Concert Review: The Smashing Pumpkins
It has been nearly a year since The Smashing Pumpkins last performed in South Florida where they were joined by alternative friends Jane’s Addiction. The Pumpkins made their return with a songbook that has spanned well over 30 years, this from a band has endured plenty of well-known drama and on-and-off-again relationships with their bandmates, finding themselves rebooting again when fences have been mended. Despite the ebb and flow of the band’s current incarnation, surprisingly fans have remained eternally faithful, continuously supporting the band’s tours whenever they decide to play live. Billy Corogan, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlin remain the core of original members along with guitarist Jeff Schroeder, who initially replaced co-founder Iha has been a member of the band since 2006.
Their current The World Is A Vampire Summer Tour also brought together two opening high-energy rock bands; Rival Sons and Interpol who primed the crowd with a combined 120 minutes of chest pounding hard rock.
They played before an estimated crowd of 19,000 fans at iThink Financial Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, who showed in force despite rain, filling the place to near capacity.
Donning a black streak under both eyes and an obscure symbol across his forehead, a mature, still temperamental Corogan arrived accoutred in a full-length cassock more goth than religious, combining music and aesthetics as the band set out on a musical interlude of the band’s very best.
The Pumpkins set the pace with opening tune “The Everlasting Gaze” from Machina/The Machines of God, released in 2000. The charged spirit of follow-up tune, the not often performed live “Doomsday Clock,” showcased the band’s edgier side, fueled by Corogan’s highly recognized Reverend BC1 guitar and Chamberlin’s relentless pounding on the kit.
The show carried on with a cover of Talking Heads’ 1980 hit “Once in a Lifetime.” Throughout the concert one thing became clear: fans still revere the band, who rewarded the staunch supporters with a dense set that represented the band’s biggest hits including “1979,” “Ava Adore,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” and an acoustic version of “Tonight, Tonight,” creating sing-a-long moments for the die-hard Pumpkins fans, all packed with a robust sound that has kept the group relevant in today’s discerning concert-going environment.
Despite the group’s talented command of guitar and vocals, the show was tinged with awkwardness and a lack of stage presence and in-show variety that didn’t in any way hamper the band’s sound. For so many years, shows the band performed seemed to be all about Corogan, without needing to go further; the rest of the band performed in mostly darkness, with the spotlight shining on Corogan more often than not. This is a band, not a single performer; perhaps the stage lights should be balanced to showcase each musician rather than the occasional glimpse of light. Despite all of this, these rock-and-roll veterans know their audience well and came to satisfy their appetite. Under a hue of transitioning red and blue lights that remained for the majority of the show, a constant at their shows, the crowd appeared satisfied, escaping from their own realities for a few hours with an interlude of music from the post-grunge titans.
While original bassist D’arcy Wretzky is still missed 20-plus years later, each member of the band’s original lineup is still an accomplished and supremely talented musician. Corogan’s and Iha’s guitar solos were ferocious, and Chamberlain remains perhaps one of the most underrated drummers in rock.
What the future holds for the The Smashing Pumpkins remains to be seen; for now Corogan seems quite content in his continued pursuit as owner/promoter of professional wrestling a la Vince McMahon. The Pumpkins have been busy releasing new material about every two years, a good timeline to keep their fans interested; for now, we will continue to see them performing in support of their latest album Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts.
