The Smashing Pumpkins Members Kicks off Reunion Tour in Wisconsin, Few Shows Remain: To go or not to go?
The Smashing Pumpkins reemerged and stopped in Madison, Wisconsin to kick off their Shiny and Oh So Bright Winter Tour on November 28, 2018. With only three-fourths of the original members back together, let’s say having three-fourths of The Smashing Pumpkins is better than no reunion at all.
In a 2000 MTV article, lead singer Billy Corgan said to KROQ, a Los Angeles radio station, that the band was breaking up. Later that year, the band performed their final show together in Chicago, Illinois at the Metro. Before then, bass guitarist D’arcy Wretzky already left in 1999 leaving Corgan, Chamberlain, and Iha to be the only original members left.
Since their farewell show, life had moved on as each member had their own solo careers and individual projects, and then The Smashing Pumpkins began to slowly rise back up when Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlain revived the band in 2006 and made the band’s seventh studio album Zeitgeist. Fast forward to now, The Smashing Pumpkins resurrected yet again with Corgan, Chamberlain, and guitarist James Iha back together for their eighth album Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. Jeff Shroeder who replaced Iha in 2007 also joined in on the tour.
When the band stopped by in Madison, Wisconsin at The Sylvee, the stage design consisted of a huge screen that projected beautiful, stunning, and experimental visuals to complement the music. Basic, but nostalgic and artsy. The concert could not be any more simple and original and oh, so Smashing Pumpkins. They still got it, so it seems!
Often times, Corgan closed his eyes and sang to the mic in his child-like and raspy voice as people from the crowd sang along to the songs from when The Smashing Pumpkins began and their career was soaring. Hence, the sold-out show just so proved that after all these years of the band’s dysfunction and drama, some fans never stopped paying attention or admiring.
Corgan’s wardrobe changed throughout the show from a gleaming red and gold outfit to an all-black outfit with a white half-skirt and a snazzy long coat kept the concert interesting as the rest of the members were deep in focus on playing their part.
Iha, who wore a dark blue sequin blazer, spoke a little bit about the Wisconsin freezing weather, reminded the crowd that the band recorded their first studio album Gish in Madison in which made the night even more special. He even sang a cover of The Cure’s Friday I’m in Love as Corgan stepped away from the stage, leaving a moment to let the rest of the band shine.
There were only 8 selected cities in the States for their Winter tour before heading out of the country next year in May. So, this opportunity is short and rare for fans to experience the three original line up together all in one stage and revisit the band’s past through the music as the setlist is glossed with nostalgia - songs that spanned from the band’s music career and a dash of some new music from their LP.
Because the setlist consisted of both new material but much more of the old songs, it seems as if The Smashing Pumpkins did not come out with a new era with a clean slate or a new reinvention onto the table. It was as if they are picking up where they left off and there is nothing wrong with that. Regardless of the true intention, it is better than nothing.
To be sure, sometimes bands break up. It happens. It is unavoidable. For example, The White Stripes, My Chemical Romance, and just last year HIM called it quits. Even so, sometimes bands break up for good and life goes on. Unfortunately, Wretzky was not part of the reunion as she is the missing piece of the puzzle for a full and complete reunion. However, reviving The Smashing Pumpkins in this shape and form is a miracle and a gift to the fans.
At the Madison concert, it was almost as if they never disbanded nor had any tensions because of the way they interacted with one another. They played together, exchanged smiles, and were all in sync. That’s a special moment. Sometimes bands don’t make it up to this point in their music career. So take this opportunity, if you may, go see them and live.
Setlist from the Madison concert:
Never Let Me Down Again (Depeche Mode cover)
Friday I'm in Love (The Cure cover)
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)
Listen to the full track list of the Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol 1/LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. album on Spotify!
Check out where they are going next! smashingppumpkins.com
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