I’m Not Okay (I Promise): My Chemical Romance and Jimmy Eat World live at Rod Laver Arena

It’s crazy to think that fans from all over the world have travelled to Melbourne for this show, to see their last set of shows for 2023. But locals were also longing for these shows to happen – even before Jimmy Eat World opens the floor is packed, as many are impatient to see MCR after such a long wait. The fan base is known for being extremely passionate, with red and black 2005 aesthetics from head to toe seeming to be the dress code of the night.

The last time Jimmy Eat World played Australia was more than 10 years ago and it was a pleasure to watch them play their greatest hits – as they as much are pillars of the music genre as MCR is.

Jimmy Eat World entertains the crowd with Future, Plain or Bleed American, which are all raging, punk anthems of their time. They also moved us with Hear You Me, as phone lights invade the arena. The crowd lit up even more as soon as the first chords of The Middle resonated in the Arena. Their set was effective in warming up the band.

A few moments after they leave the stage, static in the air becomes louder and louder in the arena as the crew gets the stage ready. Fans scream and the atmosphere is tense until My Chemical Romance steps on stage and open the show with their latest single, Foundations of Decay.

Frontman Gerard Way is dressed as a business woman, in suit jacket, skirt and heels, triumphantly raising his umbrella up in the air. Mysterious to say the least, but announced that, as expected, the theatrics of My Chemical Romance are still unprecedented.

The quartet play as many deep cuts as crowd pleasers to enchant hardcore fans as much as casual ones. The excitement of the crowd is unmatched, and from the energetic Planetary Go! To the famous Welcome To The Black Parade, via the punk Our Lady Of Sorrows or the slower The World is Ugly, the band succeeded to stay varied to please every attendant. The crows sings along to I’m Not Okay and Famous Last Word, and voices of the audience could easily overpower Way due to how loudly and enthusiastically they were all night long.

As a My Chem fan myself, I can testify that wherever you go, the communal feeling of extreme joy you retrieve by attending their concerts is out of this world. As they were and are the high school soundtracks of people of all ages that were here that night, we all left feeling nostalgic and impressed by the powerhouse they maintained, even while being broken up for 7 years.

No matter what’s next for the band, they proved that theatricality at music concerts doesn’t need much: a devoted fan base is the roots of it all.

My Chemical Romance set list

• The Foundations of Decay
• This Is How I Disappear
• Everybody Hates the Eagles
• Boy Division
• Give ‘Em Hell, Kid
• The Ghost of You
• Planetary (GO!)
• DESTROYA
• Teenagers
• I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
• Our Lady of Sorrows
• Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
• Welcome to the Black Parade
• House of Wolves
• The World Is Ugly
• It’s Not a Fashion Statement, It’s a Fucking Deathwish
• Famous Last Words
• Mama
• Encore: Vampires Will Never Hurt You
• Encore: Helena

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Photos by Gabrielle Ravet