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Smashing Pumpkins
A Concert Review |
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So, there I am making my way to my seat at the
Rosemont Horizon for the Smashing Pumpkins show and I notice that
I'm getting old. Sure, there were some parents there sporting
Infinite Sadness tour t-shirts, but it was a dad with his family and
I couldn't tell if he bought the shirt to be "cool" for
his kids or if he was really a fan. Me, I was there for a few
reasons. First, it's my job to let you all know what to expect from
a show whether I'm a fan or not; second, other than some of the
parents, I think I was one of the few fans there who doesn't have a
copy of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," but I
did listen to my copy of "Siamese Dream" as show prep and
remembered the Pumpkins are kinda cool and I do kinda like them; and
three, I heard conflicting reports about a Smashing Pumpkins show
and was determined to find the truth - if only for this nights
performance. See, I've heard that the Pumpkins are the best band in
the world and they put on one hell of a show. I've also heard that
their live show is kinda a downer compared to their recorded stuff
because Billy Corgan's voice is lousy live. Hmmm. I needed to find
out the truth.
So, I'm sitting there and the lights go out - it's time to get up
- this wasn't going to be no sit down show! I see some movement on
the stage, the crowd is starting to go nuts, and then I hear this
cool piano sound, a slightly mellow opening, almost making me seem a
little sad. The lights kinda start to flash like a thunderstorm, and
then, pardon the boring reviewer comment but it's all I could come
up with, the stage erupted into musical mayhem that showed this
wasn't going to be a show to sit back and rest. I'm told the musical
opening was that of the instrumental opening from Mellon Collie, but
don't quote me on this (feel free to correct me). And then the show
continued.
As I listened, I realized that there are really two separate
lives for this band. Yes, it was true that Smashing Pumpkins sound
different live than the recorded stuff you buy in the store. You all
know what that sounds like - it's the stuff you've seen on MTV and
heard on the radio. But live, now that is where the show begins. As
for Billy's vocal talents, your CD kinda shows a somewhat refined
voice - trying, and usually but not always succeeding in sending out
a message. See them live and it's an entirely different ballgame. On
stage there was an intensity that I don't think can be captured on a
CD - here there was only one chance to get it right. Billy's kinda
crazy, kinda devilish, but this night he and the band knew they were
home, back in Chicago where it all began, and it was almost like the
entire band was trying to say "hey, mom, remember when I said I
wanted to be in a rock and roll band and you said 'shut up and do
your homework' - well, I made it, we made it." That story may
not be true, but the real truth is yes, they made it.
It's funny, I never pictured this band with a personality for a
live show. I guess that's hard to explain, but I guess I just
figured them to stand behind their microphone stands and scream some
lyrics into their mikes. I was wrong on this count for sure because
they have a definite personality, one that tries to reach everyone
in the crowd, and that is what I think makes a band a talent. D'arcy
on bass smiled, Mr. Iha, the guitar dude, played for the people, and
Billy worked the crowd with the best of them by flashing his
devilish grin, waving to them, and with comments that let the fans
keep this band for their own - comments like "The show is
slightly unprofessional, but we're home so it doesn't really
matter" during "1979" with the "solid-gold
dancers" and other comments how even some people from Chicago
don't know they are one of the city's most successful home-town
bands. And you know, he even made lyrics in songs take on new
meanings, such as during the screaming/singing of
"Believe" during "Tonight, Tonight." Through the
troubles this band has had lately, the word took on a different
perspective, but one thing was for sure - this crowd never stopped
believing.
For the entire show things were sometimes serious, sometimes
goofy (alright, I know Dennis "Frog" Flemion from The
Frogs took over on keyboards, but things got really weird when Frog
bandmate Jimmy came out in full green costume with wings and was all
over the crowd - literally) but always intense.
Now, a couple of encores and the band came out for one of the
longest band jams I have seen in a while. I was a little confused,
but Billy set me straight commenting how he loves the end of the
show, not because it's the end, but it's where the band can put the
commercialized stuff behind them and just play. Cool. The band was
intense, Billy went from sometimes being profound to sometimes being
silly, but thanked everyone for staying past the MTV hits.
In looking for a band that would put on a good show, I found one.
Varying from orchestral instrumentals to an intensity level enough
to burst a blood vessel, I will say that for this show, the Smashing
Pumpkins took me on a ride. And as the extended band-jam was coming
to a close Billy said - "We are, have been, and always will be
the Smashing Pumpkins." That they are.
TWO HUGE THUMBS UP! That's it.
That's it for this one, I'm The Dude on the Right. L8R!! |
