My Chemical Romance - 11th of November 2007, Newcaste
There's a buzz in the air as thousand of kids start to make their way into the arena. Forming long queues outside huge double doors we're all feeling the same, excited. As their pushed open we all dash into the standing space, getting our tickets taken off us, we dash towards the barriers only to find that other kids have got there before us.
I'm stood next to my best friend clinging onto her for dear life in case we're separated. There's so many people all packed tightly all wanting to see one band My Chemical Romance. Green Day music and other various artist is pumped into the crowd and the tension builds, a balloon bobs about in the crowd and the odd scream for a girl clinging onto the barrier means that maybe she has seen them.
The music is stopped and the lights are lowered, the MSI (Mindless Self Indulgence) banner is hidden from sight. The support act are about to begin. Fans push away from each other and the crowd starts to swift, it hasn't even started and a mosh pit is already being formed.
The support band mount the stage and the lights are pushed up onto their faces. Their lead singer Jimmy is a stick insect but all the same a great performing. His spiked up hair and odd choice of fingerless gloves remind me of a punk rocker. He removes this long black coat with the words: "We're seen on TV" printed in white across the back, and pretends to throw it into the crowd.
There's a few songs they play that I know the words to, and the odd stops between songs to insult us every so often just pump me up. At one point he shoves the microphone down his pants and yells: "There's a party in my pants, but none of you are invited, there's barely any room for me". They finish their set and leave promptly. They were pretty good and the bassist Lyn-z even got a chance to crowd surf and treated us to her infamous back bend.
After a short break the lights are once more lowered and the sound of a piano starts. It's classical but then the drums kick in and they're in full lights. That's what we have all been waiting for. Gerard bounds about the stage, taking this in stride and screams the words of the unknown song into the crowd. Me being the spy I am, have been watching past concert from their tour and have picked up a few words. Me and my friend and trying to sing along and jump but the lack of space is becoming a problem.
"I'm very unimpressed with you", Gerard yells into the mic every so often. I laugh but boos start across the arena. They burst into a few fan favorites but that's when it all goes wrong for me. People are forming mosh pits left, right and center and I'm bruised up my ribs from trying to protect my friend. We're pushed apart to different parts of the crowd and are hidden from sight. I can't see anyone I know and it's even more cramped now.
It's during I Don't Love; one of my favourite songs; that the crowd again feel the right to move, I'm pushed and next minute I'm on the floor; kicked about and the risk of my head being kicked in is close. I glance up and can see Gerard marching about. He comes to my bit of the stage and stares down, his eyes are fixed on me and for those few seconds where I thought I was gonna die here. His mouth doesn't move. Hands come down from the sky and pull me up. I'm gasping for air and panicking, my saviors push me forward into a space and there in front of me is him. He smiles and nods his head and wonders about to give a kick ass performance.
It's before Headfirst For Halos that the music stops for a short while. The sound of the piano begin and Gerard takes the center once more and gives a speech. I'm almost in tears and screaming no, they're talking about a break which will happen in the future.
The lights are out now and the band all expect the keyboardist and Gerard. A dim yellow light swamps the stage and smoke is filled. He drags the microphone stand across the stage with a clunk and then Cancer begins. He slowly walks towards the front of the stage as he sings. All the time I'm sobbing along with some other emotional fans. Finally you see him; he holds the microphone to the crowd and we sing the last few lines. He claps us and the band make their way back on stage.
Helena and Famous Last Words are the last songs of the night. It's a shame for it to end so soon but it has been a fantastic night. Even the fact that the drummer, Bob Bryar wasn't performing tonight from an injury, and the rhythm guitarist Frank Iero wasn't playing his best due to a family issue, it was still a fantastic night.
