Wembley Stadium, London, 10/7/2026
There are some bands where the anticipation starts long before the lights go down. For My Chemical Romance, walking into Wembley Stadium already felt like being part of something much bigger than a normal gig. The setting was certainly memorable. London was in the middle of a heatwave, and Wembley was absolutely baking. For the first part of the evening, the sun was pretty much… directly in my eyes, making it slightly difficult to take everything. In all seriousness though, it was a small price to pay -as the horizon faded, the stadium began to transform, and My Chemical Romance delivered exactly the kind of spectacle that fans have come to expect from them.
My Chemical Romance have never just been about playing songs. Their live shows have always been built around storytelling. From the costumes by award winning designer, Colleen Atwood, and visual elements to the carefully timed pyro, every part of the performance felt intentional. There was a real sense of theatre running throughout the night, but never in a way that distracted from the music. Instead, it elevated it. This is a band who understand that a concert can be an experience, not just a collection of songs performed back-to-back. And what an experience it was…
Friday’s Wembley crowd were especially lucky with the setlist. With the band rotating songs across the shows, the “B” set delivered some incredible moments. Hearing Demolition Lovers live was easily one of the highlights of the night – a song that has remained so important to fans finally being given its moment on a stage of this size. Zero Percent was another brilliant surprise, and The Ghost of You was another great tick on my My Chem bingo card.
The Setlist:
A-Set
The End.
Dead!
This Is How I Disappear
The Sharpest Lives
Welcome to the Black Parade
I Don’t Love You
House of Wolves
Cancer
Mama
Sleep
Teenagers
Disenchanted
Famous Last Words
The End.
Blood
B-Set
I’m Not Okay (I Promise)
To the End
My Way Home Is Through You
Summertime
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
The Ghost of You
Play Video
Zero Percent (Live debut)
S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W
Helena
Demolition Lovers (Tour debut)
Perhaps the most impressive thing about seeing My Chemical Romance in 2026 is how alive these songs still feel. It would have been easy for the band to return purely as a nostalgia act. After all, their music defined such an important period for an entire generation of fans. But Wembley proved that their songs haven’t become relics of the past. The themes of identity, isolation, grief and finding somewhere to belong still resonate – perhaps now more than ever.
Having seen the band before in 2022, there was already something incredibly special about watching them return after their hiatus. But Wembley felt like the next chapter. This wasn’t simply a celebration that they were back; it was proof that they still have the power to command a stadium and create moments that feel genuinely meaningful.
Vocally, Gerard Way was exceptional. Over two decades into the band’s career, his voice still carries the same emotion and character that made My Chemical Romance instantly recognisable. There is something distinctive about the way Gerard delivers these songs – they have never been about technical perfection alone, but about feeling, and that was still completely present at Wembley. Ray Toro also deserves serious recognition. Often overlooked outside of the band’s dedicated fanbase, he remains one of the most talented guitarists in modern rock. His playing is such a crucial part of My Chemical Romance’s identity, balancing intricate melodies with huge, memorable riffs. Watching him perform live is a reminder that great guitarists are not always the ones chasing the spotlight; sometimes they’re the ones quietly shaping the entire sound of a band. It was equally special seeing Frank Iero and Mikey Way back on stage. The chemistry between the four members is something that cannot be manufactured. After the success, the pressure, the hiatus and the eventual return, seeing them together still feels like something worth appreciating.
And perhaps that is what made Wembley so memorable. When I bought these tickets, I was 22 years old. I knew I was excited. I knew it was going to be a special night. But standing there in Wembley Stadium, it wasn’t just 22-year-old Izzy watching My Chemical Romance. It was teenage Izzy too. The teenager who discovered Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge and The Black Parade. The teenager who found comfort in a band that made feeling different feel powerful. The teenager who never could have imagined one day standing in Wembley Stadium watching those same songs being performed in front of tens of thousands of people.
My Chemical Romance have always understood the importance of outsiders finding each other. That sense of belonging is why their music has lasted, and why their fans remain so passionate decades later. Seeing them in 2022 was special because they were back. Seeing them at Wembley in 2026 was special because they reminded everyone exactly why they mattered in the first place.
A truly unforgettable show.