My Chemical Romance - 24/03/07

There's a line of about 500+ kids all dressed in My Chemical Romance merchandise, some wearing the standard Black Parade jacket, others wearing the old school Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge stuff. I'm stood shivering in the rain with my best mate.

I'm wearing a home made My Chemical Romance shirt which is nicked off with my drumline shirt. It's cold and wet but we're still excited, we try to set off a Mexican wave but nothing seems to work. The steps leading up to the door are packed with kids who've been there since the following day.

The line starts to move and make our way up slowly. There's no rush; we're seating so no one can steal the seats. We head off to buy merchandise; first buying the Black Parade hoodie and an armband. We head towards the seats; it's light and there's a text box above our heads, someone texts:

"Scream if you live in Darlington", there's a chorus of screams and we yell:

"We live near there", laughter from around us begins and we feel so excited.

All the lights go off and Thursday come on. They're amazing live and were the band that got My Chemical Romance off their feet. Geoff Rickely tell us to yell for My Chemical Romance and then they vanish. There's whispering around the arena. Some think they've seen Gerard. There's a flash of blond hair that we all think is Gerard but no; it's just a security guard. A roadie comes on stage and claps and we all follow, then it's dark. Like really dark. The sound of a heart monitor begins, and they're on stage in a hospital bed, with the master himself Gerard Way laying there.

He sings The End and we can't see the rest of the band. Then we hear Ray's guitar and BANG they're in, with the full Black Parade clodded in their uniforms. It's amazing; Frank is bounding about like no one's business and Bob is spinning about on his drums. Wow, this is great! Gerard yells: "MANCHESTER" and we all scream. That's the one thing about bands like these guys, you scream the name of the place you're at and kids yell back, even if they live nowhere near it. He tells us that he's been waiting for this moment their whole lives (minus the swearing) and he tells us to boo. We boo.

It's when Cancer begins that me and best mate huddle together and have a good old weep, that song is so emotional and we love it. They play The Black Parade and then head off stage - 20 minute break time for a bathroom break and try and get our hearing back, then BANG.

They blast into I'm Not Okay; dressed in their normal clothes. They come to the song Helena and we sing our hearts out not letting anyone stop us, stretching our hands to the sky. We don't want this moment to end, they wave goodbye and we yell for more, but no this has ended.

Grabbing out stuff we dash to the back of the Arena. The fireman come out first from all the fire and then we wait. I can see Gerard's black hair. We scream but parents drag us away. I trip and hurt my leg. they see me and turn around. Wow, my heart is beating faster, my mate drags me back but we can't get to the front. It's too late, we walk away sadden but then we remember the fun we hand just singing along. My first gig and I loved it, can't wait for more.