Review: Corina ‘Pixie’ Headrick
Photography: Dan Maynard

In 2019, My Chemical Romance announced their reunion tour, and fans around the world rejoiced at the chance to see their favorite band again.

The Australian leg of the tour was put on hold due to all the issues surrounding the pandemic, but fans still held onto their tickets for 3 years (keeping the show sold out) and proving that MCR are still as successful here as they have ever been.
In December 2021 they announced 3 extra shows, and then in September 2022 Jimmy Eat World was announced as the support act for the Australian leg of MCR’s tour. Now after all this time in the summer of 2023, Aussie fans can feel pretty dang lucky to finally be seeing both bands together.

When Arizona natives Jimmy Eat World hit the stage on this warm summer evening, there was already a buzz of excitement in the arena. With no time to waste, they’re straight into opening and title track to 2004s hit album, Futures. Followed directly by Pain and one of their most epic of sing alongs, Sweetness.

Jim Adkins really knows how to get the crowd pumped up, stating that ‘Most of our songs are party songs, actually’ giving us the perfect mix of classic punk songs with beautiful melodic rock classics. The crowd showed the band praise and love, singing along waving phones in the air to the ever emotional Hear You Me. Adkins humbly thanked both the audience and MCR for everything on multiple occassions, showing true genuine love for being here in Australia.
Jimmy Eat World have once again proved that they are as tight as ever, still holding the ability to get the crowd screaming and dancing along to a back log of some of their biggest hits. The set comes to a close with arguably their two biggest hits, Bleed American and The Middle.

Your trusty reviewer last saw MCR back in 2005 at the Arena in Brisbane. This was before The Black Parade and subsequent worldwide success. Back then, the crowd was filled with teenagers and curious 20-somethings in a much smaller venue.
After MCR was a Millennial’s best kept secret for so long, it’s a beautiful thing to see the Brisbane Entertainment Centre filled to the brim with such a diverse crowd. After a very tense wait, My Chemical Romance burst onto the stage starting with their 2022 comeback single ‘The Foundations of Decay’, reminding us why we are all here and what we have waited so long for.

Gerard Way was oozing with flamboyance, dressed almost like one of the ladies from Robert Palmer’s ‘Simply Irrestible’ video and this new song was honestly the perfect way to warm up the crowd. With almost no break between songs, they launched into ‘I’m Not Okay’ and had the entire arena singing along.
Mikey Way pranced around the stage in a Type O Negative shirt and showed us all that this rockstar thing is easy, effortlessly belting out tunes like he never took a 6 year break. ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ had some wicked guitar work from Ray Toro, and he had the whole crowd bopping along.

Once ‘Give ‘Em Hell, Kid’ began, I almost expected to see a mosh pit forming, but the crowd remained ever so committed to seeing every second of the performance and clapping along rather than butting heads, it was really nice to see. By the time ‘The Ghost of You’ started, the band were all dripping in sweat but Frank Lero remained wearing a coat throughout the entire night, while Ray Toro looked like he was having the time of his life and couldn’t stop smiling.

For the first time on this whole tour, MCR played ‘You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison’, and what a treat it was to see live. They ended the song with words of gratitude and love for Jimmy Eat World. By the time we heard that famous first note of ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’, it already felt like we were given so much.
The crowd erupted in ecstasy, girls screaming and crying as far as the eye could see. They have waited so very long to hear this song live, it is almost like a younger generation’s version of ‘Bohemian Rapsody’. Gerard Way unapologetically takes over the stage with such gusto, it is hard to look away. He even states ‘I’m having a good fucking time Brisbane!’

The biggest surprise of the night was when Gerard told us all that there were multiple requests for ‘Cemetry Drive’ but they hadn’t had a chance to rehearse it. He still gave us a few lines from the song, showing the world what a fantastic voice he has even without the music. He then launched straight into ‘Helena’ for the encore we were all waiting for.
With only 6 shows left on the tour, we really did get the best setlist of new and old songs. It was almost like a greatest hits tour with ‘Teenagers’, ‘Thank You for the Venom’ and ‘Na Na Na’ being huge crowd pleasers. It was actually pretty gratifying to walk out of that Arena feeling like I had just won a prize. If you get the chance to see MCR live, I highly recommend it even if you are not a fan, they are guaranteed to win you over.

For complete tour and ticket information, visit livenation.com.au