Punk-metal assault

And what a raucous party it was. MCR opened with the punk-metal assault of “This Is How I Disappear,” one of many tracks the band would play from its third album, “Welcome to the Black Parade” (Warner Music).

At age 30, vocalist Gerard Way—dressed in black from head to toe with matching eyeliner —looked like he had baby fat that he wanted to shed. He urged the roaring crowd to move as he did, jumping up and down, like the pogo dance identified with the late Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols.

For a few moments, many followed suit, doing the pogo as the band went full blast with “Dead!” It seemed like MCR was very much inspired by Green Day and other punk bands—except that lead guitarist Ray Toro, frizzy hair flailing like a headbanger’s, was striking his axe to sound like Metallica.