Cardiff was a sea of black leather, face paint and platform boots as tens of thousands flocked to watch My Chemical Romance on Saturday night. The band arguably reached the height of their success with 2006's The Black Parade album, a time when MySpace was the dominant social media platform and you took a disposable camera to gigs instead of a smart phone.
The band split in 2013 before announcing a return in late 2019. A reunion tour was due to take place in 2020 but finally kicked off this month after a two-year delay. So there was much excitement ahead of the American band's show at the Welsh capital' s Sophia Gardens, part of their eight date UK leg on their reunion tour.
With around 15,000 expected to be at the outdoor gig, the excitement was off the charts amongst the legion of self-professed 'elder emos' and scores of new fans queuing up on Saturday evening. Speaking to fans outside, there was a mixture of nervous excitement, disbelief, and a whole lot of face paint. We spoke to them.
'It's really cute to see the elder emos like us and the new baby emos'
Amber Cadaverous, 25, had travelled from Birmingham on Saturday with friend Becky Hill, 33 and her partner Stephanie Harrison.
"It took us about four hours to get here with the traffic, obviously because Ed Sheeran is playing here as well," Amber said. "We tried to stay in Cardiff after the show but everywhere was booked because of Ed Sheeran, so we're driving back. It will be my fourth time seeing them. I got my first album when I was five - and now I'm 25! It was the first one I bought for myself in HMV. I was about 13 when I saw them for the first time. I wanted to go when I was eight but my mum was like 'this is a bit rough for you, come on.'"
"It's really cute to see the elder emos like us and the new baby emos. It's cool that it's still affecting people and still present. The roaring twenties! I saw them last week in Milton Keynes and when they played Cancer we all cried. I've seen them three times on this tour and this is the last time. There's always the risk that they won't come back. So this is like saying goodbye!"
'I'll probably cry'
Rhi Jones, 22 and David Parish, 25, came from Cwmbran for Saturday's gig: "My mum went to see them in 1999 — I believe it was in Newport, when she was pregnant with me," Rhi said. "So I sort of say that I've seen them, but not really! She's not here tonight unfortunately, she's at home looking after my sister so she couldn't make it."
"It doesn't feel real. Even now I'm stood here in the queue and I can hear them soundcheck, it still doesn't feel like it's going to happen. I was raised on them and have always been a fan, but I was always too young. Then they broke up when I was old enough to see them. It was devastating, but we're here now. Just seeing them will be amazing. When they come out, honestly I'll probably cry. I've told my mum to expect a call from me sobbing!"
'I've waited 15 years for this'
25-year-old Peter Hawkins is seeing the gig with his younger brother, Phillip, and Elizabeth Beckinsale. He travelled from near London to get to the show on Saturday.
"It took us from Basildon about four or five hours, including getting across London," he said. "I've waited 15 years for this. I'm a big-time fan. 2003 was when I got into them massively. I was too young [to see them]. It's a dream come true. It feels like a dream. I still think we're going to walk in there and it's going to be a cover band or something, you know what I mean?"
"Clearly you can see they can still pull a crowd. Once I've seen them and I know they're back and there's new music coming, I know I'll see them again. I'm so excited. We're going back to Newport tonight to stay with a friend."
Elizabeth said: "It doesn't really feel like it's happening, you know what I mean? It's been so long, that I've convinced myself I'm never, ever going to see them."
'I've liked them since I was like a child'
Abyss Tremain, 20, has come from Bristol with her partner Ri Marks, 19. Before they were together, Abyss got tickets for the shows when they were announced back in 2020 while Ri remembered crying after missing out. And the pair say they're delighted to get to see the band together.
"I've liked them since I was like a child," Abyss said. "I went to their show in Milton Keynes last Saturday with my friend. We grew up together and have loved them together for like ten years, so it was a nice little moment. Ri hasn't seen them before so now she gets to see how great they are. We're actually getting a coach back at like one in the morning, so we're going to go to one of the after-parties in town I think."
"The trains messed us around a bit this morning, but thankfully we got here," Ri added. "I've kind of liked them since maybe 2013, but more since I've been with Abyss.
