Manchester MEN, 24 March 2007

The problem with endless headlines and (dreadful) graphics of a band on the covers of highly disposable weekly rock magazines is that one begins to ask, “Is somebody trying to convince us that this band is really good, when it isn’t?” My Chemical Romance is a band that seems to have featured endlessly for many months, which leads me to another question, “Do they really need truckloads of this awful coverage?” To me it seems that over-selling this band is a futile exercise since it is probably the most popular band in the UK right now (if not the world), and largely because it’s one of the very best in the mainstream rock genre. The guys also offer something unique in their musical signature and it touches a very wide age range, as was witnessed at this show.

This will be the fourth time I’ve seen the band perform and each time the guys have lifted their game while stage production values climb. THE BLACK PARADE album cemented the band’s future but also gave them an even greater quality live theme to play to. That’s why I wanted badly to cover this concert. Gerard and mates perform, I mean perform – they just don’t turn up play like so many bands do today.

As I waited in the external foyer of the magnificent Manchester MEN arena one of the numerous ticket touts on duty informed me that young kids had been waiting at the venue since 6am to make sure they secured a front-of-stage standing position. It was therefore no surprise then that many youths were pulled out of the crowd exhausted and sick before and during the show. On finally being escorted down into the labyrinthine underbelly of the venue I walked into a venue that seemed like Dante’s inferno. It was incredible to see a place so crammed with noisy, expectant music fans. I’ve not seen anything like this before and probably won’t again. The place has an incredible atmosphere when full and it must be a real inspiration for an act to come out on stage and be greeted with so many fans and so much noise…

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I had just three songs to assess the performance and take photographs. It was enough. The lights went out, accompanied by thunderous cheers, and in the gloom I could just make out a hospital bed (complete with drip feed) being wheeled to the centre of the stage. I moved swiftly to where I could take some photos and rock photographer’s instinct took over. I guessed that Gerard was in it and sure enough I could see his head lift very slowly as if he was coming out of a long coma. It must have taken around a minute for Gerard to get out of the bed and then divest himself of the hospital gown he was wearing, by which time he was in full vocal flight. The massive curtain parted and the rest of the band struck up with a vengeance. It was superb.

As expected, the show started with the opening songs from the album and all I can really say is that sonically the performance exceeded the album’s excellent quality. Add to this the total involvement of all band, dressed in their black and white tunics, with Gerard darting around the stage stopping momentarily on the wings and other parts of the stage for fans in every location to get a better view.

This was a band in total control and performing close to the peak of their musical skills. No emotional stone was left unturned, no stage trick was missed, and it was easy to see why the audience was swept along by it. My Chemical Romance is destined for greatness, of that there is no doubt, and its reign will be long and fruitful. Last night I was privileged to catch too few moments of a show that will go down as one of the best rock shows ever seen. I kid you not…