Lights off. Intro tape on. Sea of mobile phones aloft. Cue a mass pogo as the first chords of opener ‘Na, Na, Na’ fill the arena. Welcome to the world of MCR.
Lead singer Gerard Way, the embodiement of manga androgony, half Akira, half Han Solo, leads his followers on a journey to the future. A future inspired by comics, laser guns and sharp cheekbones rather than Orwellian despair. Mysterious images and cryptic slogans flash on screens declaring that ‘Love Is A Pill’ and ‘The Future Is Bulletproof’. The accompanying soundtrack is a many splintered thing.
‘Planetary (Go!)’ meshes glam rock with disco and electronic squirts and gurgles, ‘House Of Wolves’ boasts a stonking chorus purloined from KISS’ ‘Detroit Rock City’. ‘Sing’ has the bombast and gloss of the enormodome singalong and ‘The Only Hope For Me Is You’ sends the bounceometer stratospheric.
Later, ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ would have Freddie Mercury clenching a fist and pirouetting. An encore of ‘Cancer’ and ‘Vampires Will Never Hurt You’ allows for one more explosion of ecstasy before the band depart the flight deck for their next inter-galactic mission. Big Brother is moshing you!