My Chemical Romance: All you need to know about next week’s Stadium MK gigs

New Jersey emo-rock giants My Chemical Romance head to Stadium MK next week for three headline gigs as part of the band’s comeback world tour.

MCR are set to play to more than 160,000 fans across eight shows in the UK and will head to Milton Keynes following two gigs in Cornwall at the Eden Project.

This tour was originally due to take place in 2020 but was postponed until 2021 and then again until this month because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s the first time My Chemical Romance will have played in the UK since appearing at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2011.

They headline Stadium MK on Thursday, May 19, Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22.

Here’s a run down of all you need to know about MCR and the gigs.

Who Are My Chemical Romance?

For about a decade around the turn of the century, My Chemical Romance dominated the commercial rock scene.

They released critically acclaimed multi-platinum selling albums, toured the world, played almost every major rock festival out there, appeared on the cover of hundreds of magazines and became the poster boys for a generation of emo-rock fans.

My Chemical Romance formed in Newark, New Jersey and their independently released debut album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love came out in 2002.

However, it was their 2004 major label debut Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge which changed the face of the alternative rock scene and saw them attract a cult like following across the world.

The record featured singles including I’m Not Okay (I Promise) and Helena.

Two years later, concept album The Black Parade launched the band into the stratosphere of global domination and mainstream success on the back of singles including Welcome To The Black Parade and Teenagers.

My Chemical Romance followed this with their last full length album Danger Days- The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys in 2010 before announcing their split in 2013.

Fast forward to 2017, the band regrouped out of the public eye and December 2019 saw their return in Los Angeles.

Singer Gerard Way is joined in My Chemical Romance by guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero and bassist Mikey Way alongside a touring drummer and keyboard player.

Who Else Is Playing at Stadium MK?

On both nights, My Chemical Romance will be joined by UK alt rockers Placebo who released their eighth album Never Let Me Go in March.

Both acts will be joined by Lost Alone and Witch Fever on the Thursday, Barnes Courtney and Cassyette on the Saturday and Starcrawler and Charlotte Sands on the Sunday.

What Are The Stage Times?

My Chemical Romance will take to the stage at 8.55pm and are billed to play until 10.25pm each night. They will be proceeded by Placebo, playing from 7.20pm to 8.20pm.

On the Thursday, Witch Fever will play from 5.30pm to 5.55pm followed by Lost Alone from 6.20pm to 6.50pm.

On the Saturday, Cassyette will play from 5.30pm to 5.55pm followed by Barns Courtney from 6.20pm to 6.50pm.

On the Sunday, Charlotte Sands will play from 5.30pm to 5.55pm followed by Starcrawler from 6.20pm to 6.50pm.

According to Ticketmaster, doors will be open on all three dates from 4pm. However, Stadium MK will be running an outer concourse selling food, drink and merchandise which will open from 2pm.

Are Tickets Still Available?

At the time of writing, tickets for all three nights are still available. Ticket price is determined by where in Stadium MK you want to sit or stand, with general admission seated tickets ranging from £49.50 to £93.50.

Standing tickets for the Thursday and Sunday are available and cost £82.50. Booking fees will apply.

Ticketmaster is also selling ‘resale tickets’ with some available from £51.50 each.

VIP packages are available from £185 to £295. Tickets are available via www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.seetickets.com, www.gigsandtours.com and www.mychemicalromance.com/tour

Tickets will NOT be available on the day.

What Will My Chemical Romance’s set be?

While you should really just enjoy the show as it unfolds, if you look at the band’s 2019 gig in LA on setlist.fm, it was a pretty even split of tracks from their three most recent records.

It’s probably also likely My Chemical Romance will play new song The Foundations Of Decay which was released this week.

Getting to Stadium MK

General parking at Stadium MK is sold out, but disabled spaces are still available (£20).

There are various other ways to get to the venue including ‘Park & Stride’ from the National Bowl (£10) and a shuttle bus will also be running from the railway station at Milton Keynes (£9).

Tickets can be booked via https://www.parkthecarhere.com/Events.aspx?CustomerId=29.

Coach travel for people travelling to Milton Keynes from across the UK is also available via https://www.biggreencoach.co.uk/events/my-chemical-romance-tickets-coach-travel

There will also be designated drop off / pick up areas at the stadium.

Anyone travelling by rail is advised to check the times of trains running north towards Birmingham and south towards London following the gig – to ensure services are available.

Can I Bring A Bag?

Bags no larger than 21cm x 30cm (equivalent to an A4 sheet of paper), will be allowed into the stadium. Anything larger is not permitted.

Cameras and Filming

Ticketholders will not be permitted to bring professional cameras or recording equipment into the stadium.