Female First: "Reading & Leeds Festival: My Chemical Romance"

Will the band triumph in a typically hostile festival environment?

My Chemical Romance are a brave choice for headliners, but fit in well on a day featuring the likes of The Offspring, 30 Seconds To Mars, Rise Against and The Blackout.

If any day was made for MCR to headline, this was it, and the rest of the Main Stage should have the crowd in great spirits by the end of the evening.

Since their latest album, Gerard Way and co. have taken a stylistic shift, a move away from the dark, uniformed style of The Black Parade.

This adds unpredictability to their shows, with the previous tour throwing up old favourite 'Vampires Will Never Hurt You'.

Whilst there's always a temptation for bands at festivals to just play the hits, it's also a chance to bring out some surprises.

Given the quality and success of their recent tour, My Chemical Romance should have no problem putting on a stunning live show.

They have a lot to prove, co-headlining with Muse, The Strokes and Pulp.

MCR are definitely the underdogs, but that's how they like it.

Expect a blistering, high-energy set that covers their back catalogue, although old-school fans shouldn’t expect too much from their debut.

My Chem will be giving it their all at Leeds and Reading, hoping to convert sceptics to fans by the end of the show.

Source: Female First - Alistair McGeorge