hoping and praying we got tickets for one of the London shows and thankfully the ticket gods were looking down on us and we managed to get low level seated tickets for the Wednesday! 

Starting off the show was Skunk Anansie! A band who have been around for a while and have always given solid shows wherever they go! When they got announced as support, I wasn't sure how they would go down with a MCR crowd but they absolutely smashed it! With Gee saying later in the night how much he loved them growing up, it was clear to see why they were chosen to support! 

With hits such as Hedonism and Weak, and despite being one of the hottest days of the year. They still came out and blew the crowd away! Skin even jumped into the crowd and was pitting whilst singing! A phenomenal feat in normal weather yet alone the sweat fest that was Wembley that day! 

Now the main event everyone came for. Including people in incredible cosplay/fancy dress! My Chem! Last time I saw these guys was back in 2005 in Portsmouth Guildhall on the Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge tour after seeing them support Taking Back Sunday previously at The Pyramids! 

As someone who's grown up in the alt community and listened to them for years, I was so excited when this tour got announced! 

The set starts with the entirety of The Black Parade album being played, as part of what can only be described as a beautiful theatrical stage piece! The Black Parade was always designed to be a theatrical concept album based around "The Patient" and his journey through life and death, heavily inspired by Gees own thoughts on death and the afterlife. 

The show was absolutely unbelievable, with theatrical performances, special guests and audience participation (Yay or Nai IYKYK) I will remember it forevermore. 

I know, I'm being a bit ... Ambiguous about the goings on, but I'm also very aware I don't want to ruin it for anyone going to any of the upcoming shows! 

The second half of the show, they come down to the "B" stage in the middle of front standing and perform a mixture of songs from the other albums! They've been changing these each night so the setlist is never the same, but short of not hearing Ghost of you, we got incredibly lucky! 

Hearing songs from Three Cheers like Helena and I'm not Okay all these years later absolutely healed my little teenage heart. As much as being alt is now much more readily accepted by the mainstream and by society, I grew up in an era where you were at risk of being beaten up, ridiculed or being bullied for being alt. Being alternative back in the day was a statement and liking bands like My Chem was a statement in itself to how you felt and how you presented yourself to the world around you. 

Having them finish on Helena with fireworks going off as they ended with "so long and goodnight" was incredibly emotional. I have hardly any footage from this, as I wanted to just be in the moment and enjoying it in the same way 17 year old me did way back in Portsmouth Guildhall with one of my best friends at the time (who was also at the Wembley show that night!). 

Overall, an unbelievable live experience and a gig I will remember forevermore. A part of my teenage inner emo kid was healed at Wembley that night and for that I will always be thankful. 

Thank you My Chem for helping me relive such an important and formative part of my teenage years by giving me such incredible nostalgia as well as wowing me with your stage theatrics!