Flying the Pumpkins flag as the only remaining original band member, frontman Billy Corgan carries an immense weight on his shoulders. Last in Australia for the 2012 leg of Splendour in the Grass, The Smashing Pumpkins have returned once more, releasing Monuments to an Elegy – a well-rounded dynamic record that could be depicted as an ode to what once was.
Performing for almost two hours, Corgan delivered what many wanted in the duration of this Melbourne sideshow. Enigmatic yet emotional, the audience painted the musician as a hero, supplying the soundtrack to many moments of lives scattered throughout the crowd. The thunderous, droning chants of “Billy, Billy, Billy” filled Festival Hall, and were present once too often. Smashing Pumpkins shirts were front, right and centre; homemade merchandise made its appearance also. Despite the band’s line-up, this was the Smashing Pumpkins – and no one was going to be told otherwise.
Met with rapturous applause as they took to stage, touring drummer Brad Wilk began a drum pattern that many were all too familiar with. Soon met with the drawling chords of ‘Cherub Rock’, this opener was only just the beginning as the audience was overwhelmed with happiness. What seemed like memories flooding back for most, many of the classic hits played that night filled the room with such nostalgia that it seemed impossible to not smile.
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Corgan appeared stoked, an infectious smile across his face every time the audience took over a song. Humble and gracious throughout, he was genuine in expressing his luck and blessing being able to play shows on the other side of the globe once more.
‘1979’ and ‘Ava Adore’ followed, once again filling the hall with nostalgia and excitement. Sing-alongs were at their prime, a crowd predominately consisting of middle-aged men with booming voices. Corgan fanned himself once the latter concluded, proclaiming with a grin that he was “going through the change” and perhaps didn’t have the energy like he used to.
But Corgan was dynamic and energetic, guitar solos laden with emotion. He utilised audience interaction, which seemed to bring him as much joy as it did the crowd. The remaining set consisted of latest material, with tracks like ‘Drum + Fife’, ‘Monuments’ and ‘One and All (We Are)’ received well. ‘Drown’ and ‘Disarm’ were played back-to-back, once again resonating off that 90’s/early 00’s cesspool of nostalgia, angst and baggy clothes.
However, once Corgan stepped up to the microphone proclaiming “the world is a vampire” only to lead into ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’, there was no doubt that this was a definite crowd favourite. Sections of the song built up immensely, met with guttural screams from the frontman and a frenzied pit making its first proper appearance. At times, the crowd’s singing was so dominating that you could barely even hear Corgan – who took a break from the mic to channel himself and solo with guitarist Jeff Schroeder.
Ending with ‘Heavy Metal Machine’, the band quickly left the stage. Raucous chants of “Billy” and “one more song” culminated into an indecipherable wall of noise. Along with progressive stomping and clapping, the band soon gave in and returned to the stage, met by a deafening amount of applause and praise. The encore was kicked off with ‘Tonight, Tonight’, much to the audience’s pleasure.
“Usually when I don’t talk things go better,” Corgan laughed. “So let me keep it simple – thankyou just… for everything.” The band then followed into a cover of David Bowie’s ‘Fame’, the concluding track of the night.
Gracious as ever, Corgan bowed multiple times, thanking the audience for what was no doubt a memorable night.
As a band that has performed stage to stage for 27 years, the Smashing Pumpkins have left an irreversible mark on alternative music. The crowd was evidence enough how much a band can impact one’s life, and the amount of happiness amongst all those present was phenomenal. Matched with a well-rounded setlist, it will be interesting to see what Corgan does next – and how the legacy of the Smashing Pumpkins will continue to influence and inspire.
Setlist:
Cherub Rock
1979
Ava Adore
Being Beige
Drum + Fife
Stand Inside Your Love
Glass and the Ghost Children
Monuments
Drown
Disarm
One and All (We Are)
United States
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Heavy Metal Machine
Encore:
Tonight, Tonight
Fame (David Bowie cover)
