Tales From The Pit: My Chemical Romance
My favorite (and most unexpected) moment from the pit came at a My Chemical Romance concert at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. This show had built up anticipation since I purchased the pre-pandemic concert tickets in 2019. Growing up, MCR had been my gateway into the alternative/emo scene, so it's no surprise that I was ecstatic to be there. My best friend and I traveled over five hours for the trip, and MCR did not disappoint. The feeling was indescribable as we took our seats on the Mezzanine Level before the opening acts. I had been waiting to see MCR since I was seven years old, and it was hard to believe that I was getting my chance twenty years later. Then, finally, the opening acts, The Lemon Twigs and Thursdays, came and went.
Looking around the crowd, I felt at peace - everyone here loved this band as much as I did. When the lights went down over the stadium and the guitar intro for “Foundations of Decay” started, it felt as if we all took in a collective breath for the first time in years; they were indeed back. As “Summertime” began to play, Gerard Way asked the crowd to turn the lights on their phones on. The stage lights were minimal as I looked around the sold-out stadium at the thousands of fans illuminated by the lights; I couldn't help but become emotional - what a surreal moment. The energy of the crowd was unmatched; when MCR played the classics such as “Mama,” “I'm Not Okay,” “The Black Parade,” and “Teenagers,” you could feel the vibration of the arena - I have never experienced anything quite like it. I had planned to keep my phone away for the concert and ‘live in the moment,’ something I find myself constantly saying when I go to a show. When the lights during “The Black Parade” began, however, I realized not taking pictures of this once-in-a-lifetime moment would be a missed opportunity. So as I roared along with the crowd and thrust my fist in the air to the battle cry of emo nostalgia, I captured some of my favorite shots from the night. MCR kept the crowd on their feet, unsure of what would happen next.
Halfway through the show, the usher of our section approached us and offered bracelets to the pit - I was too stunned to speak. My friend grabbed our things and brought me back to reality as we left our section and walked out to get our passes. We were escorted with four other guests in a private elevator to the floor level of the show, and as “The World is Ugly” began to play, we walked down to the entry of the pit with our usher. I was speechless as we made our way into the fenced-off area; as if finally getting to see MCR wasn't enough, I somehow managed to get onto the floor for my favorite band. As “The World is Ugly” came to a close, the guitar chords transitioned into “Famous Last Words,” and the crowd went wild. A fight broke out in the mosh pit in front of me, so we used the opportunity to get as close as possible; we managed to get just a few rows from the stage to finish the show. “Sleep” and “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” helped transition the crowd into the final song of the night - “Helena.” As Gerard wound the microphone cord around his arm and began to melodically sing some of the most recognizable lyrics of our generation, I sang along and cried with the crowd. The concert gave me a feeling I doubt will ever be replicated. The nostalgia of listening to all the songs I grew up with and singing along with fans as passionate about the music and lyrics as me was an indescribable feeling. So long, and goodnight, MCR; thank you for the best night of my life.
