During their first performance in the UK since 2011 – and their first show to go ahead since reuniting in 2019 – My Chemical Romance performed a slew of deep cuts and rarities, and gave new single ‘The Foundations Of Decay’ its first-ever live play-through. Check out footage, photos and the setlist below.
The show – which took place at The Eden Project in St. Austell, Cornwall last night (May 16) – opened with ‘The Foundations Of Decay’. It was followed by a pair of tracks from 2004’s ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ – ‘Helena’ and ‘Give ‘Em Hell, Kid’ – before My Chem steered the focus to their ‘Danger Days’ era.
“How have the past two and a half years been for you?” frontman Gerard Way said at the start of their show to a chorus of groan. “Yeah… we’re here, that’s all we can say. But we’re so happy to be here. Now let’s play some fucking rock music,” he continued, before performing ‘This Is How I Disappear’.
They performed ‘Make Room!!!!’ from that album’s B-side compilation, ‘Conventional Weapons’, marking the second time it had ever been played (the first being their December ’19 comeback show in LA). Two more tracks from ‘Conventional Weapons’ were given their live debuts, with ‘Surrender The Night’ tucked in the middle of the set, and ‘Boy Division’ kicking off the encore. ‘Kiss The Ring’ was soundchecked, too, but didn’t appear in the actual set.
Another highlight from the show was ‘This Is How I Disappear’, from the iconic 2006 album ‘The Black Parade’, which My Chem performed for the first time since 2010. The main set ended on another ‘Black Parade’ cut, ‘Sleep’, while the encore was wrapped up with ‘Danger Days’ swansong ‘The Kids Of Yesterday’.
Before the closing song, Way told the crowd: “This has been a really special night for us. We hope it was similar for you.”
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In a five-star review of the gig, NME concluded: “They’re now safely one of the biggest rock groups to emerge in the last 20 years but if the band are worried about their new found status, they don’t show it. Tonight’s show is fearless, loose and raw. It genuinely feels like anything could happen, as My Chemical Romance channel punk rebellion and playful ambition.”
Have a look at fan-shot footage from the gig below – as well as a shot of their merch table, seemingly hinting at a project labelled ‘SWARM’ – then check out their full setlist:
Sure seems like there's a My Chemical Romance album on the way, and it's probably called Swarm.
Photos from tonight's tour kickoff in the UK pic.twitter.com/JFULimc8Wl
— James Shotwell (@JamesShotwell_) May 16, 2022
My Chemical Romance played:
‘The Foundations Of Decay’
‘Helena’
‘Give ‘Em Hell, Kid’
‘Make Room!!!!’
‘Summertime’
‘This Is How I Disappear’
‘You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison’
‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)’
‘Famous Last Words’
‘Surrender The Night’
‘Teenagers’
‘DESTROYA’
‘Our Lady Of Sorrows’
‘Vampire Money’
‘Thank You For The Venom’
‘Mama’
‘Welcome To The Black Parade’
‘Sleep’
‘Boy Division’
‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise)’
‘The Kids From Yesterday’
My Chemical Romance released ‘The Foundations Of Decay’ last Thursday (May 12), marking their first new material since the ‘Fake Your Death’ single in 2014 (which was previously described as the band’s “eulogy” following their 2013 split). NME gave the new single a four-star review, while guitarist Mikey Way declared it to be his “favourite MCR song of all time”.
The band’s UK tour continues with a second St. Austell show tonight (May 17), with further dates scheduled for Milton Keynes, Warrington, Cardiff and Glasgow – tickets for the remaining shows can be found here. Following the UK dates, MCR will move onto Europe and their native North America, before visiting New Zealand and Australia in 2023.