The parent company of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has initiated legal action against rock band My Chemical Romance after dancers wore outfits resembling the squad's signature blue-and-white uniforms during a theatrical gunfight at the Hollywood Bowl. Pro Silver Star Ltd., which owns the NFL cheerleading brand, turned to a Texas court on Friday, October 23, 2026, to stop the group from using the lookalike attire during its ongoing Los Angeles concert residency.

The dispute began on Wednesday, October 21, when the alternative rock band opened a multi-night run at the Los Angeles amphitheater celebrating the 20th anniversary of its third studio album, The Black Parade, according to NBC News. During the performance, dancers dressed in uniforms nearly identical to those of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders appeared onstage, armed themselves with rifles, and participated in a simulated shootout before being depicted as shot. Pro Silver Star alleges the unauthorized use of its federally registered uniform design confused audiences and threatened the organization's reputation.

The Hollywood Bowl Stunt and Tour Narrative

My Chemical Romance's current concerts feature an elaborate, dystopian storyline built around a fictional authoritarian state. According to Stereogum, the costumed dancers first took the stage during the 2000s hit "Teenagers" to perform a standard cheer routine. As the band transitioned into the song "Disenchanted," actors dressed as armed soldiers representing the fictional "Draag" regime arrived onstage and pointed weapons at the musicians.

In the choreographed sequence that followed, the cheerleaders opened fire on the regime's forces. Characters on both sides were gunned down amid the sound of gunfire while frontman Gerard Way acted out a scene behind the drum kit, stabbing a fictional government clerk character named Veronika. According to the complaint filed by attorney Alex Spiro and cited by the New York Post, the costumed dancers carried what looked like semi-automatic rifles during the firefight before falling to the floor and crawling offstage.

Inside the Texas Court Filing

Following the Wednesday concert, Pro Silver Star sent a cease-and-desist letter to the band on Thursday, October 22, demanding they stop using the uniforms. After the band allegedly refused to comply, the company took the matter to court in Dallas County, Texas, on October 23. While NBC News reports that Pro Silver Star filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in Dallas County District Court, the New York Post and Stereogum characterize the filing as a petition seeking a temporary restraining order and temporary injunction.

Regardless of the specific procedural label, the company's core argument centers on trademark infringement and brand degradation. The court filings include a side-by-side visual comparison of an authentic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders uniform and the stage costumes worn at the Hollywood Bowl, alongside screenshots of social media posts from concertgoers and online commentators who believed the performers were actual members of the Texas squad. Pro Silver Star argues that pairing its recognizable uniforms with a violent stage scene could tarnish the organization's goodwill and mislead the public into thinking the team endorsed or participated in the show.

The legal filing emphasizes that the organization is not attempting to censor the band's creative expression. In the complaint, Pro Silver Star stated that it is "not litigious" and "takes no issue with MCR's music, its artistic ambitions, or any message Defendants seek to convey." As quoted by Rolling Stone, the filing notes that the company "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."

Defiance Onstage and Alumni Reactions

Despite the cease-and-desist notice and Friday's legal escalation, the band appeared undeterred as the residency continued. While NBC News noted the Wednesday opener and upcoming shows on Saturday, October 24, and over Halloween weekend on October 30 and 31, both Rolling Stone and Stereogum report that My Chemical Romance played a second Hollywood Bowl concert on Friday night, October 23. According to video from the Friday performance cited by those outlets, the dancers returned to the stage in the same blue-and-white cheerleader outfits and repeated the gunfire routine.

The viral clips also drew responses from current and former members of the cheerleading squad. According to OutKick, Stephanie Roberts, an alumna who danced for the Dallas Cowboys from 2015 to 2018, addressed the controversy in a Friday night TikTok video to stop rumors of the team's involvement. "Let's clarify one thing, the actual [Cowboys cheerleaders] were NOT present at this concert," Roberts wrote in the post's caption, while current cheerleader Kylie Dickson also expressed confusion over the clips online.

What It Means for Concertgoers and the Band

Representatives for My Chemical Romance and Pro Silver Star have not publicly commented outside of the court filings, and there is no confirmation yet on whether a Dallas County judge has granted the emergency restraining order ahead of the remaining Los Angeles shows. With performances scheduled at the Hollywood Bowl for October 24, October 30, and October 31, the legal battle puts immediate pressure on the band's production team.

If a Texas court issues an injunction—and if it is enforced prior to the final residency dates—My Chemical Romance would only need to swap out the dancers' wardrobe rather than overhaul the theatrical staging of The Black Parade. For fans holding tickets to the Halloween weekend shows, the core music, pyrotechnics, and storyline will remain intact, even if the performers end up trading the iconic blue-and-white Western star vests for generic cheerleading attire.