My Chemical Romance, Frank Turner, Starcrawler, Crawlers @ Victoria Park, Warrington, UK, May 27

My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance, Starcrawler, Frank Turner, Crawlers

My Chemical Romance, Frank Turner, Starcrawler, Crawlers @ Victoria Park, Warrington, UK, May 27,

May 31, 2022 By Andy Von Pip Photography by Andy Von Pip Web Exclusive

When My Chemical Romance split after 12 years together, singer songwriter and co-founder Gerard Way said simply it had stopped being fun anymore. The business before art dichotomy had reared its head and Way, who is also an incredible comic book artist and writer, and his bandmates called time on the band. “Like all great things, it has come time for it to end” they said. But in modern music, endings are often ... a pause, and you always felt My Chemical Romance had more gas in their collective tank.

When asked in 2019 if there was any chance of the band reforming Way said it was highly unlikely, only to also announce in 2019 that the band were reuniting. It seems a wise move as the band’s emotionally raw direct lyrics seems to be speaking to and connecting with a new generation of fans.

Right-wing newspaper-come-troll-farm The Daily Mail (UK) in typically histrionic fashion branded “Emo” a “sinister cult” with Way and co cast as its head cheerleaders. The ill-founded accusation that their music celebrated mental health and glamorized self harm spectacularly failed to grasp the fact that for many My Chemical Romance’s music provided a lifeline for young people. It gave a voice to their hopes and fears with the band’s albums often becoming a soundtrack for the disaffected. They inspired hope and allowed fans to connect and support each other with empathy, compassion and fostered a spirit of collective resilience. As the band said responding to criticism - “Our lyrics are about finding the strength to keep living through pain and hard times.”

Tonight’s gig as part of the band’s reunion tour, and their first UK shows in ten years proved their music still resonates with their old fans and as mentioned has certainly chimed with a new younger audience. It’s clear that the bond of solidarity between the band and fans remains an enduring one. They don’t dress as they once did back in their pomp, (which from a photography perspective is a shame) but their performance is impeccable laced with emotion and humour. And Gerard is on fine form joking with the crowd sharing anecdotes and is a magnetic presence. At one point he appears to have lost his “way” labouring under the illusion he’s performing in Manchester. “Ok are you ready Manchester” he shouts on numerous occasions, before being corrected. “Ok I knew that, who knows where the fuck Warrington is anyway?” he quips.

The staging is a fairly low key affair meaning their songs take centre stage without the accoutrements of theatricality. And you really do notice how MCR have taken various influences and turned them into something that was uniquely their own. There’s the rush of Stooges proto punk combined with knowing Queen style OTT flourishes. There are thundering metal riffs and even a dash of glam rock-infused Britpop. Put simply these are great songs that have stood the test of time and in no way feel dated.

This time around the band certainly looked like they are having fun and have been genuinely touched on this tour by the response to their comeback. Their songs still have a timeless message of resolve, of strength in adversity, and of solidarity which, post pandemic, imbues them with even more power. With the world going to shit My Chemical Romance are back to try and make sense of it all. And they sound absolutely huge, and like a band that still matter.

Support came from LA’s Starcrawler with a blistering set, plus Frank Turner, who knows how to get a crowd going as well as local upcoming band Crawlers, who, have just signed a major record deal and unlike Gerard Way, know where Warrington is.

Andy Von Pip was there to take some photos of a memorable day.

Set List

The Foundations Of Decay

Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)

Give ‘Em Hell Kid

Tomorrow’s Money

Thank You For The Venom

The Only Hope For Me Is You

Boy Division

House Of Wolves

Welcome To The Black Parade

Teenagers