So I ALMOST Got To Meet My Chemical Romance
So I went to an MCR concert on Friday at the congress theater (their second concert there). I took some pretty great photos (links are at the bottom) and had a great time. They played with David Costa (who I hadn't heard of, and I wasn't impressed by), Drive By (who sold their own merch after their set so you could go and meet them personally!), and Billy Talent (I already liked them and they were great live).
It was an eventful night though. So here's how it went:
We arrived at the concert and met a lady, Carolyn, who works for my dad. Her friend owns the congress theater and we were supposed to go and meet MCR before the show so we walked behind the theater to the backstage entrance only to be told that although my name and the three other girls with me had our names on the list Carolyn's name had not been placed on the list (instead Max's (a guy who was originally going to be the one to get us backstage but couldn't since his wife was starting chemo the day before) name was on the list) and we couldn't go in without Max.
Right after we turned away who walks out? Bob Bryar. I looked at him and my eyes widened because he was so close that if I was to raise my arm I could touch him. He saw my eyes widened and looked nervous. I didn’t want to bother him since he had obviously come out into the alley for a reason so I turned back to my friend Kayte and when I turned away I saw him visibly relax, glad I wasn't going to go up to him. He walked towards some people and we were told we had to leave the alley so we walked behind Bob and a girl in the group of people he was taking to goes "Bob they're following you" in a teasing voice.
We got inside and were pretty close up when David Costa hit the stage. I've never left my seat during a who before but David Costa were so bad (in my opinion, sorry if anyone likes them) that me and my three friends (Kayte, Kelsey, and Caitlyn) left and went to sit on the stairs in the front room.
We went back when Drive By was starting to set up. They're really good, but didn't have very good stage presence. They're new to touring though so I'm sure they'll improve in that area. They filmed the crowd a bit (I'm sure they're making a small video like Kut U Up did on the Pop Disaster Tour) and they're performance was filmed as well.
Then Billy Talent came on, also didn't have great stage presence but were great, I already was a fan before the show though.
Then MCR came on. Caitlyn and I pushed up to the front until there were only two people in front of us and enjoyed the show. While they didn’t play any new material off the upcoming album they did play Head First for Halos and Desert Song (those two made my night). During Desert Storm both Ray and Frank sat down to play.
Mikey was wearing a shirt that read Mikey Fuckin’ Way in big block letters. You could get that shirt at the merch stand as well as one that had Ray on it that said Toro above the picture of Ray playing guitar on stage. I’m betting that they’re having a contest to see who’s shirt sells more (that’s just my personal thoughts though).
By the way, at the oncert Gerard said something that REALLY amused me right before they played I'm Not Okay.
He started it out sort of like the video saying,
"We like D&D, comics, fangoria.... We're never gonna make it, but I don't want to make it. I just want to DANCE!" and then the song started but I was laughing to hard to sing along because he said it REALLY excited-like. Probably the best moment on stage of the night.
Someone also threw a stuffed animal unicorn on stage which Gerard picked up and said "A unicorn! Mikey loves these! Don't you Mikey?" in a teasing voice.
After the concert Carolyn and the guy who owns the congress theater takes us to a place where the band was supposed to sign stuff for some fans. We waited a good 45 minutes while the equipment was loaded into trucks because apparently they couldn’t come and sign anything till it was all loaded up. When that happened it was 11:35 p.m. which is curfew for the city of Chicago (if you are under 18) and that means the band couldn’t come out a sign anything since it wouldn’t be fair to the fans under 18 that couldn’t stay out.
We saw Gerard and Ray talk to the security guards about coming and signing any way but the guards wouldn’t have it. They came over and told all the fans to leave. My friend Kayte and I had made the MCR guys something (which I’ll also post a link to) and the security guard gave it to Bob for us (the guys said thank you through the security guards to us).
And we went home some what disappointed but it wasn’t like the MCR guys didn’t want to come and see us because we heard and saw them argue with the guards. These things happen.
Links to pictures!
Frank (in cowboy hat), Bob, Mikey, and Gerard
Gerard, Bob, and Mikey
Ray Toro (bad shot but my only on of him since I was like right in front of Frank so I was far away from him)
Frank, Mikey, and Bob
Gerard, Mikey, and Bob
Gerard "conducting" the auidence, having them sing the beginning of Welcome To The Black Parade
Pictures of Glass portrait of MCR that Kayte and I made (copyrighted!):
Picture 1
Picture 2
It was an eventful night though. So here's how it went:
We arrived at the concert and met a lady, Carolyn, who works for my dad. Her friend owns the congress theater and we were supposed to go and meet MCR before the show so we walked behind the theater to the backstage entrance only to be told that although my name and the three other girls with me had our names on the list Carolyn's name had not been placed on the list (instead Max's (a guy who was originally going to be the one to get us backstage but couldn't since his wife was starting chemo the day before) name was on the list) and we couldn't go in without Max.
Right after we turned away who walks out? Bob Bryar. I looked at him and my eyes widened because he was so close that if I was to raise my arm I could touch him. He saw my eyes widened and looked nervous. I didn’t want to bother him since he had obviously come out into the alley for a reason so I turned back to my friend Kayte and when I turned away I saw him visibly relax, glad I wasn't going to go up to him. He walked towards some people and we were told we had to leave the alley so we walked behind Bob and a girl in the group of people he was taking to goes "Bob they're following you" in a teasing voice.
We got inside and were pretty close up when David Costa hit the stage. I've never left my seat during a who before but David Costa were so bad (in my opinion, sorry if anyone likes them) that me and my three friends (Kayte, Kelsey, and Caitlyn) left and went to sit on the stairs in the front room.
We went back when Drive By was starting to set up. They're really good, but didn't have very good stage presence. They're new to touring though so I'm sure they'll improve in that area. They filmed the crowd a bit (I'm sure they're making a small video like Kut U Up did on the Pop Disaster Tour) and they're performance was filmed as well.
Then Billy Talent came on, also didn't have great stage presence but were great, I already was a fan before the show though.
Then MCR came on. Caitlyn and I pushed up to the front until there were only two people in front of us and enjoyed the show. While they didn’t play any new material off the upcoming album they did play Head First for Halos and Desert Song (those two made my night). During Desert Storm both Ray and Frank sat down to play.
Mikey was wearing a shirt that read Mikey Fuckin’ Way in big block letters. You could get that shirt at the merch stand as well as one that had Ray on it that said Toro above the picture of Ray playing guitar on stage. I’m betting that they’re having a contest to see who’s shirt sells more (that’s just my personal thoughts though).
By the way, at the oncert Gerard said something that REALLY amused me right before they played I'm Not Okay.
He started it out sort of like the video saying,
"We like D&D, comics, fangoria.... We're never gonna make it, but I don't want to make it. I just want to DANCE!" and then the song started but I was laughing to hard to sing along because he said it REALLY excited-like. Probably the best moment on stage of the night.
Someone also threw a stuffed animal unicorn on stage which Gerard picked up and said "A unicorn! Mikey loves these! Don't you Mikey?" in a teasing voice.
After the concert Carolyn and the guy who owns the congress theater takes us to a place where the band was supposed to sign stuff for some fans. We waited a good 45 minutes while the equipment was loaded into trucks because apparently they couldn’t come and sign anything till it was all loaded up. When that happened it was 11:35 p.m. which is curfew for the city of Chicago (if you are under 18) and that means the band couldn’t come out a sign anything since it wouldn’t be fair to the fans under 18 that couldn’t stay out.
We saw Gerard and Ray talk to the security guards about coming and signing any way but the guards wouldn’t have it. They came over and told all the fans to leave. My friend Kayte and I had made the MCR guys something (which I’ll also post a link to) and the security guard gave it to Bob for us (the guys said thank you through the security guards to us).
And we went home some what disappointed but it wasn’t like the MCR guys didn’t want to come and see us because we heard and saw them argue with the guards. These things happen.
Links to pictures!
Frank (in cowboy hat), Bob, Mikey, and Gerard
Gerard, Bob, and Mikey
Ray Toro (bad shot but my only on of him since I was like right in front of Frank so I was far away from him)
Frank, Mikey, and Bob
Gerard, Mikey, and Bob
Gerard "conducting" the auidence, having them sing the beginning of Welcome To The Black Parade
Pictures of Glass portrait of MCR that Kayte and I made (copyrighted!):
Picture 1
Picture 2
Posted on April 21st, 2008 at 04:23am
Yeah, I finally got around to reading this!
Ah...awesome. I STILL wish I could've been at that one, too. I love the pic of Frank with the cowboy hat. Great shot. LOVE that Gerard says that about coming back as cowboys. I think of the Killers and their Sam's Town album, and wonder if he's referring to that in a way (he always mentions them having beards, too, although...). Loved the stuffed unicorn bit, and the D&D INO intro. I have to agree with you about David Costa, tho. The night before, I didn't care for them either. I think it's the wrong genre, really. They didn't seem to fit well with My Chem's music. But the thing that got me most, during ours, David Costa says, "This next song was written for my ex-girlfriend of about 7 years...and I cheated on her about a hundred times." (or something to that effect) And I'm thinkin'...and you're proud of this? I liked Drive By's music (most of it), but I agree about their stage presence. But Billy Talent? Both shows I saw, Benjamin was all over the place, freaking out and getting everyone excited. They must've had a bad night. That's a shame. They're usually a pretty awesome live band.
Oh and at ours, we stood by the side, where security blocked the backstage door. But the security guard was super nice. Even letting mcrmom's youngest go stand closer to that door so she could see better. But that's how I met Alicia. She, and just about every member of each band that went on before MCR, walked right by us...I just stopped her to say hello. ;) She' so sweet, too. She walked by again later and waved real little with a grin at me and Shel.
Don't feel too bad about not meeting them. It's hard. They probably WANT to remain private, too. You know? It was just a spur of the moment thing that we met Frank in KC. (Which I still have to post pics of on my personal myspace. Speaking of which...I need to get on that this weekend.)
But again, thanks for posting. And I'm sorry we just missed each other!
xoxo
shari
Angel di Morte, April 26th, 2008 at 07:28:51pm
I really wished I could've gotten the Mikey f*ckin' Way shirt but the line was practically out the door during David Costa and I stayed in the pit the rest of the time and then at the end we had to rush out so I'm REALLY sad I didn't get it....
Rebel_Junkie, April 21st, 2008 at 05:19:54pm
Curfew means if you're undedr 18 (so you're a minor) and you're not with someone older than 18 (some towns say it has to be your legal guardian or someone your with's legal guardian but I'm pretty sure Chicago just says anyone over 18 counts) and you're caught out the police "escort" you home. It's not really inforced to much in the city (except for things like concerts) but in the suburbs it's really inforced.
Rebel_Junkie, April 21st, 2008 at 05:13:54pm
A curfew?
Seriously?
Like.. wow, so if your under 18 and out past then what happens?
EDIT: OMG! Frank wore a cowboy hat at my show too! only it was pink and shiney
Last American Girl, April 21st, 2008 at 02:16:30pm
I wanna get the Mikey shirt. And oh! Ray shirt.
LMFAO. Shirt contest.
I am God, April 21st, 2008 at 12:12:20pm
VVVV I have it. It's so comfy. <333
the celestial teapot, April 21st, 2008 at 06:05:09am
Haha. I'm so gonna get the
"MIKEY f*ckIN WAY" shirt.
PlasticPassion, April 21st, 2008 at 05:24:30am
They did! They were all *sit* which was a little upsetting since I couldn't really see them when they sat cause the guy in front of me was a good 6 inches taller than me...
Rebel_Junkie, April 21st, 2008 at 04:29:30am
Oh god.......Bob......god he is too f*cking amazing. He makes me want to cry. I would've talked to him. I wouldn't have been able to help myself. But it's so amazingly sweet that you left him alone.
I went last tuesday.
^Lol you said during desert storm they sat down.
the celestial teapot, April 21st, 2008 at 04:26:50am