MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE & THE OUTLINE: HIGHLIGHTS & SET LIST!

Words can't really describe what The Outline & My Chemical Romance did to over 2,000 screaming fans on Monday night at the House of Blues in Vegas. 

But since that's my job - here goes....

MCR fans started showing up about 36 hours before the show!  They waited oh-so-patiently (if a little obsessively) in the casino for the big moment.  15 minutes before doors opened, the excitement in the air was palpable as the crowd, packed in like cattle, prepared for the stampede. 

Meanwhile, I won $6.75 playing the slots.

The Outline took the stage first, and totally wowed everyone with their brand of rough, aggressive rock 'n roll.  Their set up is the classic 2 guitars, bass, keys, drums - sometimes they're primal; sometimes they're straight-ahead, but always they rokk. 

Lead singer Graham Fink strutted around the stage, slinging his hair like hash, and the crowd ate it all up.  He's an excellent frontman - good witty banter, he introduced songs & he plugged the band's name often.  At the end of their set, drummer Ryan Rabin threw his sticks into the ocean of people, and they were snapped up like a Barry Bonds' homerun ball.

Then the HOB crew set up the Black Parade banner in front of the stage.  As it rose higher & higher, so too did the ferocity of teenage screams - building into a "We want My Chem" - clap-clap-clapclapclap mantra.  Normally I wear earplugs at shows for the band - this time I had to protect my fragile ears from the rabid fans!

Finally - THE moment arrived and MCR took the stage.  GWay revealed, "I always wanted to be a Vegas showgirl - this will have to do!"

Of course, the packed house of 2k+ was singing along.  And when I say singing along, I mean they sang every word of every verse and every chorus of every song.  I'm completely serious. 

The waltz-time "Mama" reminded me of jangling skeletons as Gerard pranced around like an underworld dandy, pale cheeks sucked in.  Meanwhile, security was lifting smooshed fans to safety, including a mother and her young son. 

Gerard is truly a gifted and astonishing front man.  He's just got so much damn energy - like a band leader on PCP.  This was especially true on "Black Parade" as he orchestrated 2,000 hand thrusts en masse.  In fact, I think that guy has a hand gesture for every lyric.  Before launching into the chorus, he yelled, "Vegas - I wanna hear you sing every @#$%ing word!"  Mosh pockets and crowd surfing ensued, while Ray Toro shredded triumphantly ala Queen.

This was a perfect example of the amazingly seamless give-and-take of energy between MCR and their raving fans.  Its a chicken & egg thing, so its impossible to say whose energy is feeding whom, but the crowd was able to respond immediately to whatever vocal or rhythmic demands Gerard placed on them.  Its a good thing he didn't tell them to drink red koolaid.   

I also noticed that he seems to have studied from the great front-men who came before him.  There was Jagger's Rooster Strut, Hendrix's Finger Worshipping on Bended Knees, Axl Rose's Mic Slither, among others.

BTW - I think there should be a Black Parade Workout Video.  You'd definitely get in shape, if you could keep up.  Plus, since you'd be wearing black - you'd sweat A WHOLE LOT.

Oh yeah - I need to give a shout-out to the really stellar lighting job at this show.  I don't know your name, but you do your job VERY WELL. 

I'd also like to give my commendations to all the parents who came to the show with their younguns.  Many of you seemed just as fanatic about MCR as your kids!  If my parents had been that cool when I was a kid, my teen angst would've been severely mitigated. 

MCR dedicated "I Don't Love You" to "our very special friend," Rob Cavallo.  Hopefully that wasn't a secret message.

Frank, Ray & Mikey were using wireless instruments.  This allowed for unprecedented stage thrashability.

Between the show and the encore, the fans sounded like the primate house at the zoo just before feeding time.  When MCR took the stage again, Gerard was feeling gracious:  "Thank you all so much for coming out and @#$%ing believing in this.  We've been doing this for 5 years and it doesn't get harder - it gets a whole lot more fun!"

The lighters were broken out for "Cancer", the first encore.  Its just so MEANINGFUL, man! 

The show was definitely a black mass presided over by MCR, with the congregation reaching a feverish, ecstatic state.  I almost expected people to start babbling in tongues.

Afterwards, the Meet & Greet was like a well-oiled machine.  Maybe they've done this a few times?

1.  The End
2.  Dead!
3.  Disappear
4.  Not Okay
5.  Cemetery
6.  Mama
7.  The Black Parade
8.  I Don't Love You
9.  Venom
10.  Teenagers
11.  Give Em Hell
12.  House Of Wolves
13.  Famous
14.  Prison
--> ENCORE
1.  Cancer
2.  Helena

OH - And dude that gave me the CD for his band THE SCIENCE......I handed it directly to Gerard Way.  He says he listens to every album he gets.  Good luck!

What'd y'all think of the show?!

Comments

[ashley]

the concert was amazing!

[Zmajrjx]

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