#MCR Punkspring

[smeagles]

Japan // 📸: Devin Sarno

[girlandherfandom]

Your Honor, I miss them.

MCR Osaka Punkspring 2023

[partyjetghoulkid]

frank iero my chemical romance at punkspring osaka, 230326

[mikeywayarchive]

Instagram story by kristincolby

[Mar 26, 2023]

[dulcevenganzaa]

like hello

[knoxolotl]

thinking about ✨ them ✨

[bentwolioo]

MCR stop being cryptic challenge (Japan show analysis)

Ok, continuing the theory from my Oceania tour analysis post! 

I honestly wasn’t expecting Gerard to keep wearing the secretary outfit for Japan but this really makes me believe that MCR is foreshadowing their rebirth. The secretary character carried through to the end of the reunion tour. We never saw a true end or ‘death’ on stage, and whilst Gerard wore more fake blood in Japan, the lack of further changes to the Secretary’s appearance suggests her fighting to live on despite the odds and succeeding, rather than truly decaying away.

Gerard in Tokyo (1st pic) and Osaka (2nd pic) via Punkspring

TOKYO, March 25 2023

In terms of how the Japan shows continue the story from my first post (the events of 9/11 followed by the creation of MCR), I think Tokyo is focused on the creation of Bullets. Gerard carried the umbrella again at this show, which I connect with ‘destruction raining down’ when the twin towers collapsed—Gerard seeing this directly inspired him to write the first MCR song, Skylines and Turnstiles, the foundation of their first album. It’s difficult to see in the screencap above, but if you watch this video from vex_glitch you’ll see the umbrella.

The drumhead message, “GEMINI” (pic by shelly19041904) can be interpreted in many ways. I believe a strong link is that MCR completed recording Bullets in Gemini season (on May 23rd 2002 according to this post from the studio it was recorded at. Other sources online also say May 27th). Their first single, Vampires Will Never Hurt You, was also released in Gemini season on May 27th 2002.

OSAKA, March 26 2023

Screencap from video by hongrui_zz

Gerard was back to the briefcase rather than umbrella for the Osaka! I think the umbrella is the signifier of an important, specific event in the story they’re telling via the costume and drumheads. Melbourne 1 (the first appearance of the umbrella) was the 9/11 attacks, and Tokyo was the creation of Bullets. You could say Osaka relates to the release of Bullets (or specifically Vampires Will Never Hurt you) but I think it also leads towards the future.  

The drumhead for Osaka was a mirror (pic by humgumhum), and the message was not written until the encore. The mirror represents the themes of duality that surround MCR’s reunion tour. Life and death, past and future. The first part of the bands career, and now, the second. In another sense, the mirror literally reflects the audience, the fans. It portrays the connection between the fans and the band/their music which is, to some extent, the driving force that allows MCR’s success to continue. 

The drumhead message, “EnDLeSS NiGHT” was of course a lyric from Vampires Will Never Hurt You—the first single, the first song to have an audience. Vampires was the only song played in the encore at Osaka, and the last song played live by MCR for now. In the final 9 shows, but especially Osaka, we keep seeing this idea of returning to the beginning. The fact that the writing on the drum was added at the encore reflects this idea that just as we think it’s the end, MCR starts again, they keep going. Therefore, as I said after Sydney, this feels like a rebirth. It feels like a second beginning—which connects back to Gemini (twins), the mirror and theme of duality.

Burning backdrop pic by linefact0800, night stars backdrop pic by superliane

I can’t discuss the backdrops/stage set design from Japan in detail since to be honest there aren't enough good photos and videos documenting it. But my broad interpretation of the flaming buildings is that they represent burning everything down and starting again. In the years leading up to their split in 2013, MCR was in decline for a variety of reasons. The break up was very much necessary—so now the beginning of a new stage of their career will (I hope) allow them to rebuild. During the Japan shows, the fires in the backdrop were put out, and it transitioned to a night sky which links to the “EnDLeSS NiGHT” drumhead—this could signify the future of My Chemical Romance.

I’m hesitant to conclude that there is a guarantee of new music. But as I’ve seen a few people theorise, perhaps they are hinting at something happening in Gemini season this year (May 21-June 21). Possibly on the dates significant to the creation and release of Bullets? Nevertheless, the reunion tour finishing does not mean the terminus of MCR’s return—nothing sums this up better than the words staring back at us when the band left the stage at Osaka:

Endless night. Pic by michionchan

[ashottoremember]

gerard way at punkspring tokyo, as drawn by me

[dxsertsong]

your eyes vacant and stained

[rosslynchspenis]

frank running across the stage to mess w rays wine glass

[dykejersey]

[smeagles]

Osaka 3.26.2023 | ハヤシマコ

[merlin-the-not-so-magnificent]

A little cathartic poetry on the last known MCR show

[partyjetghoulkid]

frank iero mcr @ punkspring 2023 osaka, 2303

[mikeywayarchive]

devinsarno: @mikeyway

[Sep 2, 2023]

[velvetdestroya]

PunkSpring gears up for My Chemical Romance March 25, 2023 at Makuhari Messe in Tokyo.

[photo credit; violet koala]