August 9 was a big show for My Chemical Romance on their Long Live The Black Parade Tour. The latest stop on their theatrical and operatic tour de force was in their home state of New Jersey, a wild homecoming for emo’s favored sons.
Performing at MetLife Stadium in a far cry from their humble beginnings playing basements and shady venues, My Chemical Romance welcomed everyone to the Black Parade with a slew of narrative gimmicks and immersive showmanship. A few songs in, Belleville Mayor Michael Melham presented the band with a key to the city.
Gerard and Mikey Way, along with Frank Iero, were raised in Belleville, while Ray Toro is from Kearny, New Jersey. While accepting the ceremonial honor, the band refused to break character, remaining immersed in the dictatorial world of Draag that serves as the backdrop of The Black Parade this time.
The band bowed to Mayor Melham. Then Gerard presented him with a bouquet of wheat and a fish wrapped in paper, allegedly a ceremonial gift from Draag, according to a report from the Asbury Park Press.
My Chemical Romance Perform “Livin’ On a Prayer,” New Jersey’s State Anthem
The show continued from there as My Chemical Romance played The Black Parade in full. They then shifted to the satellite stage for some deep cuts for a solid 45 minutes. The antics included the shadowy dictator seated near the back of the stage, nodding approvingly and eating spaghetti. There was also a clown who came out, stabbed Gerard Way, and then exploded.
Pretty par for the course for a 2025 My Chemical Romance show. To close out the homecoming extravaganza, the band launched into a cover of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.” Gerard described this as “the New Jersey state anthem.”
“Being from the East Coast, New Jersey, I learned that to survive you need Jersey vibes,” he said, according to the Asbury Park Press. Elsewhere, he’s quoted as saying “Jersey bones,” but the sentiment remains.
Gerard continued, “And in saying that, we’re going to play you guys what may be the New Jersey state anthem. Frank [Iero] requested this song because he saw me do it at karaoke.”
Photo by David Wolff-Patrick/Redferns
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