By Jess Mather
Celebrating 20 years of The Black Parade, this co-headline tribute tour promised emo nostalgia, nu-metal chaos, and pop-punk anthems in equal measure, and for the most part, it delivered in big, sweaty, sing-along fashion.
With four tribute acts on the bill and a room packed with black eyeliner, band tees, and voices ready to be destroyed by midnight, this felt less like a tribute night and more like a full-blown alternative time machine back to the mid-2000s.
Unfortunately, we arrived too late to catch Stiff Bizkit, missing their performances of "Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)" and "Livin’ It Up", a painful sacrifice that will haunt us the next time someone shouts “keep rollin’, rollin’, rollin’” in public.
Set highlights included "Points of Authority" and "Bleed It Out", and from the first kick drum hit it was clear they were here to wake the room up.
Their biggest tracks went down an absolute treat, the entire venue jumping, shouting, and bouncing like it was 2003 again. As a first act (for us), they set the bar high.
A nice touch was the use of real DJ decks, giving their sound extra authenticity, and the drum mix in particular was huge, punchy, and perfectly balanced for the room.
Vocally, each singer was strong on their own, but the harmonies didn’t always land as tightly as they could have, which occasionally took the edge off otherwise powerful moments.
One of the most affecting parts of their set came with "The Emptiness Machine", originally released by Linkin Park with Emily Armstrong as the lead vocalist, and notably the first song the band put out following Chester Bennington’s death in 2017.
Hearing L1nkn P4rk perform it with a male lead vocal was unexpectedly powerful. It felt like the closest we’ll ever come to hearing what Chester might have sounded like on that track, and knowing the song’s place in the band’s history gave the moment real emotional weight. The room noticeably shifted, less jumping, more stillness, more people quietly taking it in.
There was a brief wobble towards the end of the set when the rapper forgot some lyrics, but the lead singer jumped in immediately, extending sections and covering seamlessly, a moment that actually highlighted just how tight and well-rehearsed the band really are.
They also mentioned this was the busiest crowd they’ve ever played to in six years at this venue, and judging by the reaction, it was well deserved.
A genuinely strong, high-energy opener.
With favourites such as "This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race" and later tearing into "Sugar, We’re Goin Down", Fell Out Boy leaned hard into the nostalgia.
The frontman sounded uncannily like Patrick Stump, easily the closest vocal match of the night, and clearly adored every second of performing these songs.
There was some playful crowd work too, claiming Manchester was better than the southerners, and that we clearly prefer the old stuff, both of which always go down a treat at these types of events, and almost certainly get the same reaction when he says the exact opposite further down the country.
However, while the vocals were spot-on, the band chemistry didn’t quite match the energy of the crowd. The stage movement felt a little scattered, and at times the singer appeared to be coaching the drummer mid-set, possibly a newer member finding his feet.
It occasionally felt like not everyone on stage loved the material quite as much as the frontman did, which slightly dulled what should have been massive emotional peaks.
Still, the crowd matched the band’s energy, screaming every word back with zero hesitation.
As the final act of the night, The Black Charade had the biggest expectations riding on their shoulders, recreating The Black Parade in full for its 20th anniversary.
Visually, they nailed it.
All members appeared in the iconic black-and-white military jackets, complete with fireworks and theatrical flair that immediately transported the room into My Chemical Romance’s darkest, most dramatic era.
The chemistry between band members wasn’t explosive, but their professionalism never slipped, and the production more than made up for it.
Highlights included:
Backing dancers dressed as red-clad cheerleaders for "Teenagers".
A haunting performance of "I Don’t Love You" featuring a dancer in a flowing white dress.
The lead singer stepping directly into the crowd during "I Don’t Love You", sending fans into absolute meltdown mode.
And of course…
When the single opening note of "Welcome to the Black Parade" rang out, the venue detonated. No buildup needed. No explanation required. Pure emo religion.
They also surprised everyone with a cover of "Running Up That Hill", reimagined with screamo-style vocals and an unexpectedly beautiful guitar solo, a risky choice that paid off.
Early in the set, the vocalist sounded a little rough, at times more like grunting than singing, but after a few songs he warmed up noticeably. The crowd didn’t care either way, they were already shouting every lyric, dancing through every chorus, and living fully inside the moment.
Final Thoughts:
This tour wasn’t about perfection.
It was about memory, emotion, and screaming lyrics that once meant everything, and somehow still do.
Between L1nkn P4rk’s explosive energy, Fell Out Boy’s vocal accuracy, and The Black Charade’s theatrical spectacle, this night proved that tribute acts, when done with love and respect, can feel just as powerful as the real thing.
Black eyeliner may fade, skinny jeans may die, but The Black Parade will march on forever.
For all information on bands feature on tonight line up please find them online below:
Add comment
Comments