The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

Parade Through Nassau Coliseum

Nothing will drive screaming fans wild like taking the stage on a stretcher. Gerard Way, lead singer of My Chemical Romance, sent fans into frenzy as he was wheeled onto the stage draped in a white cloth at Nassau Coliseum on Friday night. Opening up with the ironically titled “The End,” the first track off of their latest record, The Black Parade, Way’s “dead” body slowly sprung to life.

As the song became heavier, the audience, made up mostly of teenagers dressed to the nines in their black hooded sweatshirts, tight jeans and studded belts, lost their heads as a black curtain fell to reveal the rest of the band as shadows in a cloud of white smoke.

Staying true to the theme of death that carries The Black Parade (as well as the rest of their albums), the band portrayed the death theme quite well, with pasty skin and dark circles around their eyes. As has been the case lately, the band also sported matching black and white, suit-like uniforms.

Fans were elated to find that the band, which has lately been referring to itself as “The Black Parade,” would be performing their entire album that night.

At this point, it becomes somewhat clear that My Chemical Romance have picked up a few tips from their mentors and past tour buddies, Green Day. Not only does Way now carry the same stage presence that Green Day’s lead vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong possessed, but he also fashions the same black hairstyle.

Way’s brother and the band’s bassist, Mikey Way, attempts to pull off the same over-the-top Mohawk that Green Day’s drummer, Tre Cool appropriately dons. Unfortunately for Mikey, however, his over-zealous hairdo literally and figuratively fell flat after a few songs.

Unlike Green Day, who have the same setup for the entire show, My Chemical Romance not only blew the audience away with their sound, but the befitting death-themed props as well.

Behind drummer Bob Bryar’s rotating drum set was what seemed to be a backdrop of the night sky, which looked similar to the stars on the American flag.

As the band moved through their set, the background changed to what looked like a barren wasteland, dead, not unlike the lead character in their concept album. Throughout the set, a gothic clock hung over the stage, its one hand moving around the face quickly, as though it was signifying how quickly time goes when death comes.

The set changed halfway through the show, when the band finished performing the music from The Black Parade and launched into music from their previous album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. The band dressed simply for this set. Black t-shirts and pants that longtime fans know them for were the outfits on order.

High points of the show included “Welcome to the Black Parade,” a song that all were familiar with. Confetti was shot into the air during their performance of the piece. Fans enjoyed jumping and screaming to the heavier songs, but could not resist singing along to the catchier, more obscure tracks from the album, such as “Teenagers.”

Those that have been fans of the band for a while enjoyed the second half of the set, where they got to sing along to the music that made them fall in love with the band in the first place.

My Chemical Romance has drastically improved their live performance. Those who attended the show at the Coliseum on Friday were some of the first to catch what is likely going to be one of the best tours of the year.

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