As bands and their crews are unable to tour due to lockdown, more and more artists choose to apply for a loan

As a result of the coronavirus lockdown, bands all over the world were forced to cancel their 2020 tours and most got transferred to next year. Not only are musicians suffering financially but, very importantly, the whole industry, surrounding touring, is at halt. This means thousands of people in tour crews are currently our of work, and bands try to do their best to help them through these hard times.

Various small businesses and music bands applied for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, which were part of the $2 trillion CARES act. Rolling Stone reported that “more than 50 musicians and groups across all genres among the 660,000 recipients who were granted a loan for more than $150,000.”

More: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE do first reunion show in Los Angeles, play most of Black Parade

Among the musicians who got the government-based loans are My Chemical Romance, Green Day, Disturbed, Tool, Nickelback, Imagine Dragons, Incubus, Slipknot, Weezer and Papa Roach, as well as legendary powerhouses like the Eagles, Pearl Jam and Guns N’ Roses.

As some have been expressing criticism of bands taking big loans while small businesses might not easily get approval from the PPP, My Chemical Romance now spoke out why they requested financial help from the government.

After their shows in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the U.K. got postponed, MCR decided not to risk twice and pushed their first tour since the reunion to 2021. However, this meant leaving their tour crew members and their families without work for almost a year:

“MCR received PPP money to ensure their crew is funded in these times of uncertainty until we are able to be out on the road again,” MCR say. “We are so grateful to these skilled, dedicated people – some of them are parents, others caretakers, still others who simply have rent to pay – and this money helps them take care of themselves and their families.”

My Chemical Romance 2021 tour dates are as follows (via AltPress):

06/15/2021 – St. Austell, UK @Eden Sessions
06/17/2021 – Milton Keynes, UK @Stadium MK
06/19/2021 – Milton Keynes, UK @ Stadium MK
06/20/2021 – Milton Keynes, UK @ Stadium MK
06/22/2021 – Dublin, IE @ Royal Hospital Kilmainham

07/02/2021 – Prague, CZ @ Prague Rocks
07/04/2021 – Bologna, IT @ Sonic Park Fest
07/06/2021 – Bonn, DE @ KUNST!RASEN (SOLD OUT)
07/07/2021 – Bonn, DE @ KUNST!RASEN
07/09/2021 – Kiev, UA @ U Park Live
07/11/2021 – Moscow, RU @ Gorky Park
07/12/2021 – St. Petersburg, RU @ Ice Palace

09/08/2021 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center (SOLD OUT)
09/09/2021 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena (SOLD OUT)
09/11/2021 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center (SOLD OUT)
09/13/2021 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden (SOLD OUT)
09/15/2021 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena (SOLD OUT)
09/16/2021 – St Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center (SOLD OUT)
09/18/2021 – Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest
09/19/2021 – Atlanta, GA @ Music Midtown
09/21/2021 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center (SOLD OUT)
09/22/2021 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center (SOLD OUT)
09/25/2021 – Sunrise, FL @ BB&T Center (SOLD OUT)
09/28/2021 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center (SOLD OUT)
09/29/2021 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center (SOLD OUT)
10/01/2021 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center (SOLD OUT)
10/03/2021 – Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome (SOLD OUT)
10/06/2021 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena (SOLD OUT)
10/08/2021 – Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena (SOLD OUT)
10/11/2021 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum (SOLD OUT)
10/12/2021 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum (SOLD OUT)
10/14/2021– Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum (SOLD OUT)
10/17/2021 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum (SOLD OUT)

Will you try to get to My Chemical Romance’s reunion shows next year? Tell us what you think in the comments on AlteRock Facebook and AlteRock Twitter!