Rock
My Chemical Romance 'agree to ditch Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders outfits' after legal row
My Chemical Romance have reportedly agreed to stop using Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders-inspired costumes during their remaining Hollywood Bowl shows after the cheerleading brand's owner launched legal action.
My Chemical Romance have reportedly been forced into a costume change after their dramatic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders-inspired stage routine sparked a legal battle.
The dispute erupted after the band launched their five-night Hollywood Bowl residency on October 21 as part of their The Black Parade 20th anniversary celebrations.
During Teenagers, dancers appeared in blue-and-white outfits closely resembling the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' instantly recognisable uniforms, before the theatrical routine then took a much darker turn.
The dancers swapped pom-poms for prop rifles and became involved in a staged gunfight before being depicted as shot and crawling from the stage.
Pro Silver Star, the company behind the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders brand, subsequently filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against My Chemical Romance and promoter Live Nation.
The company argued that the costumes could lead audiences and social media users to believe the performers were the real Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
The Black Parade rockers have agreed not to dress dancers in outfits resembling the famous cheer squad's uniforms during their upcoming shows, according to TMZ.
My Chemical Romance are celebrating 20 years of The Black Parade
In its legal filing, Pro Silver Star had said: "Audience members and online commentators understandably believed that the performers were the real Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and said so in social media posts that continue to circulate."
However, the company stressed that it was not attempting to interfere with My Chemical Romance's wider creative vision.
Its filing stated: "Silver Star is not litigious, and it takes no issue with MCR’s music, its artistic ambitions, or any message defendants seek to convey."
It continued: "Silver Star does not ask defendants to change their setlist, narrative, politics, choreography, or even their decision to put gun-toting performers on stage.
"Silver Star asks only that those performers not wear the DCC Uniform while doing it. The universe of alternative costume designs is effectively unlimited."
The legal pressure now appears to have worked, as TMZ reported an agreement was reached before the dispute reached a court hearing, with My Chemical Romance agreeing to abandon the DCC-style costumes for their upcoming performances.
The band have not been prevented from continuing with the cheerleader element of their performance, meaning the dancers can still appear on stage, but they cannot wear costumes resembling the Dallas Cowboys uniforms.
The dispute comes during an enormous period for My Chemical Romance, who are marking 20 years of The Black Parade with their biggest theatrical production in years.
The Hollywood Bowl residency is made up of five performances, with the final two shows scheduled for October 30 and 31.
The band have been performing The Black Parade in full, with the encore changing from night to night and featuring fan favourites including Bury Me In Black, Helena, Summertime and Boy Division.
The Hollywood Bowl run follows the band's wider Long Live The Black Parade anniversary tour, which has seen them revisit the era-defining 2006 album for fans around the world.
Now, with the legal row apparently forcing a rethink of one of their most talked-about pieces of stagecraft, all eyes will be on what My Chemical Romance's dancers wear when the Black Parade rolls into the Hollywood Bowl for its final Halloween weekend shows.
