My Chemical Romance finally kicked off their reunion tour on Saturday night (August 20) at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma after nearly 3 years of COVID-related postponements and from the sounds of it the show was well worth the wait. With singer Gerard Way rocking Heath Ledger-style Joker facepaint, the band launched into their second phase with their comeback single, “The Foundations of Decay,” before playing the 2004 Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge b-side “Bury Me in Black” for the first time since 2003.
According to Consequence of Sound, the super high-energy show included impressive drumming from new touring member Jarrod Alexander, whose kit was emblazoned with the appropriately grim MCR slogan message “BIG DEATH ENERGY.” The set also included another rarely played song, “This Is the Best Day Ever,” which appeared on their 2002 album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, a track they haven’t played in more than 15 years.
The band’s first full tour since breaking up in 2013 was otherwise packed with plenty of crowd-pleasing emo ragers and fan favorites, including “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid,” “Teenagers,” “Bulletproof Heart,” “DESTROYA,” “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)” and “The Ghost of You,” which Way dedicated to a recently deceased friend and producer Doug McKean as the crowd lit up their cell phone flashlights.
Operatic screamer Way also reportedly discussed some recent vocal issues that required a visit to a vocal coach and said he was anxious about how he would sound on the road. “My point us, thank you so f—ing much,” he said. “Let’s f—ing shut this place down!” And thus the band dove into a set-closing rush that included “Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Mama,” “Boy Division,” “Our Lady of Sorrows,” “Famous Last Words” and “Sleep” before returning for an encore of “Vampire Money” and their titanic 2004 single “I’m Not Kay (I Promise).”
After a one-off reunion show in Los Angeles in Dec. 2019, MCR announced a tour that was slated to kick off in 2020, but which was postponed repeatedly due to the pandemic. They finally hit the road in May with shows in Europe with their next show slated to hit Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Tuesday (August 23).
Check out some video and pics from the show below.
