REVIEW: My Chemical Romance Takes Over Nissan Stadium with Pierce The Veil
- Mikey Smith
- 9 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The emo rock legends carry on the legacy of the band's catalog at their largest U.S. show to date
In the scorching Nashville summer heat, thousands of fans from across the country migrated to Nissan Stadium for the 00’s rock event of the decade: My Chemical Romance’s performed their largest U.S. show to date to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their legendary concept album, The Black Parade, alongside opener Pierce The Veil. The band reached stadium status last year on their sold-out Long Live The Black Parade tour, playing through the 2006 project in full, plus a B-stage set of fan favorites and deep cuts. I was lucky enough to catch their headlining set at Shaky Knees last year, which also broke record numbers of attendance for the festival. MCR’s Nashville show, however, felt monumental for the band, the fans, the city, and the record that still resonates with listeners two decades after release.
Walking into the stadium, you truly realize the demand that MCR maintains today. I came of age whilst the band was on hiatus, when the idea of them touring again felt like a pipe dream (let alone playing a storied album like The Black Parade front-to-back). Thus, It’s surreal to say that I’ve seen them perform twice in such recent succession. As I gazed from the floor seats to the cloud-touching nosebleeds, it was safe to say that rest of the masses (donning the band’s signature red and black color scheme, no less) found the show to be a “pinch-me” moment, too.
Pierce The Veil started the show, continuing the tour’s tradition of unique A-List openers for each city. Last year’s leg included Alice Cooper, Pixies, 100 Gecs, and Wallows, while this tour brings along Iggy Pop, Modest Mouse, and Babymetal. PTV feels like a perfect pairing with My Chemical Romance. Born from similar eras and routinely influencing each other’s sound, it’s an honor for any opening act to have a crowd this size screaming back their lyrics to them. Vic Fuentes’ iconic voice rattled the stadium walls in their killer, no-filler 8 song set. With an opener of this caliber, I wasn’t surprised to overhear that fans had traveled from all over to this heaven-made match.
Once the laws of fictional empire Draag had been broadcast over the stadium’s screens, Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again” and Draag’s national anthem, “Over Fields” rang over the speakers as My Chemical Romance hit the stage. What followed was a theatrical journey through The Black Parade and expanding the lore of this “new” era for the band. From “The End.” to the emo anthem “Welcome to the Black Parade” to the flame-engulfed “Famous Last Words,” Gerard Way and co. are at their musical prime, all these years later. The in-between moments of world-building through props, character actors, and crowd interaction have already become iconic moments in the fanbase (I’ve seen multiple fan-designed merch items for the night’s “Lake Tahoe or Hell” game show sequence circulating online). As they’ve evolved into the stadium-rock ranking, MCR has appropriately amped up the stage production and spectacle.
After the ending of the album-play and a brief intermission led by cellist Clarice Jensen, the band returned to a central B-stage in the crowd to perform a varying set of classics and recent live debuts from their back catalog. Nashville was blessed with deep cuts like “AMBULANCE” and “Vampires Will Never Hurt You,” alongside fan favorites such as “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)” and “I’m Not Okay (I Promise).” The bandmates joked about the difficulties of performing in the heat—Gerard Way’s soliloquy about his backstage nausea is slowly approaching virality. Nevertheless, the core group (who are slowly approaching their 50s) toughed through the weather and played with renewed energy.
In arguably the most cinematic moment of the night, the set closed with “Helena,” the opening track to Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. The sold-out crowd never missed a word as they belted along to ensure their cries could be heard from miles away. As I exited the stadium, I experienced the same feeling I had after their Shaky Knees performance: I was now part of something greater. Between this being their largest U.S. concert and the penultimate show at the current Nissan Stadium, I left being awestruck by MCR’s impact and the fact that I was blessed enough to see them live—twice. They join the legion of history bands that, as soon as the curtain closes and the lights come on, you immediately begin pining to witness them again. If and when that second chance rolls around, you’re even more ecstatic to see the show knowing what’s in store.
