Dyelirium

On Friday, April 15, 2011, rockers My Chemical Romance made the Chicago stop on their World Contamination tour in support of their most recent album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys at the city’s historic Aragon Ballroom. The Aragon is, by far, one of my favorite places to catch bands live. It is spacious and there is hardly a bad spot in the house as far as getting a view of the stage goes. It also just has a great vibe, and the addition of one of my favorite bands just made it all the sweeter.

The dismal weather did not stop fans from lining up for hours in the rain and cold before the doors opened for the sold out gig. When I stepped off the train, I was was shocked to find the line wrapped around the building, past an open lot and stretching down Broadway with no apparent end in sight. This old gal was not going to wait in in it, so my friend and I went off to find a coffee and wait until the doors opened and most of the people were already inside.

By the time we made it in, The Architects were already near the end of their set, but I did catch the second support act Neon Trees, whom I wasn’t sure I would like. I have to say they were a great choice for an opener. The band was pretty good and had a lot of energy that proved to be pretty contagious. Singer Tyler Glenn was chock full o’ hyper and did a good job keeping the crowd up. Then came what seemed like a long wait for the main event.

As a seasoned veteran of attending gigs at the Aragon Ballroom, I chose my spot wisely. If you have never been there,  here is a tip – shows ALWAYS sound better if you are further back. The Aragon isn’t really built for superior sound, so if you are too close, you aren’t going to hear the show the way you should. Well, that is unless you want to hear a lot of white noise and have your ears close to bleeding by the second song. With this knowledge, I parked myself at the back edge of the ballroom floor up on a step dead center of the stage.

When MCR took the stage, the deafening roar of the crowd coupled with the opening riffs of Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) made it clear that I had made a wise choice with regard to location. I could hear the band as well as take part in serious crowd observation. The band was tight and an energy surged through the crowd that didn’t seem to fade until the end of the final song. We were rocked it with a in-your-face set of music that mixed the old with the new, sans any unnecessary flash and too much talk. The music is what was showcased, and that’s all I wanted or needed. MCR proved, once again, to be masters of power pop melodies fueled by the driving force of a punk energy that just works.

Prior to the show, I was daunted by reviews stating that swarms of young teen girls emitting Beatle-esque, ear-piercing squeals were the only demographic the band could possibly persuade to come to their show for a slice of stale Emo flavored bubble gum pie. I couldn’t help but wonder if my older self was going to represent just a handful of ‘mature’ fans.

I don’t know what shows those so-called critics went to, but from where I stood, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Age and gender was not a factor, as there was a happy mix all experiencing the same level of enjoyment and respect for the music and each other.  The community that existed that night was commendable. If there was a fall, there was someone there to help the person up. If someone was faint, water and an arm were offered by strangers.

One of the coolest things I noticed was that there were parents there enjoying the show with their kids. How awesome is that? I can tell you with 100% certainty that neither my mother nor father would be caught dead at an Iron Maiden show back when I was a teenager.

Let’s get back to the best part – the music!! MCR presented a fantastic 17 song set that alternated between new and old in a genius order sure to please all the old school fans as well as showcase their newest effort. During older songs, the band played with a fierceness that had you believing that the last decade hadn’t gone by, and they were still the young Jersey boys ready to take on the world; whilst new songs were delivered with an appealing intense maturity and refreshing aura of hope and possibility.

All in all, it was a great experience. There were no douchey idiots around me to take away from a good time. As a matter of fact, I was entertained all night by a pair of teenage boys that danced (badly) the entire night, but that was what made it so great. They didn’t care because they were so caught up in what was happening. That’s really what it’s all about. They were in tune with the old Irish proverb and danced as if no one was watching – something I will be sure to do the next time I go to an MCR concert.

SET LIST:

Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)

Give ‘Em Hell Kid

Planetary (GO!)

Hang ‘Em High

Vampire Money

Mama

The Only Hope For Me Is You

House of Wolves

Summertime

Destroya

Welcome to the Black Parade

Teenagers

Vampires Will Never Hurt You

Helena

ENCORES:

Cancer

Bulletproof Heart