American Idiot influenced TBP; Green Day’s Saviors stadium tour is influencing MRC’s “Long Live” tour

The first concert I ever went to was Green Day American Idiot tour with MCR as the opener. So the first song I ever heard live in concert was Helena…

To say this band means a lot to me is an understatement.

I get everyone’s disappointment with ticket prices and Ticketmaster’s practices, that criticism is warranted.

I also want to throw in my own bit of speculation:

As someone who got to experience American Idiot tour back in 2005, I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the theatrics and bombastic energy from both performers, and the show itself.

Seeing that show, night after night, gave My Chem firsthand insight into how to craft a rock opera, with a cohesive theme, messaging, marketing, logistics, show design etc. It takes A LOT to put together something like American Idiot. Although the music stands on its own, the whole experience is a massive collaborative effort.

MCR learned a lot from Green Day back then, and it helped influence what we got from The Black Parade. A highly thematic, rock opera, with awesome marketing, messaging, and amazing music that stands on its own.

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In August, after over 19 years of not seeing them live, I watched Green Day perform in the Atlanta Braves stadium in Atlanta.

I was older now than these guys were when I first saw them….

But they were still fucking rocking it. Green Day Saviors tour was UNREAL. They played ALL of Dookie, ALL of American Idiot, AND they interspersed a few new Saviors songs and old classics to boot (obviously closing with Time of your Life). The show was bonkers; the set pieces, the inflatables, the pyro, lighting, sounds, everything was HUGE and took me RIGHT back to 2005.

I don’t want to give y’all too much copium…

But to me, it’s pretty clear through MCR’s cryptic messaging that something MORE is coming.

I totally get their decision to play a lowkey, focus on the music set at WWWY. I was there for night 2, (also about 19 years after the last time I saw MCR) and the band sounded fucking amazing.

The music (obviously) still stands on its own, and i think we showed the band how much presence they still own.

This stadium show will not just be 56ish minutes of The Black Parade and out. Tickets weren’t $695 for an hour show. There’s a secondary B stage guys…a secondary stage typically sees 3-5 songs on it, otherwise it would just be a catwalk for coming and going.

I’ve been to over 150 concerts in the last 20 years, this will be my 5th time seeing MCR.

I promise you guys will at LEAST be getting some Revenge, and a few of the popular Danger Days songs (before and/or after the entirety of the black parade)

Maybe not the WHOLE Revenge, by I bet we’ll get at least 3-4

—————— TBP Live clocks in at roughly 1 hour (from TBP is Dead live album and WWWY 2024)

The Reunion tour averaged about 100 min runtime.

I expect an MCR stadium tour with limited stops to be a fucking extravaganza. I’d say expect at least 2hrs, maybe 3hrs if we get the Green Day/Taylor Swift treatment.

Will there be a new album?? Idk…maybe. I think the “Song Title” marketing theory is spot on, and I think IF they don’t release an album BEFORE the tour, then I bet they’ll do something like sing ONE new song per tour stop. (Imagine an encore, they come on and play a brand new song, and close with Helena. By the end of the tour, you’ve got your new album….god please)

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Anyways, that’s my theory. Something BIG is coming, and I think it’s safe to look at Green Day Saviors tour as a great example of what a rock opera stadium tour looks like in 2024.

Will it be an album? Idk.

But if my experience in 20 years of avid concert-going has taught me anything, is that $695 concert tickets usually mean HIGH caliber, long, and elaborate shows.

This is MCR guys. Be patient.

TL;DR

It’s a stadium tour y’all. I PROMISE it’s gonna be more than JUST The Black Parade.