This Is The Best Day Ever.
This is my epic fangirl about the MCR show. This will contain a lot of writing. Photos will follow shortly afterwards. Proceed with caution.
We arrived in Nottingham - we being me, Laura, Sophie and dad - at about 3pm, so we left dad to find somewhere to park and went to queue. I later found out dad went home. He went home. And then came back at half seven. He's such a BAMF. So we queued for 3 hours, eating Pringles and chocolate and smoking lots of cigarettes. Well, I did. And then the doors opened, we went through to the area, stood around for an hour blah de blah de blah and then LostAlone came on.
Now, I don't think much of them musically and I didn't think much of them live, but I just want to say something awesome, truly awesome. They're from Derby. They're from my hometown and they got out of this boring hellhole and they're on tour with My Chemical Romance. That's pretty huge for a Derby girl, I have to say. But I blacked out during their - fairly shot and very boring - set and we lost Sophie and I couldn't breathe so me and Laura escaped to the side, quite a way back, on Ray's side of the stage. But we got this awesome view from there and we were right in front of the screen so that was good.
And then the Blackout came on and akdhghsjhauirlmahfghja I love that band. Seriously, they are so awesome, and they played all my favourites: Shut The Fuck Uppercut, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things - during which I deafened Laura because I was practically climbing on top of her and screaming down her ear - Spread Legs, Not Lies, It's High Tide Baby!, Save Our Selves, Children Of The Night and I'M A RIOT AHDGFHSJAKBDFGAJFGHA THEY PLAYED I'M A RIOT. So I'd practically slaughtered my lungs before My Chem even came out, it was amazing. I love them so much, I really want to see them at Hit The Deck with YOUNG GUNS oh my GOD.
And then there was more waiting around and then AND THEN they were on. It was incredible. I adore Na Na Na live. It's easily one of my favourites, and watching everyone in that arena do jazz hands oh my lord. It's indescribable to see and hear, honestly. Then it was Give 'Em Hell, Kid, which c'mon, that's such a good live song. I totally lost my shit to that, and then it was Planetary (GO!) and I swear I almost did my ankle in. That was crazy. Everyone was dancing, it was epically awesome. Hang 'Em High was one I definitely wasn't expecting to have live, that was so much fun. And SING was beautiful, I love those lyrics so damn much. I love that song too much to be healthy, in fact. AND THEN VAMPIRE MONEY. HOLY SHIT. Vampire Money was so much fucking fun. I love that song. And seriously, everytime I hear it I'm just like AHAHAHAHAHA TWISHITE AHAHAHAHA. And then the ever wonderful Our Lady Of Sorrows. Oh my God.
There really are no words for how good this song is live. I genuinely felt like my throat was splitting when I was screaming that. It's an amazing song anyway, it's just perfect in every way to me. I adore it. And the way everyone totally loses their shit is amazing. I mean, Laura doesn't know that song and she was still going mental. You can't not. People were being pulled out constantly throughout those two minutes. If we'd have stayed at the front where we were at first I'd have been crushed, there's no doubt about that. And MAMA. I didn't even make any attempt to record this, you just can't. You have no choice but to go crazy. Gerard's Liza Minnelli voice is so fantastic, he is such a diva. The Only Hope For Me Is You was beautiful again, absolutely perfect. And I don't know, even the lighting felt amazing. Everything was purple and smoky and it was gorgeous and now, for some reason, I can't hear that song without seeing the colour purple. You ever get that? I can't hear American Idiot without seeing the colour green, I can't hear Teenagers without seeing the colour red, because of the videos, and now The Only Hope... is purple.
Summertime... I don't really know. This is maybe one of my favourites off the album, and you guys know how much I love Gerard and Lindsey and how inspiring I find them as a couple, but it's just because it's so personal and I can't relate to it that it didn't feel right being performed live in front of thousands of people, it didn't feel like it worked for me. I love the song, but live I didn't enjoy it quite so much. I'm Not Okay, on the other hand, is always amazing, because if you're at a My Chem concert it's pretty much certain that you can relate to that song. It's just so brilliant and I always love it live. It felt like a good choice, too, to lift the tempo again after Summertime. And then the same with Famous Last Words, the two blend together so easily, and this one hit me right in the gut. I couldn't stop crying. Hearing that many people screaming I am not afraid to keep on living will stay with me forever.
THE NEW VERSION OF THE GHOST OF YOU AHSGFHDKALPSIWURHTBFJHAKBFV Totally keyboard smash worthy I adore it. It's so beautiful. I love Gerard's voice in the new version, the 'woah's are so much more raw and powerful when it's almost like he's whispering them ohhhhh my heart. DESTROYAAAAAAA. YES. I AM A SHALLOW FANGIRL AND I AM UNASHAMED. I filmed part of it just because I wanted to have the moans on video, honestly. I'm that shallow. I don't even care. But aside from that, the percussion gives it this really good almost funky beat to it and it's so good live.
WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE. My favourite parts of this song live are the opening - when everyone hears the piano notes and explodes and the whole place is just thrumming to hear the first words and as soon as Gerard starts singing them you can't even hear him because the crowd fucking drowns him out. It's a beautiful moment - and then third verse. This got me right in the gut too, exactly like Famous Last Words - hearing that many people singing do or die, you'll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart; Go and try, you'll never break me; We want it all, we wanna play this part; I won't explain or say I'm sorry; I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scar; Give a cheer for all the broken; Listen here, because it's who we are... Ugh it's so beautiful and incredible to hear. It's been My Chem's message all alone, that whoever you are you are beautiful, fuck everyone else. That many people singing that... I will never, ever forget this night.
Teenagers. Hmm. As much as the song itself bores me it really is just so much fun live. Kinda dumb and repetitious but fun. Bouncy. Nice to have towards the end of a show. And it really doesn't matter when it's being followed up by fucking Vampires. Vampires Will Never Hurt You, the first single, 2002. I was seven/eight. That was amazing. And it felt right, because before that, Gerard said 'old fans, new fans, you're still the MCRmy and this one's for you' because it showed that the elitist fans are wrong, it doesn't matter how long you've been a fan for because the new fans know it too and it proves that as long as you love this band you're as worthy a fan as any of us. It was perfect.
Helena broke my heart as always. I was a sobbing mess from here 'til the end of the show. Gerard brought back the 'woah-oh's at the beginning so some of us knew it from the off and ugh, it's just stunning. All around me I could see people looking up at the roof and the band doing the same as if we'd actually see Elena watching us. Beautiful. And then it melted pretty much perfectly into Cancer. UGH CANCER. Gerard alone on the stage barely lit with just the piano it's always gorgeous and sad and heartwrenching.And I don't know, I love the pause between the final leaving and you, when he goes silent and just looks out at us all and we hold our hands up and scream and wait because it's as though he's looking at every single one of us and marveling that we're actually there to see him and his band and his dream's come true. By this time me and Laura were just clutching at each other, her going oh my god, oh my god, and me just in silent tears. And then he does the you and the piano fades out and the screaming as loud as it is at the start and it's beautiful.
And by this point I'm going, we didn't get The Kids From Yesterday, awh. 'Cause shit, man, do I love that song. And then they come back out and we're all yay MCR encore encore and then THE FUCKING PIANO AND WEIRD NOISES AND WE'RE JUST :OOOOOOOO IT'S BULLETPROOF HEART THEY'RE PLAYING BULLETPROOF HEART.
Months ago, I mentioned to franklover2007 how much I wanted to see this song live because I wanted to hear all the people screaming gravity, don't mean too much to me, I'm who I've got to be and then I saw the setlists from the other shows and I was just like awh, man, because they hadn't played it at any shows so none of us were prepared for it. IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN I IMAGINED. It was stunning, it was just perfect. It was the perfect end to the show, honestly.
I just loved the entire thing, really. It could not have been better for me, except if we'd got our tickets back at the end and dad hadn't hurried us home and had let us hang around. I cannot put into words how fucking much I want to meet that band, seriously. It really is my biggest dream right now.
Highlights:
How bad band-guys are at Geography. Pre-weekend, Gerard talks about how LostAlone are a little band from Deeerrrrr-by. I get that's how they pronounce it over there, but it made me laugh. Show night, Gerard talks about how they're from Nottingham, and suddenly three girls in the crowd are going, eh? What? Oh no, we're not going back to anonymity again, no way. I mean, the singer's from Allestree. He's from the same suburb as me and now Gerard's got them in the wrong place. And then Sean Smith, as well. New Jersey's a state, Sean, not a city. It's an entire state. Maybe check out a map. All of you, check out a map. Seriously :')
And then how that was the fiftieth show on the World Contamination tour. Seriously? I was at show two. And that girl who was at show one, whoever she was; I'd give you a cupcake if I had one. Seriously Gerard, remind me how old you are again? :')
The microphone holy shit. That was hilarious. Gerard's got a pretty distinctive voice anyway, and then the microphone turns him into a Disney character. He was okay singing, but speaking in between songs? Oh no, no way. He was straight out of a cartoon; Mickey Mouse's younger brother they keep locked up in the basement, seriously.
All the people singing along is something I will never forget.
The return of the make-up, especially how Revenge!era it was, Gerard's red eyeshadow. We knew he couldn't stay away from it for too long, seriously. And it does so suit him, too.
All the merch ajsgfhjalaiybfggsaj seriously I couldn't choose. I now have a Wanted: The Fabulous Killjoys t-shirt, the poster, and a Young and Loaded bag, which is AWESOME. But I really wanted the Party Poison t-shirt that said Aim For The Face on it. Jesus that was the best t-shit I've ever seen, but I didn't see it until we walked past a different merch counter D:
How much of a sassy diva Gerard Way is, honestly. He's strutting around wiggling his hips and flapping his hands and pointing and blowing kisses like fucking Beyonce. You truly can't appreciate just how sassy he is until he's onstage in front of you. I love that man so much :')
I'm suffering from post-concert depression so hard right now. I really hope I can see them again. This is one band I don't think I'll ever get bored of. I think that was maybe my favourite show ever, because I love the support as well. Thank you to The Blackout and My Chemical Romance for the best night of my life.
We arrived in Nottingham - we being me, Laura, Sophie and dad - at about 3pm, so we left dad to find somewhere to park and went to queue. I later found out dad went home. He went home. And then came back at half seven. He's such a BAMF. So we queued for 3 hours, eating Pringles and chocolate and smoking lots of cigarettes. Well, I did. And then the doors opened, we went through to the area, stood around for an hour blah de blah de blah and then LostAlone came on.
Now, I don't think much of them musically and I didn't think much of them live, but I just want to say something awesome, truly awesome. They're from Derby. They're from my hometown and they got out of this boring hellhole and they're on tour with My Chemical Romance. That's pretty huge for a Derby girl, I have to say. But I blacked out during their - fairly shot and very boring - set and we lost Sophie and I couldn't breathe so me and Laura escaped to the side, quite a way back, on Ray's side of the stage. But we got this awesome view from there and we were right in front of the screen so that was good.
And then the Blackout came on and akdhghsjhauirlmahfghja I love that band. Seriously, they are so awesome, and they played all my favourites: Shut The Fuck Uppercut, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things - during which I deafened Laura because I was practically climbing on top of her and screaming down her ear - Spread Legs, Not Lies, It's High Tide Baby!, Save Our Selves, Children Of The Night and I'M A RIOT AHDGFHSJAKBDFGAJFGHA THEY PLAYED I'M A RIOT. So I'd practically slaughtered my lungs before My Chem even came out, it was amazing. I love them so much, I really want to see them at Hit The Deck with YOUNG GUNS oh my GOD.
And then there was more waiting around and then AND THEN they were on. It was incredible. I adore Na Na Na live. It's easily one of my favourites, and watching everyone in that arena do jazz hands oh my lord. It's indescribable to see and hear, honestly. Then it was Give 'Em Hell, Kid, which c'mon, that's such a good live song. I totally lost my shit to that, and then it was Planetary (GO!) and I swear I almost did my ankle in. That was crazy. Everyone was dancing, it was epically awesome. Hang 'Em High was one I definitely wasn't expecting to have live, that was so much fun. And SING was beautiful, I love those lyrics so damn much. I love that song too much to be healthy, in fact. AND THEN VAMPIRE MONEY. HOLY SHIT. Vampire Money was so much fucking fun. I love that song. And seriously, everytime I hear it I'm just like AHAHAHAHAHA TWISHITE AHAHAHAHA. And then the ever wonderful Our Lady Of Sorrows. Oh my God.
There really are no words for how good this song is live. I genuinely felt like my throat was splitting when I was screaming that. It's an amazing song anyway, it's just perfect in every way to me. I adore it. And the way everyone totally loses their shit is amazing. I mean, Laura doesn't know that song and she was still going mental. You can't not. People were being pulled out constantly throughout those two minutes. If we'd have stayed at the front where we were at first I'd have been crushed, there's no doubt about that. And MAMA. I didn't even make any attempt to record this, you just can't. You have no choice but to go crazy. Gerard's Liza Minnelli voice is so fantastic, he is such a diva. The Only Hope For Me Is You was beautiful again, absolutely perfect. And I don't know, even the lighting felt amazing. Everything was purple and smoky and it was gorgeous and now, for some reason, I can't hear that song without seeing the colour purple. You ever get that? I can't hear American Idiot without seeing the colour green, I can't hear Teenagers without seeing the colour red, because of the videos, and now The Only Hope... is purple.
Summertime... I don't really know. This is maybe one of my favourites off the album, and you guys know how much I love Gerard and Lindsey and how inspiring I find them as a couple, but it's just because it's so personal and I can't relate to it that it didn't feel right being performed live in front of thousands of people, it didn't feel like it worked for me. I love the song, but live I didn't enjoy it quite so much. I'm Not Okay, on the other hand, is always amazing, because if you're at a My Chem concert it's pretty much certain that you can relate to that song. It's just so brilliant and I always love it live. It felt like a good choice, too, to lift the tempo again after Summertime. And then the same with Famous Last Words, the two blend together so easily, and this one hit me right in the gut. I couldn't stop crying. Hearing that many people screaming I am not afraid to keep on living will stay with me forever.
THE NEW VERSION OF THE GHOST OF YOU AHSGFHDKALPSIWURHTBFJHAKBFV Totally keyboard smash worthy I adore it. It's so beautiful. I love Gerard's voice in the new version, the 'woah's are so much more raw and powerful when it's almost like he's whispering them ohhhhh my heart. DESTROYAAAAAAA. YES. I AM A SHALLOW FANGIRL AND I AM UNASHAMED. I filmed part of it just because I wanted to have the moans on video, honestly. I'm that shallow. I don't even care. But aside from that, the percussion gives it this really good almost funky beat to it and it's so good live.
WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE. My favourite parts of this song live are the opening - when everyone hears the piano notes and explodes and the whole place is just thrumming to hear the first words and as soon as Gerard starts singing them you can't even hear him because the crowd fucking drowns him out. It's a beautiful moment - and then third verse. This got me right in the gut too, exactly like Famous Last Words - hearing that many people singing do or die, you'll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart; Go and try, you'll never break me; We want it all, we wanna play this part; I won't explain or say I'm sorry; I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scar; Give a cheer for all the broken; Listen here, because it's who we are... Ugh it's so beautiful and incredible to hear. It's been My Chem's message all alone, that whoever you are you are beautiful, fuck everyone else. That many people singing that... I will never, ever forget this night.
Teenagers. Hmm. As much as the song itself bores me it really is just so much fun live. Kinda dumb and repetitious but fun. Bouncy. Nice to have towards the end of a show. And it really doesn't matter when it's being followed up by fucking Vampires. Vampires Will Never Hurt You, the first single, 2002. I was seven/eight. That was amazing. And it felt right, because before that, Gerard said 'old fans, new fans, you're still the MCRmy and this one's for you' because it showed that the elitist fans are wrong, it doesn't matter how long you've been a fan for because the new fans know it too and it proves that as long as you love this band you're as worthy a fan as any of us. It was perfect.
Helena broke my heart as always. I was a sobbing mess from here 'til the end of the show. Gerard brought back the 'woah-oh's at the beginning so some of us knew it from the off and ugh, it's just stunning. All around me I could see people looking up at the roof and the band doing the same as if we'd actually see Elena watching us. Beautiful. And then it melted pretty much perfectly into Cancer. UGH CANCER. Gerard alone on the stage barely lit with just the piano it's always gorgeous and sad and heartwrenching.And I don't know, I love the pause between the final leaving and you, when he goes silent and just looks out at us all and we hold our hands up and scream and wait because it's as though he's looking at every single one of us and marveling that we're actually there to see him and his band and his dream's come true. By this time me and Laura were just clutching at each other, her going oh my god, oh my god, and me just in silent tears. And then he does the you and the piano fades out and the screaming as loud as it is at the start and it's beautiful.
And by this point I'm going, we didn't get The Kids From Yesterday, awh. 'Cause shit, man, do I love that song. And then they come back out and we're all yay MCR encore encore and then THE FUCKING PIANO AND WEIRD NOISES AND WE'RE JUST :OOOOOOOO IT'S BULLETPROOF HEART THEY'RE PLAYING BULLETPROOF HEART.
Months ago, I mentioned to franklover2007 how much I wanted to see this song live because I wanted to hear all the people screaming gravity, don't mean too much to me, I'm who I've got to be and then I saw the setlists from the other shows and I was just like awh, man, because they hadn't played it at any shows so none of us were prepared for it. IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN I IMAGINED. It was stunning, it was just perfect. It was the perfect end to the show, honestly.
I just loved the entire thing, really. It could not have been better for me, except if we'd got our tickets back at the end and dad hadn't hurried us home and had let us hang around. I cannot put into words how fucking much I want to meet that band, seriously. It really is my biggest dream right now.
Highlights:
How bad band-guys are at Geography. Pre-weekend, Gerard talks about how LostAlone are a little band from Deeerrrrr-by. I get that's how they pronounce it over there, but it made me laugh. Show night, Gerard talks about how they're from Nottingham, and suddenly three girls in the crowd are going, eh? What? Oh no, we're not going back to anonymity again, no way. I mean, the singer's from Allestree. He's from the same suburb as me and now Gerard's got them in the wrong place. And then Sean Smith, as well. New Jersey's a state, Sean, not a city. It's an entire state. Maybe check out a map. All of you, check out a map. Seriously :')
And then how that was the fiftieth show on the World Contamination tour. Seriously? I was at show two. And that girl who was at show one, whoever she was; I'd give you a cupcake if I had one. Seriously Gerard, remind me how old you are again? :')
The microphone holy shit. That was hilarious. Gerard's got a pretty distinctive voice anyway, and then the microphone turns him into a Disney character. He was okay singing, but speaking in between songs? Oh no, no way. He was straight out of a cartoon; Mickey Mouse's younger brother they keep locked up in the basement, seriously.
All the people singing along is something I will never forget.
The return of the make-up, especially how Revenge!era it was, Gerard's red eyeshadow. We knew he couldn't stay away from it for too long, seriously. And it does so suit him, too.
All the merch ajsgfhjalaiybfggsaj seriously I couldn't choose. I now have a Wanted: The Fabulous Killjoys t-shirt, the poster, and a Young and Loaded bag, which is AWESOME. But I really wanted the Party Poison t-shirt that said Aim For The Face on it. Jesus that was the best t-shit I've ever seen, but I didn't see it until we walked past a different merch counter D:
How much of a sassy diva Gerard Way is, honestly. He's strutting around wiggling his hips and flapping his hands and pointing and blowing kisses like fucking Beyonce. You truly can't appreciate just how sassy he is until he's onstage in front of you. I love that man so much :')
I'm suffering from post-concert depression so hard right now. I really hope I can see them again. This is one band I don't think I'll ever get bored of. I think that was maybe my favourite show ever, because I love the support as well. Thank you to The Blackout and My Chemical Romance for the best night of my life.