THE SMASHING PUMPKINS - 18 SEPTEMBER, 2007.
Let me explain something first.
Seeing as I was not even thought of when the Smashing Pumpkins formed in 1988, I missed out on their impact in the '90's. I, in fact, only tried them because Elijah Wood was my celebrity crush at the time, and he said they were his favourite band... Being a good fangirl, I gave them a listen.
Long story short, the Smashing Pumpkins are my #1 favourite band of all time. Billy Corgan really is my hero, musically and personally. And for most of my four years as a fan, I thought I would never see the Smashing Pumpkins live. My mum always promised me that if Billy ever came anywhere near here- in whatever incarnation- she would take me. For four years I waited. And finally it was announced that the Smashing Pumpkins [albeit with two new members] would be coming here.
It is no surprise, therefore, that I started crying the second Billy Corgan walked on stage.
I have never cried at a concert before... twice I've seen the band that saved my life and didn't shed a tear. But this is a band I've waited four years to see. I didn't try to hold them back... they just came. Not for long, but they were there.
There were a lot of magical moments in this concert...
It was neat because in about the middle of the set, there was a mini acoustic set, starting with "the Crying Tree of Mercury" and ending with "To Sheila." For "Perfect," Billy was joined by drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who played tambourine as Billy played guitar and sang. Two songs really struck me during this set, "Thirty-Three" and "To Sheila." Neither are two of my absolute favourites, but as live songs, they were just so beautiful and powerful that I came away with a new appreciation for them.
After that, they came back into true rawk form with a big surprise - "Starla," which is a b-side from the rarities album, Pisces Iscariot, and is something of an eleven minute grunge guitar burner. And damn does it sound good! They later played one of my favourites off of Machina, "Heavy Metal Machine," but it was a different arrangement so I didn't recognise it at first, and that made it somewhat less enjoyable. Oh well.
There was a really cute moment before "Cherub Rock." Billy was talking to us [the most talking he did all night - he has the cutest little chuckle by the way], and he said that he couldn't say anything stupid any more because it would end up on YouTube. Then he told Ginger Reyes [the adorable bassist that I would go lez for] to say something stupid in Spanish... the most we got out of her was "hola," haha. XD But then Billy said to her, "This song's for you *points to Ginger*" and then started to play "Cherub Rock." It was so adorable. XD
After two encores, the final song was "Today" - which was probably the best song they could have ended on, because it did very much feel like "the greatest day I've ever known." What was really amazing, though, was when Billy let the entire crowd sing the first verse. I'm a sucker for big crowds singing lyrics together, and this was really powerful. To be in an auditorium filled with people like me [and still unlike me] singing the same song- my own mother included. I can't imagine anything that I could compare it to.
There were some noticeable omissions from the setlist: "1979" [much to the great disappointment of several people around me], anything from Gish ["Siva" would have sounded amazing live], and, my official #1 favourite Pumpkins song ever, "Disarm."
That aside, it was still amazing, and definitely one of the concerts i will never forget, as long as I live and as many ticket stubs litter my bedroom walls.
United States
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
That's the Way [My Love Is]
Neverlost
Stand Inside Your Love
Tonight, Tonight
Tarantula
Starz
Zero
Glass and the Ghost
Thirty-Three
the Crying Tree of Mercury
Perfect
To Sheila
Starla
Hummer
Bring the Light
Cherub Rock
Heavy Metal Machine
Superchrist
Doomsday Clock
Today
Seeing as I was not even thought of when the Smashing Pumpkins formed in 1988, I missed out on their impact in the '90's. I, in fact, only tried them because Elijah Wood was my celebrity crush at the time, and he said they were his favourite band... Being a good fangirl, I gave them a listen.
Long story short, the Smashing Pumpkins are my #1 favourite band of all time. Billy Corgan really is my hero, musically and personally. And for most of my four years as a fan, I thought I would never see the Smashing Pumpkins live. My mum always promised me that if Billy ever came anywhere near here- in whatever incarnation- she would take me. For four years I waited. And finally it was announced that the Smashing Pumpkins [albeit with two new members] would be coming here.
It is no surprise, therefore, that I started crying the second Billy Corgan walked on stage.
I have never cried at a concert before... twice I've seen the band that saved my life and didn't shed a tear. But this is a band I've waited four years to see. I didn't try to hold them back... they just came. Not for long, but they were there.
There were a lot of magical moments in this concert...
It was neat because in about the middle of the set, there was a mini acoustic set, starting with "the Crying Tree of Mercury" and ending with "To Sheila." For "Perfect," Billy was joined by drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who played tambourine as Billy played guitar and sang. Two songs really struck me during this set, "Thirty-Three" and "To Sheila." Neither are two of my absolute favourites, but as live songs, they were just so beautiful and powerful that I came away with a new appreciation for them.
After that, they came back into true rawk form with a big surprise - "Starla," which is a b-side from the rarities album, Pisces Iscariot, and is something of an eleven minute grunge guitar burner. And damn does it sound good! They later played one of my favourites off of Machina, "Heavy Metal Machine," but it was a different arrangement so I didn't recognise it at first, and that made it somewhat less enjoyable. Oh well.
There was a really cute moment before "Cherub Rock." Billy was talking to us [the most talking he did all night - he has the cutest little chuckle by the way], and he said that he couldn't say anything stupid any more because it would end up on YouTube. Then he told Ginger Reyes [the adorable bassist that I would go lez for] to say something stupid in Spanish... the most we got out of her was "hola," haha. XD But then Billy said to her, "This song's for you *points to Ginger*" and then started to play "Cherub Rock." It was so adorable. XD
After two encores, the final song was "Today" - which was probably the best song they could have ended on, because it did very much feel like "the greatest day I've ever known." What was really amazing, though, was when Billy let the entire crowd sing the first verse. I'm a sucker for big crowds singing lyrics together, and this was really powerful. To be in an auditorium filled with people like me [and still unlike me] singing the same song- my own mother included. I can't imagine anything that I could compare it to.
There were some noticeable omissions from the setlist: "1979" [much to the great disappointment of several people around me], anything from Gish ["Siva" would have sounded amazing live], and, my official #1 favourite Pumpkins song ever, "Disarm."
That aside, it was still amazing, and definitely one of the concerts i will never forget, as long as I live and as many ticket stubs litter my bedroom walls.
United States
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
That's the Way [My Love Is]
Neverlost
Stand Inside Your Love
Tonight, Tonight
Tarantula
Starz
Zero
Glass and the Ghost
Thirty-Three
the Crying Tree of Mercury
Perfect
To Sheila
Starla
Hummer
Bring the Light
Cherub Rock
Heavy Metal Machine
Superchrist
Doomsday Clock
Today