My Chemical Romance, circa 2006.
With the news coming out today about Maxwell’s in Hoboken relaunching the music part of its business, it seemed like a good time to feature a Maxwell’s video in the 350 Jersey Songs project, and I settled on this one: My Chemical Romance performing “The Sharpest Lives” there, in 2007.
My Chemical Romance, now defunct, was a proudly Jersey band, with roots in Belleville and Kearny, but was at the height of its popularity in 2007. You were much more likely in those days to find them in an arena or a big outdoor amphitheater than a small club such as Maxwell’s.
MCR booked a minimally publicized charity show at Maxwell’s, though, during a break between wrapping up one tour leg in Mexico and starting another one in Europe, and released the footage on the DVD of its 2008 CD/DVD live set, The Black Parade Is Dead! Below is a fiery Maxwell’s performance of “The Sharpest Lives,” a song from their 2006 concept album, The Black Parade.
New Jersey celebrated its 350th birthday in 2014. And in the 350 Jersey Songs series, we marked the occasion by posting 350 songs — one a day, from September 2014 to September 2015 — that have something to do with the state, its musical history, or both. To see the entire list, click here.
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