My Chemical Romance Unleash The Black Parade With Their Largest U.S. Headline Show to Date
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 13: My Chemical Romance celebrate twenty years of The Black Parade with a sold-out show at Nissan Stadium. (Photo by Bryce Hall courtesy of Warner Music Group)
Celebrating twenty years of their seminal concept album, The Black Parade, My Chemical Romance have reached new heights as a band. With a sprawling sold-out stadium tour, numerous headline appearances at massive festivals, and a rejuvenated fanbase waiting ahead, it feels like the band is primed to return to the spotlight, not just in their musical circles, but in the wider pop culture.
My Chemical Romance’s headlining performance at Nissan Stadium is without a doubt Nashville’s biggest rock show in over a year, a record that is unlikely to break anytime soon with the stadium’s imminent demolition in favor of a smaller, indoor venue. Similarly, it is also the band’s largest stateside headline show to date, selling well over 69,000 tickets. Doing this on a weeknight in Nashville is no easy task, especially when fighting off Nashville’s humidity and scorching 109° heat index.
The night was divided into two parts, a mainstage playthrough of the entirety of The Black Parade, complete with bombastic production, dramatic storytelling, and larger-than-life moments, and a more intimate, in-the-round performance on their b-stage. The former opened aptly with “The End.,” a theatric introduction to the world the band has built, complete with top-notch actors and intricate plot to boot. This world, the fictional country of Draag, embodies the dismal outlook of the album’s original concept, caked over with the façade of a Soviet-inspired fascist regime (and a fair few punchlines).
Frontman Gerard Way is a ghastly figure, with his skin blotted white he gives the impression of a dead man brought back to life. That said, he was anything but lifeless, commanding the massive stage and waves of adoring fans with ease. Way is fiercely dynamic, especially on “This Is How I Disappear,” a full kilter, fast-paced rock opera anchored by Ray Toro and Fank Iero on guitars. Toro and Iero are blistering here, feeding off each other and the crowd in electric fashion. The real highlight of the first set though has to be “Mama,” a longtime fan favorite that is flanked by the band’s massive production. Red strobes, pillars of flames, and even a flaming man make this show unforgettable.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 13: My Chemical Romance celebrate twenty years of The Black Parade with a sold-out show at Nissan Stadium. (Photo by Bryce Hall courtesy of Warner Music Group)
Shedding off the mainstage with an interlude from cellist Clarice Jensen, the band shifts into a more “traditional” set. Taking a romp through hits and deep cuts from the band’s other three albums, My Chemical Romance delivers easily one of the most unique sets of the year. In-the-round, surrounded on all sides by feral fans, the band means business. Now stripped of their massive production, the set feels more akin to a rock club than a stadium, with just the band and their instruments on stage.
“Our Lady of Sorrows” sees the band take an album track from their debut and breath fresh life into it. Fast, gritty, and explicitly punk, this is a raw, dirty track when compared to the night before. “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)” on the other hand showcases one of the band’s poppiest tracks, an energetic foray into the other side of pop punk. Mikey Way is a delight here, adding one of the night’s grooviest basslines to give the song its distinct feel.
Setlist
Mainstage
The End.
Dead!
This Is How I Disappear
The Sharpest Lives
Welcome to the Black Parade
I Don’t Love You
House of Wolves
Cancer
Mama (ft. Lucy Joy Atlust as Marianne)
Sleep
Teenagers
Disenchanted
Famous Last Words
The End. Reprise
B-Stage
From A to B (ft. Clarice Jensen)
Thank You for the Venom
Zero Percent
Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back
Our Lady of Sorrows
I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
AMBULANCE
Vampires Will Never Hurt You
Boy Division
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
Helena
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 13: My Chemical Romance celebrate twenty years of The Black Parade with a sold-out show at Nissan Stadium. (Photo by Bryce Hall courtesy of Warner Music Group)
My Chemical Romance have just gotten started on the U.S. leg of their world tour, with stops at some of the nation’s largest sports venues capped off with a five-night sold-out stint at the iconic Hollywood Bowl. They’ll then return to South Asia to close out their year.
You can find all of My Chemical Romance’s future tour dates here.
Aug 18 – Washington, DC – Nationals Park* [SOLD OUT]
Aug 21 – Detroit, MI – Comerica Park^ [SOLD OUT]
Aug 24 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Field~ [SOLD OUT]
Aug 27 – Denver, CO – Coors Field+ [SOLD OUT]
Aug 30 – San Diego, CA – Petco Park= [SOLD OUT]
Sep 6 – Phoenix, AZ – Chase Field@ [SOLD OUT]
Sep 12 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome% [SOLD OUT]
Sep 18 – Louisville, KS – Louder Than Life 2026
Oct 1 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock 2026
Oct 21 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl [SOLD OUT]
Oct 23 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl [SOLD OUT]
Oct 24 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl [SOLD OUT]
Oct 30 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl [SOLD OUT]
Oct 31 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl [SOLD OUT]
Nov 7 – Incheon, KR – Paradise City Korea [SOLD OUT]
Nov 10 – Singapore, SG – Singapore Indoor Stadium [SOLD OUT]
Nov 14 – Manila, PH – Philippine Arena [SOLD OUT]
No 17 – Bangkok, TH – Impact Challenger Hall 1 [SOLD OUT]
Nov 19 – Kuala Lumpur, MY – TM National Stadium [SOLD OUT]
Nov 20 – Kuala Lumpur, MY – TM National Stadium [SOLD OUT]
Nov 22 – Jakarta, ID – Jakarta International Stadium [SOLD OUT]
* with Modest Mouse
^ with Iggy Pop
~ with Sleater-Kinney
+ with The Breeders
= with BABYMETAL
@ with Jimmy Eat World
% with The Mars Volta
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - August 13: My Chemical Romance celebrate twenty years of The Black Parade with a sold-out show at Nissan Stadium. (Photo by Bryce Hall courtesy of Warner Music Group)
This is a must-see show. My Chemical Romance are without a doubt one of the most important rock bands to come up in the 2000’s and are largely responsible for shaping the emo, pop punk, and alternative music scenes that came after them. The Black Parade is especially important to these subcultures, remaining one of the most identifiable albums of the era. The chance to see it played live front to back is one that should not be passed up, especially given My Chemical Romance’s limited touring schedule since reuniting. Don’t pass up this opportunity, find a way to one of these shows.