August 9, 2026 | Citi Field, Queens, NY
First time catching a show at Citi Field, and it was certainly a show worth catching.
My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade anniversary tour was a must-see for the elder emo in all of us. Well, most of us. At least some of us.
The weather was perfect. Seriously, couldn't have asked for a better day to spend an evening outdoors, surrounded by thousands of people who probably still have their old Hot Topic receipts tucked away somewhere.
We were fortunate enough to have Franz Ferdinand open the show with a relatively short set. For most of the crowd, I'm sure the abbreviated performance was welcomed. Not because Franz Ferdinand isn't worth seeing, but because the anticipation for The Black Parade was probably becoming too much for some to bear. Patience was never exactly an emo strong suit.
Elder emos, younger emos, and their parents filled the stands at Citi Field. Some were decked out in all black, while others brought their best sadboi and sadgurl looks, complete with pale faces, dark eyes, and enough eyeliner to make 2006 proud.
As darkness approached, the massive video screens began displaying mysterious words and phrases in Keposhka, MCR's completely made-up language. At that point, it was pretty clear we weren't about to see your average rock show.
And then it began.
My Chemical Romance took the stage and performed The Black Parade in its entirety. The full production. The theatrics. The pyrotechnics. The spectacle. Everything you'd expect from an album that has practically become a religion for a certain generation of emotionally complicated music fans.
And the crowd? Forget about it.
Not a single person seemed interested in sitting down. Even the quiet ones, the people who probably hadn't planned on doing much more than watching from their seats, were on their feet for the entire performance.
Once The Black Parade reached its conclusion, the evening took another interesting turn.
Cellist Clarice Jensen performed two pieces, her original composition "Metastable" and "Romance," providing an unexpected musical interlude while MCR disappeared from the main stage.
But they weren't finished.
The band resurfaced on a smaller B-stage positioned on the opposite side of the general admission pit, shifting from the elaborate production of The Black Parade to a more straightforward collection of fan favorites. The essentials. The greatest hits, if you will.
It was an interesting contrast. After spending the evening watching a massive theatrical production, the second portion felt like a chance to simply enjoy the band and the songs that brought everyone there in the first place.
And that's what made this particular show so memorable.
I've been to plenty of concerts over the years, but I genuinely can't recall seeing anything quite like this. The amount of art, emotion, theatricality, and sheer dedication poured into the production was remarkable. Every element felt intentional, from the elaborate staging to the smallest details.
For a band whose music has meant so much to so many people, it would've been easy to show up, run through the hits, collect a paycheck, and call it a night.
Instead, My Chemical Romance delivered something that felt much bigger than a typical reunion-era concert.
It was a reminder of why these songs mattered in the first place, and apparently why they still do.
After waiting more than a decade to see My Chemical Romance perform again, I can confidently say it was worth every year.
The Black Parade is still marching. And apparently, so are we.