Dyelirium

Date: 12/15/2010

Place: Chicago’s House of Blues

Event: Q101’s Twisted Christmas sold out finale: Greek Fire/Middle Class Rut/My Chemical Romance

It was a typical brutally cold December day in Chicago. The forecast called for snow, but all I knew was that the weather would have no effect on my plans to get my face rocked off in the best way possible. I had been waiting for this show for too long, so I bundled up and prepared to face the music – both metaphorically and literally.

When we arrived at the House of Blues, my friend and I had every intention of going in, having a cocktail and staying warm before catching the show. It was only about 4:45 pm as we approached the doors, and I saw that there were only about ten people waiting outside. The teenager in me screamed for me to get my ass in that line. The plan was immediately changed.

Although I froze my ass of in that line for a little over two and a half hours, I can’t say that I regretted it. We met some very cool people in that line, which, in my opinion, is all part of a live experience. I joked around and laughed with a few people I didn’t know and am likely to never see again. I was old enough to be their mother, but we bonded over the love and excitement we shared for the band we came to see. Age meant nothing. It was pretty awesome how we all bid each other a fond farewell as the doors opened and all went their separate ways.

We found a spot less than ten feet from center stage. I met a girl who was seeing a live show for the first time and seemed to be excited and scared out of her wits. It was actually kind of precious. I advised my cohort, who was fairly new to the rock show scene,  that in that spot, we were most definitely going to be moved forward at least five feet, whether we liked it or not, by the surge of the crowd. Injuries were a possibility. Sensing a little trepidation on her part, I bid the frantic concert virgin adieu, wished her luck and opted for a safer spot off to the side where we still had a great view.

With our spot claimed, it was time for a cocktail to warm up our still-freezing bones. As we sipped our Stoli Razz & Sprites, we just soaked in the energy of the slowly building crowd. Knowing it was a sold-out show, I knew the amount of people we saw was just the tip of the iceberg. We also found the ever-changing statuses on the radio station’s FaceBook page, which were displayed on a huge screen, highly entertaining.

Then it was game time. Greek Fire, the first of the three acts for the night took the stage. The band, which includes former members of Story of the Year, wowed me with some quality alt funk metal with a space age edge. Hard, driving rhythms served as a serious backbone to the experimental overtones to the band’s music. Although I don’t remember the song, Queen’s Radio Ga Ga was worked into it at one point, supporting my belief that classic rock still has a serious hold on the bands of today. I would definitely see them again.

Then there was Middle Class Rut. There was definitely a lot of sound coming from just a two piece; however, I couldn’t get into it. I can’t deny the talent, but it just wasn’t my thing. I found it less than stimulating and caught myself yawning more than once. It was definitely, in my opinion, a let down from the prior band.

Thick anticipation hung over the thick and eerily subdued crowd, who waited anxiously for the long awaited return of the headliner. The lights went out and My Chemical Romance took the stage by storm opening with the awesomely puckish Na Na Na. I jumped along with the crowd, feeling the floor of the House of Blues bounce and shake underneath us. A candy apple red haired Gerard Way took instant command of the crowd with typical charismatic swagger, and with his brothers in arms, the show blasted off at mach speed.

We were treated to a mind-blowing sixteen song set that included some things old, such as the sneering Thank You For the Venom; many things new like the dance floor destined Planetary (GO!) (I actually danced!); something borrowed (well sort of) which was their punkesque cover of Bob Dylan’s Desolation Row from the film Watchmen (excellent surprise!); and something blue, which was an emotional performance of Cancer (Yes, I cried.).

The band played with an energy that, although still vibrant , seemed to come from a more mature place. They were absolutely comfortable in their own skins. They were having…fun. I found the camaraderie amongst the members moving. They took the time to laugh, hug and point out areas of the crowd to each other and smile as if they wished they were the ones out there watching the show.

Way played the crowd with his trademark charming aloofness, but was totally sincere when thanked all of the long time fans for being supportive and waiting for their return, thanked newcomers for being there and had nothing but admiration for the rest of the band.

Without going into a discombobulated  flurry of detail, suffice it to say the show was badass. If you’re into shows with a lot of flash, etc., then this isn’t what you want. If you love a show where the music takes center stage, and you feed off of the crowd’s intensity, then you’ll hit pay-dirt with MCR. Veterans of seeing MCR live got what they wanted and those seeing the band for the first time got a treat.

Now, I couldn’t have attended a concert without there being some kind of weirdness occurring, right?? Aside from cool peeps, screaming and sweat; there were also rude tall people, someone who wanted to sit on the floor, a personal bodyguard to shove me through the crowd to the front and narrow escape from projectile vomiting. Ah….all in a good night’s worth of live music.

Set list:

Na Na Na

Thank You For the Venom

Planetary (GO!)

I’m Not Okay

SING

House of Wolves

Mama

Teenagers

Desolation Row

The Ghost of You

Welcome to the Black Parade

The Only Hope For Me Is You

Helena

Cancer

The Kids From Yesterday

Vampire Money