It’s not a band. It’s an idea.

So said My Chemical Romance sometime in the early 2000s–a hefty claim if you don’t make it, a prophetic one if you do. And they did, of course, make it, and have inspired an entire generation of underdogs to do the same. I’ve been inspired by their work ever since witnessing their 2022 return tour, and when the 20th anniversary of their sophomore album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge rolled around, I knew the best way to celebrate was with local music in a small venue. So I rallied my friends in Sister Sleep along with local pop-punk band Over Anna and drag performers Lindsay Popapill, Hayden Van Pelt Fury, and Aster Disaster and put on one hell of a celebration, with Sister Sleep performing the entire album in full. MyChem plays stadiums now, but you don’t need a time machine to see a bunch of kids open up a pit to Thank You For the Venom in a tiny venue–just a lot of heart and some logistical skills.