My Chemical Romance, the band that has dominated the alternative music scene since the 2000’s, is making a return to the stage in 2025!

For those unfamiliar, My Chemical Romance (MCR) is an alternative rock band formed in the early 2000’s consisting of lead singer Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way. 

Throughout the decades that MCR has performed, the band has gained a fanbase consisting of millions, inspiring an entire generation of music.  Their discography consists of the studio albums I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002),  Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), The Black Parade (2006), and Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010). 

Each of the studio albums have their respective fame and success, however one album in particular, The Black Parade (2006), grew the band’s popularity and made MCR a household name for fans of the post-hardcore genre. Songs such as “Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Famous Last Words,” and “Teenagers” from the album skyrocketed, launching The Black Parade World Tour in 2007 were included. Additionally, the album was so successful that MCR won the Best International Band Award the same year. 

Despite the band’s success, MCR disbanded in 2013, not announcing their regrouping until 2019. 

After their return, the group performed a Reunion Tour in 2023, and played for the When We Were Young Festival in 2024, performing their entire The Black Parade album for the first time since 2007. 

After the festival, and much to the fan’s surprise, MCR announced a 2025 to 2026 tour, titled Long Live the Black Parade! 

The band kicked off the North American leg of the tour in July, starting in Seattle, and performed 11 shows already in major cities, including Tampa and Florida. 

My Chemical Romance maintains a theatrical theme throughout all of their performances, with Long Live the Black Parade being no different. The plot of the concert goes as follows: a dictatorship country known as “Draag” ruled by a “Grand Immortal Dictator.” The band must perform songs as propaganda for the dictatorship, going by the name of “Black Parade,” who are given orders from the dictator by a Clerk. However as the show goes on, the band rebels against the dictatorship. 

During one of the elements of the show, a mock election is held, where the audience is given signs with one side stating YAY, and the other side stating NAY. On stage are four people held captive. Unbeknownst to the audience, if the majority votes YAY, three out of four people on stage are executed. Throughout their performance of the album, lyrics are altered to fit the specific storyline in some songs, including “Mama” and “Famous Last Words.” MCR also wears their tour outfits circa 2006, restyling the iconic black and white striped uniforms to fit the current theme of the show.

This type of performance has made quite the change in the band’s popularity. Long time fan of MCR, Axel Smith, a junior at Seminole High School (SHS), was asked how they feel about the band touring after such a long period of time. Smith states “I think it is a great thing for the band, and it allows them to explore their creativity more.” Similarly, another long time fan and senior at SHS, Mackenzie Reddington, attended one of their performances, and instills that the show was “one of the best experiences and incredible to see live.” 

As time goes on and the band performs more shows, the overall excitement around the Long Live the Black Parade Tour grows, and brings joy to the supportive fans.