After wrapping up the tour in December 2012 and taking some time off from the road, The Smashing Pumpkins launched The Shamrocks and Shenanigans Tour on April 29th, 2013. Forgoing the staging of The Oceania Tour by Sean Evans which featured at 28 foot orb behind the band with polychromatic and kaleidoscopic visual projections, the stage set-up for this tour includes a stepped pyramid with similarly enticing imagery. In addition to changing the stage set-up, the band has adapted the set list to include selections from the Oceania album to be featured in the middle of the set as The Oceania Suite. After wrapping up the US leg of the tour at the Rock on the Range festival in Columbus, OH on May 19th, the tour will continue in Europe on June 20th and will wrap up in Asia on August 13th. See below for upcoming tour dates and links to purchase tickets.

Supporting artists for the US leg of the tour included: Aan, AWOLNATION, Girl in a Coma and Ringo Deathstarr. On the European leg of the tour, The Smashing Pumpkins will be joined by Beware of Darkness.

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. The Celestials
4. Violet Rays
5. My Love Is Winter
6. One Diamond, One Heart
7. Pinwheels
8. Oceania
9. Pale Horse
10. The Chimera
11. Glissandra
12. Inkless
13. Wildflower
14. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
15. X.Y.U.
16. Disarm
17. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
18. Bullet With Butterfly Wings
19. The Dream Machine
20. Hummer

Encore:
21. Ava Adore
22. Cherub Rock
23. Zero

Click for 40 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at the Barclays Center!

This was the last show of the Oceania Tour. Billy Corgan mentioned in an interview that the album is not going to be played in full anymore and that the giant sphere will no longer be used. If there are more tour dates in 2013, the visuals might be projected onto the walls or ceiling of the venue.

The concert was filmed in 3-D and there are plans to release a DVD in the near future.

Show Highlights

The Dream Machine

Hummer

Tonight, Tonight

Photo by Matt Roberts

Setlist

1. Black Diamond (KISS cover)
2. Zero
3. Bullet With Butterfly Wings
4. Today
5. The Celestials
6. Oceania
7. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
8. Ava Adore
9. Quasar
10. Panopticon
11. Soot and Stars
12. 1979
13. Cherub Rock
14. Muzzle

Encore:
15. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
16. X.Y.U.

 
Click for 9 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins concert at Splendour in the Grass Festival!

Photo by Matt Roberts

Media Reviews

“With the sun well and truly set over Belongil Fields for the final day of ‘Splendour in the Grass 2012′, a mass of music lovers gathered under the Supertop for one last time. Eager to see a band responsible for shaping the modern rock scene, punters waited eagerly to be reminded of their angsty youth with a headline set from The Smashing Pumpkins. True to form, original member Billy Corgan couldn’t care less for the timetable and lead the band on stage ten minutes early. Launching straight into ‘Black Diamond’ by Kiss, it seemed the band were using the cover as a warm up for the crowd. What followed was a massive 17 song festival set that would satisfy any fan, with a perfect blend of old and new material. Corgan, who only taking the opportunity to stop and say “Thank you, thank you very much” between every couple of songs, showed his massive confidence as a front man, ironically by doing nothing much at all. Jumping from guitar driven sing alongs such as ‘Tonight, Tonight’ and ‘Today’ to newer dreamier tracks like 2012′s ‘Oceania’ gave the show good dynamics. New members Jeff Schroeder, Mike Byrne and Nicole Fiorentino meshed well together, making it easy to forget that the current lineup has been together for only a few years. With 15 minutes to go the band stepped off for a breather after playing ‘Muzzle’, and a handful of viewers took this as an opportunity to beat the rush and leave the grounds early. Those that stayed were rewarded as the Pumpkins encored with ‘Disarm’ followed by what could possibly be the heaviest rendition ever played of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ and finally ending strong on ‘X.Y.U.’ from nine time platinum album ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’.” - MTV.com.au

Photo by Matt Roberts

“The festival closed with Billy Corgan, who’d spent the previous day cracking jokes with Wil Anderson at his annual ‘Parky’ fest, bringing all those great Smashing Pumpkins gems out of the cellar. Again, there was new material to wade through, but with a voice that clear and stage presence that enaging, everyone surely forgave him. If you ever wonder why festivals like Splendour exist, rewind to thousands of muddy, exhausted punters holding each other and singing the chorus of ‘Tonight Tonight’ and ‘1979’. It was heritage with purpose, and despite everyone’s worries, it was a perfect fit. I think the thing I still get a kick out of with the Pumpkins’ popularity is it’s easy to forget how metal they can be. The new band had no problems sustaining the band’s legacy, and it was hard to think of another Splendour headliner who had ever sounded so vicious in the victory spot. Corgan may have had a little pink smile of tummy poking out under his tee-shirt, but beyond a bigger silhouette he seemed intact from the ’90s, his voice a (great) blood-curdling screech as ever. After a solid ‘Major Tom’ in the encore, the band snuffed out the 2012 Splendour candle with a heroic blitzkrieg of lights and distortion with ‘XYU’. It seemed a fine way to cap this year’s festival, an all-encompassing experience that blasted the mind, body and soul. Which, really, is precisely why the pilgrimage continues. Long may it last.” - TheVine.com.au

Photo by Alani Belcher

Video Highlights

Space Oddity and X.Y.U.

Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight

Cherub Rock

Photo by Michael Spencer

Setlist:

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. The Celestials
4. Violet Rays
5. My Love is Winter
6. One Diamond, One Heart
7. Pinwheels
8. Oceania
9. Pale Horse
10. The Chimera
11. Glissandra
12. Inkless
13. Wildflower
14. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
15. X.Y.U.
16. Disarm
17. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
18. Bullet With Butterfly Wings
19. Soot and Stars
20. Today

Encore:
21. Cherub Rock
22. Ava Adore
23. Zero

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* This was the first time that “Oceania” was played live in its entirety
* This was the second time that Soot and Stars was played live

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Click for 27 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins concert in Perth!

Photo by Bree Mateljan/Ozphoria.com

Media Reviews

“Splendour in the Grass may be well underway but Perth got a sliver of the action at Challenge Stadium with long-time rockers Smashing Pumpkins performing their Oceania set in its entirety. Only a moment before 9:15pm, the house lights and music shut off in sync to queue the screams from the crowd.The Smashing Pumpkins got stuck into the music without messing around. An enormous air balloon appeared behind the band with bright lights projected onto it. The digital effects that floated across it for the rest of the set ranged from flashes of lightning to floating bodies and an array of atmospheric and abstract imagery. The band opened with comeback song Quasar, which was instantly recognisable with that familiar opening chord resounding throughout the venue. The set remained upbeat with loud drums but not masking Corgan’s melody to Panopticon – more evidence that The Smashing Pumpkins are back in action. After a slower few tracks, the atmosphere lifted with Glissandra. Again, the acoustics were spot on for this track and the music was a taste of the old-school days. The impressive bassist Nicole Fiorentino engaged the crowd during the songs – even more so than Corgan. As the final album song faded, the crowd screamed and applauded in unison for the performance of the new album (and with the realisation that the ‘hits’ section of the set had finally arrived). The band introduced the nostalgic quarter of their show with a cover of Bowie’s Space Oddity. The punters expressed their excitement with arms flailing in the air left, right and centre. An unexpected circle-pit developed near the front of the recently formed mosh pit. The next handful of tracks was cathartic for the patient crowd who had been respectful during the first part of the show. Tonight, Tonight and Bullet With Butterfly Wings were the highlight tracks of the night with strobes flashing around Corgan and the band. The man of the hour thanked Perth again and addressed the crowd after a highly satisfying performance of Today. After describing his last five days in Perth as “wonderful”, the giant mesmerising balloon turned white and the band left the stage. The house lights remained dark, indicating that it was up to the crowd to bring the Pumpkins back on stage. The band returned for a handful of tracks extending the set to a decent two hours. Zero received a heavy reception from the wild fans who were now smoothly crowd surfing and getting into more trouble with security.” – FasterLouder.com

Photo by Bree Mateljan/Ozphoria.com

“The great news tonight of course is that Perth is graced with the first date on the Oceania tour of Oceania. Starting with a full performance of their new album ‘Oceania’ (just released on June 22) could have been a gamble, but the fact that this is the Oceania leg of the tour and he’s been so good as to name the new opus after him wins a few points. The fact that it’s a bloody good album sort of wins to day too. Live Smashing Pumpkins move little from their designated spots on stage and a huge lit globe full of projected images hangs overhead. As a spectacle it could offer a little more, but then we came for the music: and tonight is bang on the money. Now those that expected or wanted a ‘greatest hits’ set were always going to be disappointed (don’t you guys know that by now). But let’s not start a ‘why? Billy why?’ diatribe here, we’ll leave that to the message boards where it seems to be a favourite topic over the years. From a personal point of view I left VERY satisfied. What we do get is a night that reminds you how good The Smashing Pumpkins really are. We get to hear a great new album, but you’ll have to give me a few more listens before I even feel remotely capable of ranking it amongst great Pumpkin albums of the past. We also get some of those anthems. Nowhere else to be other than here at Challenge Stadium tonight. I envy the rest of Oceania – these guys are coming your way…” - TheRockPit.net

Photo by Michael Spencer

“Sold-out and brimming with anticipation, Challenge Stadium was a hive of activity on Thursday night, with a diverse crowd of aging gen-X’ers, gothic teens and a representee from seemingly every sub-culture in between on hand for the return of cult-like alt-rock survivors The Smashing Pumpkins. Touring in support of their well received new album ‘Oceania’, the reformed ‘Pumpkins have been in the midst of a critical resurgence as of late, with the new record receiving the best response that head ‘Pumpkin and sole original member Billy Corgan has enjoyed in over fifteen years. Still, with the band billed to be playing their entire new album in it’s entirety, followed by a set of “greatest hits”, it was anyone’s guess as to how this show would go, especially given the unpredictable nature of the famously outspoken and divisive Corgan. A chorus of hoots and whistles erupted from the crowd as the lights went down in preparation for the Smashing Pumpkins, with the random outbursts then coalescing into a roaring cheer as the unmistakeable silhouette of lead vocalist/guitarist Billy Corgan appeared on stage. Situating himself behind one of the three synths set up before him, Corgan opened the set with a strange, unnerving organ coda, it’s clunking notes soon growing into a layered, swirling wash of electronics. With the maelstrom reaching a peak, the strains of ‘Oceania’ opener ‘Quasar’ saw a red glow begin to emanate from behind the giant black curtain covering the stage, with the curtain then dropping to reveal a massive, glowing orb hanging above the band, the combination of the spectacle and the song’s monumental riffage eliciting a loud roar from the crowd. Closing the first song of the set with a tearing solo from guitarist Jeff Schroeder, the band went on to make good on their promise of playing their new album in it’s entirety. But while some in attendance may have felt this was a poor move on Corgan’s part, hearing the album live worked exceptionally well, especially when complimented with the weird and wonderful visuals playing across the ever-transfixing orb. Bass guitarist Nicole Fiorentino’s backup vocals also proved to be a welcome addition to the Pumpkins’ sound, softening the harsh edges of Corgan’s distinctive nasally vocals. The band looked relieved to have gotten through it unscathed, and seemed genuinely appreciative of the crowd’s positive reaction. A solid, interesting and consistently entertaining night of music, this was a rare breed of show from the reformed Pumpkins, who in past years have made a point of steering clear of crowd-pleasing radio singles in favour of lengthy guitar jams, deep-cuts, and rarities.” – SpaceShipNews.com.au

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Video Highlights

• Today

• Disarm

Photo by Juan Felipe Moncayo

Setlist

1. Black Diamond (KISS Cover)
2. Zero
3. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
4. Today
5. Starla
6. The Celestials
7. The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning
8. Quasar
9. Panopticon
10. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
11. Ava Adore
12. Oceania
13. 1979
14. Cherub Rock
15. Muzzle

Encore:
16. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
17. X.Y.U. + Walk (Pantera cover tease)

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Click for 20 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing in Bogotá, Colombia!

Photo by David Micolta

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The Smashing Pumpkins gave an exclusive concert to 2,000 volunteers in Bogotá with Buchanan’s Tiempo Para Compartir. The volunteers worked for a total of 8,000 hours on 33 different projects around the city for the Buchanan’s “Share Yourself” initiative. Their time and hard work made a real difference in the heart of many communities.

Photo by David Micolta

Video Highlights

Photo by Maria Gabriela Lara

Setlist

1. Black Diamond (KISS Cover)
2. Zero
3. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
4. Today
5. Starla
6. The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning
7. Quasar
8. Panopticon
9. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
10. Ava Adore
11. Oceania
12. 1979
13. Cherub Rock
14. Muzzle

Encore:
15. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
16. X.Y.U. + Walk (Pantera cover tease)

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Click for 7 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing in Caracas, Venezuela! 

The Smashing Pumpkins gave an exclusive concert to 2,000 volunteers in Caracas with Buchanan’s Tiempo Para Compartir. Over a few months, volunteers gave their time to local schools and community centers throughout the city. The show was a first of its kind in the country where no tickets were sold. Every ticket was earned through volunteer work.

Photo by Andres Moncada

From http://www.facebook.com/BuchanansVenezuela

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Video Highlights

1. The Celestials (Acoustic)
2. One Diamond, One Heart (Acoustic)

* First known live acoustic performance of The Celestials
* First known live acoustic performance of One Diamond, One Heart

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Billy Corgan stopped by The Kevin & Bean Show on June 22nd and performed a few tracks off The Smashing Pumpkins’ new album Oceania. After speaking with Kevin & Bean about the new album and the current state of the music industry, Corgan performed “The Celestials” and “One Diamond, One Heart” for all of Los Angeles to hear.

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KROQ-FM Performances

Photo by Theo Wargo

Setlist

1. Black Diamond (KISS cover)
2. Zero
3. Bullet With Butterfly Wings
4. Today
5. Quasar
6. Panopticon
7. The Celestials
8. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)

Encore:
9. Cherub Rock
10. X.Y.U.

* This was the first time that The Smashing Pumpkins played “The Celestials” live!

The Smashing Pumpkins gave a killer performance on June 19th at the iHeartRadio Theater in New York City. The intimate performance was to celebrate the release of the band’s ninth studio album “Oceania”.

You can stream or download audio from this concert on the Live Music Archive.

Click for 67 pictures and video stills of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at IHeartRadio!

Partial Concert

This is partial footage of the web stream with technical difficulties and all. The footage begins mid-way through “Today” and ends with some audio problems during “X.Y.U.” Here is alternate footage/audio shot by a fan from “The Celestials” and on.

Fan Review

“With a fresh perspective in my mind and a couple of Jamesons in my belly, I entered the iHeartRadio Theater just a few minutes before the band’s 8 P.M. sharp start time. As some corporate puppet droned on about checking-in and downloading their iPhone app, the crowd cheered as bassist Nicole Fiorentino, drummer Mike Byrne, guitarist Jeff Schroeder, and finally the iconic frontman himself took the stage to kick off a short but incredibly sweet set for the 200-person audience with a cover of KISS’s “Black Diamond.”

A seemingly left-field choice in my mind but one that was apparently a staple of their recent live shows, Corgan and the band’s rendition of “Black Diamond” set a hard-tinged classic rock tone that flew in the face of expectations for a new record release show. The Pumpkins seemingly cemented this theme by immediately launching into their own series of classics, leaving me cheering dumbfounded as the raw low-range guitar riff heralding “Zero” hit my ears. Having spent the day rocking out to Oceania over and over and listening to the forward-thinking musings of Corgan, I was definitely NOT expecting to hear the bastion single from their 1995 masterpiece “Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness” performed this well with a lineup that had long since left D’Arcy, James and Jimmy behind.

And then, fuck me, they kept at it. “Zero” bled into the seething rage of album-mate “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” which in turn found the band digging even deeper into their classic catalog for the cathartic Siamese Dream anthem “Today.” I’d have handily lost any bet I’d made on that opening song lineup, but the Pumpkins’ choice to seemingly shower us with nostalgia became crystal clear when, after a brief pause, Corgan announced that they would finally play the first three songs off of their brand-new album.

As the interlocking guitar, bass, and drumwork of Oceania opener “Quasar” thundered across the venue, it was clear that this was the moment The Smashing Pumpkins had really taken the stage. The power the band poured into this opener defied any rote replaying of songs from the past. Mike thrashed at his drumkit while Billy and Jeff traded intricate licks and Nicole laid down a chugging bassline, swaying in a way reminiscent of predecessors D’Arcy and Melissa Auf der Maur but entirely her own. The running instrumentals of “Quasar” gave way to one of my favorite new songs, “Panopticon,” with guitars and bass serving as a synchronous chorus of harmonies over Mike’s primal drumming – all surging and layering under Billy’s classic vocals to pull off a rock song that stops just short of being an opera.

Track 3 of Oceania, “The Celestials” proved to be a special treat. It was the first time the band had ever played it live, and they masterfully moved from the “Disarm”-esque acoustic opening to burst into the gripping guitar lines that soared with Billy and Nicole’s vocal harmonizing over the refrain. It was at this point that the band stopped and then dipped back into rock history to close out the set with an outstanding rendition of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”

Superfan Jay Sharp’s face says a thousand words here, guys.

Of course we stood roaring and clapping for an encore, and the Pumpkins more than obliged, firing back with the opening drumroll that heralded Siamese Dream opener “Cherub Rock”. The connections between The Smashing Pumpkins of yesteryear and The Smashing Pumpkins of 2012 were crystal clear by this point. Here was a band that, through several iterations and even more trials, has retained and refined their past but hasn’t remained enslaved to it. That point was hammered home with their absolutely raw closer “X.Y.U.,” replete with alternately thundering and twitchy riffs and primeval screaming. With those final notes, the band left the stage and the house lights went up, ending an absolutely dense and mindblowing hour with one of the best bands around.

As we walked back over to the pub for more drinks, I paused as I was hit by a powerful realization: the only thing that disappointed me about my first time seeing The Smashing Pumpkins live was that they didn’t play MORE new songs. I’d imagine that is what Corgan wanted us to realize: that his crew has evolved in fits and spurts to finally achieve a lineup of truly like-minded individuals who have power and talent to burn.

Keep it coming, Billy. We’ll be watching.” – Damien

Photo by Angie Fulton

After-Show Footage

Photo by Elliott Dozier

Setlist

1. Black Diamond (KISS Cover)
2. Zero
3. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
4. Today
5. Starla
6. Quasar
7. Panopticon
8. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
9. Ava Adore
10. 1979
11. Cherub Rock
12. Muzzle

Encore:
13. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
14. X.Y.U.

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Click for 35 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at The Metro!

Click for a video playlist of the full concert!

Photo by ByStarlight.org

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Fan Review:

“Well, it was a dream come true to finally see the Smashing Pumpkins live again after all these years. I never imagined that I would see them at The Metro…let alone front-row & centre! To top it all off, there was no security barrier that night and my friends and I could literally push the buttons on Billy’s pedal board XD I am fully aware that I am one of the luckiest fans out there :) The band was totally rocking out and you could tell that they were really pumped for Oceania’s official release. I was just in a daze the whole time. I was in awe of the musicianship, the magical lights, the sonic wall and being surrounded by awesome fans that I now call my dear friends.

The Metro is known to be one of the most challenging venues to take good concert pictures because of the stage and light setup. There is usually no front lighting so faces tend to turn out black and burned-out. I brought a camera with me, but not my best one (unfortunately). I also did not want to miss a moment fiddling with camera settings so I did not take many pictures. I figured that I would take more pictures if & when they come to Canada and I have seen them live a few more times. This was just too special of a moment for me to experience it behind a lens.

My good friend Elliott Dozier took many pictures with his DSLR and videotaped the whole show from the front row. He was right in front of Billy and the audio turned out great! I posted a few highlight videos from the concert below. I would like to point out how awesome it was to see X.Y.U. live in person and Billy shredding on his amp at the end. You will see that Elliott was filming the distortion AND holding up Billy’s mic stand for him at the same time XD I hope you enjoy our attempt at documenting that night! :)” – ByStarlight.org

Photo by ByStarlight.org

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Video Highlights

• X.Y.U.

• Ava Adore

• Starla

• Black Diamond

From darkroomdemons.com

Setlist:

1. Jesus is the Sun
2. Luna
3. The Rite of Spring
4. Bleed
5. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight

* This is the first known live performance of Jesus is the Sun
* Luna was last played live at the Fillmore in San Francisco, USA in 1994
* This is the first known live performance of The Rite of Spring
* Bleed was last played live in Roselle, IL, USA in 1988
* This was the first time that Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight was played on Lake Michigan (by the city where Billy was born!)

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Click for 47 pictures from the Oceania Cruise Private Concert & Listening Party!

Photo by Simon LeSieur

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The Celestials

The following is a video directed by The Russes which encapsulates the evening on the Oceania cruise quite perfectly! The footage is set to Oceania’s first unofficial single “The Celestials”.

The Smashing Pumpkins – The Celestials from ByStarlight.org on Vimeo.

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Highlight Songs (Best audio)

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Full Concert (Best Footage)

Photo by Rui M. Leal

 Setlist

1. Zero
2. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
3. Today
4. Starla
5. The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning
6. Quasar
7. Panopticon
8. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
9. Ava Adore
10. Neverlost
11. The Everlasting Gaze
12. Oceania
13. 1979
14. Cherub Rock
15. Muzzle

Encore:
16. Disarm
17. Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
18. X.Y.U. + Walk (Pantera cover tease)
19. Black Diamond (KISS Cover)

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You can stream or download the full audio from this concert on the Live Music Archive.

Click for 55 pictures and video stills of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at Rock in Rio!

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Full Concert

The video is the full webcast with technical difficulties and all. The online broadcast starts Zero late and there are audio problems for the first 45 seconds of the video.

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Highlight Videos

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Photo by Juan Perez-Fajardo

Setlist

1. Black Diamond (KISS Cover)
2. Zero
3. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
4. Today
5. Starla
6. The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning
7. Quasar
8. Panopticon
9. Tonite Reprise/Tonight, Tonight
10. Ava Adore
11. Neverlost
12. The Everlasting Gaze
13. Oceania
14. 1979
15. Cherub Rock
16. Muzzle

Encore 1:
17. Disarm
19. Space Oddity (David Bowie Cover)
20. X.Y.U. + Walk (Pantera Cover) Tease

Encore 2:
21. Black Diamond (KISS Cover)

* This was the first time that The Smashing Pumpkins played Tonite Reprise live!
* The last time X.Y.U. was played live was at Guvernment in Toronto, Canada in 2000!
* The last time Neverlost was played live was at Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA, US in 2007.
* The last time The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning was played live was at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, CA, US in 2008.
* The last time The Everlasting Gaze was played live was at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico in 2008.

Click for 20 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins concert in Madrid!
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Photo by NSE Fotografia

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Highlight Videos

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Billy Corgan, Jeff Schroeder, Mike Byrne and Nicole Fiorentino of the Smashing Pumpkins are getting ready for another world tour. They plan on playing “Oceania” in its entirety alongside their classics and deep cuts. The Smashing Pumpkins’ 2012 tour of Europe, Australia and New Zealand starts on May 24th in Spain.

Bystarlight.org and Crestfallen.com are teaming up to cover the Smashing Pumpkins world tour. The blog will showcase show setlists, concert pictures, audio/video links and fan reviews. If you would like to contribute pictures, videos and/or reviews, please send your content to admin@bystarlight.org with proper credit info. Alternatively, you can add me as a friend on facebook and tag the user “SPpictures” for your photos and videos. We are looking forward to documenting the tour!

You can check out highlights from the 2011 Other Side of the Kaleidyscope Tour here.

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The Smashing Pumpkins 2012 Oceania Tour Dates

Photo by Xavier Marquis – Forest National in Brussels, Belgium on November 7th, 2011.

Show after show, The Smashing Pumpkins delivered unexpurgated sensuality mixed with bacchanal force. The overall sound was rich and complex, as atmospheric noises like thunder, calliope music and heavy reverb filled the air. In true Pumpkins fashion, these elements conjured ear-bleeding rock and roll with a tone of warmth and compassion. The upcoming songs from Oceania follow the same approach as they range from being loud, violent, an avalanche of corrosive guitars to tear-inducing elegies.

Here are links to full concerts:

• The Smashing Pumpkins at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA, USA on October 5th, 2011 (video)
• The Smashing Pumpkins at Terminal 5 in New York City, NY, USA on October 18th, 2011 (video)
• The Smashing Pumpkins at Le Zénith in Paris, France on November 9th, 2011 (audio)
• Billy Corgan at Le Chat in Lisbon, Portugal on December 10th, 2011 (video)

Photo by Nuria Perez – O2 Academy Brixton in London, England on November 16th, 2011.

Over the course of the tour, The Smashing Pumpkins showered fans with gifts and marked the following noteworthy events:

Last time played: Geek U.S.A. (1999-04-24 – Roxy, Los Angeles, CA), Window Paine (1994-08-27 – Lollapalooza ’94, Mountain View, CA), Frail and Bedazzled (1995-08-23 – Club SFX, Dublin, IE), Obscured (1992-07-23 – Metro, Chicago, IL), Thru the Eyes of Ruby (2000-12-02 – Metro, Chicago, IL), For Martha (2000-12-02 – Metro, Chicago, IL), Pissant (1995-02-28 – Double Door, Chicago, IL), I Am One (2000/12/02 – Metro; Chicago, IL, US) and For Your Love (2005/07/28 – The Marquee; Sydney, AU)

First Known Performance: Quasar, Panopticon, Oceania, Lightning Strikes, Pale Horse (+acoustic version) and Pinwheels (+acoustic version)

You can view some more detailed tour statistics at setlist.fm.

Photo by Nathan Iverson – Ogden Theatre in Denver, CO, USA on October 10th, 2011.

Well, it was definitely more work than I anticipated documenting all of the audio, visuals and memories from this tour. Nevertheless, I do hope that each recap will be a great resource for fans to use to relive their favorite memories. Overall, the most memorable moment for me was when Billy stretched out his right leg and struck the initial chords of Geek U.S.A. for the first time since 1999 at the Los Angeles show on October 5th. To me, that was a complete break from the chains of the past and the band catapulting into the future leaving all of the doubters behind.

The Smashing Pumpkins and Ringo Deathstarr bid you farewell. Until next time…

There is a lot to look forward to in 2012 as the band would like to tour in Australia, New Zealand, Central and South America, Japan, Europe, Canada and the United States. Billy Corgan has also hinted to playing Oceania in full during the first leg of the tour. We will post the dates for the 2012 tour as soon as they become available!

Here is to more moments like these!

“The Pumpkins just delivered the most face melting, mind blowing, run me over with a semi-truck 1000 times hard hitting concert I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been to my share. The audience AFTER the encore was deafening for what felt like 5 minutes.” – Jase

“I was there and I have to say that I wasn’t expecting them to be even a shadow of the original band. Boy was I wrong, they knocked my socks off, along with the shirt of the girl standing behind me.” – Steve Stroup

Photo by Rui M. Leal

Setlist

1. Glass and the Ghost Children
2. Tonight, Tonight
3. Eye
4. A Song for a Son
5. Pale Horse
6. For Your Love
7. Pinwheels

Encore:

8. 1979

* For Your Love was last played in 2005 in Sydney, Australia

* First known live acoustic performance of Pale Horse

* First known live acoustic performance of Pinwheels

Click for 8 pictures from the solo acoustic show in Lisbon!

Click for a video compilation of the full concert by DrCopperpot!

Photo by Rui M. Leal

Fan Reviews

“I love seeing Billy play like this – just him and his guitar with heart and soul. I hope he does solo acoustic tours!” - whywontyoulisten

“I love Pale Horse – it gives me goose bumps (like in a really, really good way) every time I hear it! I wish Billy would play more acoustic songs while he is touring.” - isobel

“Having the opportunity to attend this exclusive concert as a close to the marathon Smashing Pumpkins tour was a true gift! Thank you!” - MelissaMolko

“It’s moments like this that remind me how beautiful & magical life is <3 Thank you Billy for sharing your incredible gift with us…you never stop amazing me.” - always1167

Photo by Rui M. Leal

Photo by Jim Survis

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek USA
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pinwheels
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ (I Am One tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Tonight, Tonight

Encore:

18. Today
19. Zero
20. Bullet With Butterfly Wings

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Setlist from December 9th, 2011: 1. Frail and Bedazzled, 2. Silverfuck, 3. Starla, 4. Muzzle, 5. Geek U.S.A., 6. Soma, 7. Siva, 8. Thru the Eyes of Ruby, 9. Cherub Rock, 10. Tonight, Tonight, 11. For Martha, 12. Oceania, 13. Quasar, 14. Pinwheels, 15. Pale Horse, 16. Zero, 17. Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Encore: 18. A Song for a Son, 19. I Am One, 20. Disarm

* This is the only time during the 2011 tour that Disarm was played
* The Smashing Pumpkins played a 9-minute version of Siva on December 9th

Click for 13 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins shows in Portugal!

Photo by João Salema

Media Reviews

“Hysteria was all over the room when Billy Corgan took the stage along with his other three companions Mike Byrne, Jeff Schroeder and Nicole Fiorentino. Applause and shouts gave a warm welcome to this band that has made music for over twenty years and a history of great successes. During the encore and to our amazement, Billy brought us gifts and played Disarm alone on stage with just his guitar. This was a very emotional and magical moment.” - Tribo da Luz

“It was a mesmerizing concert! The electrifying guitars and distortions were at a constant. The entire encore was received by the audience in ecstasy – singing, jumping, screaming… Zero and Bullet with Butterfly Wings led to a standing ovation from the audience. Tonight, the Smashing Pumpkins returned to Campo Pequeno to give us more than just a concert.” - Arte Sonora

“Among hits and lesser-known tracks by the public, the concert unfolded. Showers of applause, blistering solos, jumping and sing-alongs were not lacking at all during the concert. Playing a varied selection of songs from their discography, the band showed that they do not live in the past. The light show and the entire production of the concert was sublime. We saw the band end their tour with huge smiles and the Portuguese reciprocated with an ovation worthy of the legend Billy Corgan. - James Quend

Photo by Hugo Rodrigues

Fan  Reviews

“Amazing Concert, Amazing Setlist! I know many were expecting the mainstream songs, but this was perfect for those who really know SP’s work deeply! Thank you Billy and rest of the band!!! After all, YOU’RE STILL ALIVE AND KICKING!!! Last night, you completely went beyond my expections! For those who were expecting the hit songs, I advise you to go check YOUTUBE since those songs were played year atfer year & over and over! THIS IS THE REAL STUFF and only those who really know SP will understand! Hope the band is feeling better now!” - Ricardo Guimaraes

“Thank you SP for the brutal show. My ears are still buzzing!” - Doutor Moyle

“I went to O2 in Brixton and then to the 2 last shows in Lisbon. I really love you and your sound still rocks!!! I’m proud to be a fan/collector of SP and side projects. I can’t stop loving you after all these years! P.S. I’m waiting anxiously for my reissues. Thanks for the apology e-mail!” – Diana Coelho

“My ears are still buzzing from the shouting and singing and whatnot. Thank you for the amazing old school concert! Disarm killed me!” - André Pereira

“Unforgettable show last night! Awesome setlist! I’m enjoyng Gish and Siamese Dream even more now. Thank you SP for everything. I hope that you are feeling better now! Portuguese food will heal it hehe!” - Claudia Brás

Photo by Manuel Lino

Photo by Rita Carmo

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek USA
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pinwheels
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ (I Am One tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Tonight, Tonight
18. A Song for a Son
19. For Martha

Encore:

19. Zero
20. Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Setlist from December 7th, 2011: 1. Quasar, 2. Panopticon, 3. Starla, 4. Geek U.S.A., 5. Muzzle, 6. Window Paine, 7. Lightning Strikes, 8. Soma, 9. Siva, 10. Oceania, 11. Frail and Bedazzled, 12. Silverfuck, 13. Pinwheels 14. Pale Horse, 15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby 16. Cherub Rock 17. Tonight, Tonight

Click for 25 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins shows in Spain!

Fan Reviews

“Long live the Pumpkins!!! Billy, your voice sounded incredible live!!! I think Panopticon or Quasar should be the new single!” - Filipe Fonseca

“One of the best shows the Pumpkins have played in Barcelona! Billy, all the best to you and the new Pumpkins in the band!” - David Palomar

“Greatttt!! Lovely! I was in Barcelona and Madrid and I wanted to say that it was so special for me. Thank You Mr. Corgan for giving us two Spanish nights – for playing, singing and for making an effort in Madrid even if you had food poisoning . Thank You for holding my hand in Barcelona – this makes me smile despite my heart being broken forever…because my mom is in the other side…Thank You to all for that night.” - Didi Diyei

Photo by Severin Luftensteiner

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek USA
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pinwheels
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
16. I Am One
17. Cherub Rock
18. Tonight, Tonight

Encore:
19. For Martha
20. Zero
21. Bullet With Butterfly Wings

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Setlist from December 2nd, 2011: 1. Quasar, 2. Panopticon, 3. Starla, 4. Geek U.S.A., 5. Muzzle, 6. Window Paine, 7. Lightning Strikes, 8. Soma, 9. Siva, 10. Oceania, 11. Frail and Bedazzled, 12. Silverfuck, 13. Pinwheels 14. Pale Horse, 15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby 16. Cherub Rock, 17. Tonight, Tonight

Encore: 18. I Am One, 19. Zero

Setlist from December 3rd, 2011: 1. Quasar, 2. Panopticon, 3. Starla, 4. Geek U.S.A., 5. Muzzle, 6. Window Paine, 7. Lightning Strikes, 8. Soma, 9. Siva, 10. Oceania, 11. Frail and Bedazzled, 12. Silverfuck, 13. For Martha 14. A Song for a Son, 15. Pale Horse 16. Thru The Eyes of Ruby 17. Cherub Rock, 18. Tonight, Tonight

Encore: 19. My Love is Winter 20. Zero, 19. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 27 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins shows in Vienna and Zurich!

Click for 7 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Luxembourg!

Fan Reviews

“16 years I’ve waited to see you live – 16 years! It was worth every minute! Thanks for the show and for a dream come true. Hope it won’t be the last…” - Catalin Gabriel Stanescu

“Well, I was looking forward to this concert for months and now it’s over…that makes me sad. It was a great show and I enjoyed every minute. I hope you pumpkinheads will come back soon to Austria! Cheers!” - Daniel Wotapek

“I’m still overwhelmed, great. Thank you so much for Window Paine. The new tracks were absolutely amazing too!!” – Sophie Schmidauer

“Pretty fucking awesome show and I was so surprised about Billy’s enthusiasm towards the end of the show. I never expected something like that. He even joked around! I’m so thankful that they played I Am One. Major thanks for the guitar pick!” – Elke Tomaši

“What was that in Zurich today? Most awesome concert ever, and I thought this band was over the hill?! I’ll appologize for every bit of criticism that ever came out of my mouth! They played I Am One and the audience acted like it was the 90s again all through the show! Happy Billy smiling all the time! SP rocks like never before!” - chris1979

Photo by Piero Paravidino

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek USA
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pinwheels
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ (I Am One tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Tonight, Tonight

Encore:
18. For Martha
19. Zero
20. Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Click for 76 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins shows in Milan and Padua.

Setlist from November 29th, 2011: 1. Quasar, 2. Panopticon, 3. Starla, 4. Geek U.S.A., 5. Muzzle, 6. Window Paine, 7. Lightning Strikes, 8. Soma, 9. Siva, 10. Oceania, 11. Frail and Bedazzled, 12. Silverfuck, 13. Pinwheels 14. Pale Horse, 15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby 16. I Am One, 17. Cherub Rock, 18. Tonight, Tonight

Encore: 18. For Martha, 19. Zero, 20. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

* I Am One was played in full for the first time since December 2nd, 2000.

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Fan Reviews

“Many years ago, Soma made me fall in love with the Smashing Pumpkins…the love story continues.” - filippiakos

“It’s the fifth concert for me, and it’s not enough!!! Every time, Billy has the ability to move me…an artist pure and simple!” - sarajune82

Photo by Voitech Kubec

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pinwheels
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Tonight, Tonight
18. My Love in Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero

Setlist from November 25th, 2011: 1. Quasar, 2. Panopticon, 3. Starla, 4. Geek U.S.A., 5. Muzzle, 6. Window Paine, 7. Lightning Strikes, 8. Soma, 9. Siva, 10. Oceania, 11. Frail and Bedazzled, 12. Silverfuck, 13. Pinwheels 14. Pale Horse, 15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby + I Am One (tease), 16. Cherub Rock, 17. Tonight, Tonight

Encore: 18. To Sheila, 19. Zero, 20. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 24 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Prague on November 25th, 2011.

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Fan Reviews

“I’ve just returned from Berlin and it was absolutely fantastic. I nearly fainted when they played Soma. The best moment was when a man from the audience sat on someone’s shoulders and started playing air guitar just across Billy. It looked amazing! I hope someone filmed that moment because it was great. After the show, Mike and Nicole came to us for autographs, to take some photos and chat a little. It was great moment!” – Matcio

“Best Smashing Pumpkins show I’ve ever been to. Sounded great, the band was full of energy and an amazing light show!” – Štepán Brož

“An absolutely great night. I will remember this concert as a very special moment of my life. This is the Smashing Pumpkins that I finally wanted to hear again! THANK YOU!” - Nat

“Great concert – truly magnificent! See you next time Smashing Pumpkins! A BIG THANK YOU for playing in Prague!” – Tomik Motik

Photo by 616 Photography

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pinwheels
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock

Encore:
17. Zero
18. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Setlist from November 19th, 2011: 1. Quasar, 2. Panopticon, 3. Starla, 4. Geek U.S.A., 5. Muzzle, 6. Window Paine, 7. Lightning Strikes, 8. Soma, 9. Siva, 10. Oceania, 11. Frail and Bedazzled, 12. Silverfuck, 13. Pale Horse, 14. Pinwheels, 15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby + I Am One (tease), 16. Cherub Rock, 17. Tonight, Tonight, 18. My Love is Winter, 19. For Martha

Encore: 20. Zero, 21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 11 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins concerts in Sheffield and Birmingham!

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Media Review

“They open explosively with two songs from their upcoming LP Oceania, entitled Quasar and Panopticon, both propelled by chugging riffs and new drummer Mike Byrne’s astonishing power on the sticks (making him a more than fitting replacement for Chamberlin and his jazz-rock freakouts). A clear highlight in terms of new songs though comes from Pinwheels, with dreamy lyrics of ‘floating away’ and accompanied initially by a bouncing keyboard ostinato before building slowly into a beautiful guitar symphony, the song could easily be mistaken for an outtake from either of their first two albums. It also fits in nicely with the set’s extensive mining of these records–1991’s Gish and their 1993 magnum opus Siamese Dream (both of which are due for reissue later this year)–which includes an unbelievably frenetic rendition of Geek USA and a glorious evening-highlight in the form of Cherub Rock. Whilst Corgan’s voice in recent years has often veered into a nasally whine that spoils some of the Pumpkins’ older songs, tonight it sounds as ethereal as it did on those early albums. The absence of crowd-pleasers 1979, Today or Tonight, Tonight was a shame (also since the set was considerably shorter than their gig at the O2 arena a few years ago, which stretched to over two and half hours), although the fan-favourite b-side Starla made a more than welcome appearance three songs in. Also disappointing was the total lack of Corgan’s usually hilarious stage banter, especially since the more intimate setting invited such an engagement; however, not a word was spoken to the crowd between songs. Although his moodiness is easily explained: after all, the world is a vampire, sent to drain.” – nouse.co.uk

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Fan Reviews

“I really wasn’t expecting this gig to be so good, but it put all my questions about the new lineup to rest. A total fanservice show, full of songs you might not expect but that blew my mind out of my ass. Ruby!!? I mean, wow. The new tracks were awesome, too. I haven’t enjoyed kaleidyscope up to now, but if these are emblematic of the new direction – back to the old days, a cross between Gish and Siamese – then I am totally sold. The king is back.” - D

“Last night I saw my favourite rock band – The Smashing Pumpkins. It was just incredible. Even if you’re not a fan and ended up at that gig, you wouldn’t be able to deny how incredible it was. They did not play a set packed with the greatest hits, but as I am a massive Pumpkins fan, this did not bother me in the slightest. The crowd was extremely energetic and I spent the night squashed against the bar at the front. Again, this didn’t bother me because I had an amazing time and I want relive it all over again. Billy Corgan’s presence on stage was unbeatable. He was so mysterious and seemingly untouchable. I never want to meet him. I want him to remain the mystery that I think he is. Throughout the show, he didn’t not speak a word to the audience. If anybody else did this, then people would think that they didn’t care and sight the show as a bad one. But Billy did not need to talk, his presence made up for it. I think if he had spoke, then the mystery and magic of the show would break. The stage was the most magical set up I have ever seen. Full of strobe lights, but not typical strobes, they were so beautiful. Basically, this could of been the best gig that I have ever been to.” – Jack Motley

“Whoo Pumpkins rock! Was totally amazing last night in Sheffield! The new stuff sounds really good! One of the best gigs I have EVER been to!” - Emma Vanner

Photo by Kalpesh Patel

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12.Silverfuck
13. Pinwheels
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Tonight, Tonight
18. For Martha

Encore:
19. Stephen
(Gene Loves Jezebel cover)
20. Zero
21. Bullet With Butterfly Wings

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Setlist from November 15th, 2011: 1. Quasar, 2. Panopticon, 3. Starla, 4. Geek U.S.A., 5. Muzzle, 6. Window Paine, 7. Lightning Strikes, 8. Soma, 9. Siva, 10. Oceania, 11. Frail and Bedazzled, 12. Silverfuck, 13. Pale Horse, 14. Pinwheels, 15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby + I Am One (tease), 16. Cherub Rock, 17. Owata, 18. My Love is Winter, 19. For Martha

Encore: 20. Zero, 21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 31 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins shows in London!

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Fan Reviews

“Loved the show – didn’t want it to end. I had tears in my eyes two songs in. Thank you for the new music that you are putting out to compliment the old stuff. Thank you to your band for being so professional and producing such an amazing set. Keep it up guys!” - Andrew John Smith

“Last was amazing my pumpkin friends. I got right at the front and saw four world class musicians do what they do everyday! For the majority of the time, I was watching Mikey and studied how he played. Yes, he can do double stroke rolls like me. He uses the hi hat, which I love drummers doing! Nicole was great and looked amazing! Billy and Jeff were on fire!! Billy lost a string during a solo on For Martha on his strat. He was a bit peed off! To top it all off, Mike (bless him), saw me waving and he gave me one of his sticks! He uses 5A drum sticks like me!” – Nick Gatrell (November 15th show)

“I went to the second Brixton show. It took three songs before we got an oldie, and that was an 11 minute b-side from 1991, and it was 45 minutes before they played a single – Siva. Which is hardly their biggest hit with a spacey jam slammed into the middle. But it’s stuff like this I love MOST about them. If you don’t like prog wig-outs mid song and playing b-sides instead of hits, then Smashing Pumpkins aren’t the band for you, and never were. The newer batch of songs felt much more emotionally engaging than anything he’s written since 1998 too. And For Martha was phenomenal.” -Marc Burrows

“I went to the show last night and I honestly thought it was amazing. I didn’t go expecting to hear the classics (Today, 1979, etc.) because come on, it’s Billy Corgan. This is what the idea of the Pumpkins has always been about…to go against the grain, and that is what I think attracted people to them in the first place. They never really did what people expected them to do.” - Christopher

“That was amazing. It was worth going both times just for Tonight, Tonight! I totally didn’t expect it since it had been the same setlist all throughout the tour. A little tear came out during For Martha, that’s how much it meant to me…Thanks guys!” – Siobhan Gallagher

“Another barn storming performance by my beloved band! They just get better and better with every show. They changed Owata for Tonight, Tonight in the set. Silverfuck was amazing!!! Mike went crazy through that song like a man on fire! I got one of Jeff’s picks! So a great two-nights of Pumpkin love. They are coming back next year, so I will be there of course!” – Nick Gatrell (November 16th show)

The Smashing Pumpkins backstage with Jay Aston & James Stevenson from Gene Loves Jezabel

“Billy Corgan and the new Smashing Pumpkins ensemble – consisting of guitarist Jeff Schroeder, bassist Nicole Fiorentino and drummer Mike Byrne – descended onto London for the second night at Brixton Academy, for an intimate UK tour of new material and old favourites. The majority of the crowd seemed to be young adults and teenagers getting their first taste of the Pumpkins and the line up didn’t seem to bother anyone. For the first time since the original line up, it seems that the Smashing Pumpkins have a sound that gels incredibly well together and the craftsmanship they process is one of a band who have been together for years, not just a matter of months. Even at 44, Corgan showed he could still handle the long and pounding solos, shredding the shit out of the guitar at every opportunity. The highlight of the night was the surprise inclusion of Tonight, Tonight into the setlist, the only time on this current tour that it was performed. It drew the biggest singalong of the night, drawing some passionate screaming with arms aloft and, played even without the orchestra, remained as beautiful and poignant as always. The transition from Thru the Eyes of Ruby (which included an extract of I Am One) to Cherub Rock, into Tonight, Tonight and For Martha, was an excellent showcase of the band’s altering back catalogue, from head banging and air guitar grunge to moving and delicate singalongs. It was the prefect way to send the audience home happy. A beaming and grinning Billy Corgan even had time at the end for a bit of US v UK banter with the crowd. Much like Corgan and the rest of the band, the crowd left with grins across their faces. A fine welcome back to the UK for the Pumpkins and a great send off at the same time.” – Siobhan

Photo by Brigitte Engl

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 3 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins concert in Newcastle!

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Fan Reviews

“Awesome show at Newcastle tonight! The setlist was for fans & not the tourists! 140 mins=value for money too – much love & respect to you all!” - Scott Wetherill

“When this tour was announced back in August, I couldn’t believe it. Not only was the phantom Mr. Corgan bringing his Pumpkins back to UK shores for the first time in over 4 years, but he was bringing them to play what are by his standards – intimate venues. Much to my surprise (for some reason), the Smashing Pumpkins took to the stage right on time. Some deafening noise fan-faired an entrance which marked the first time many of those in attendance (this hack included) had seen King Billy’s baldy glory in the flesh. The band immediately rolled into unfamiliar material, some belonging to the ongoing Teargarden by Kaleidyscope concept album and the rest due to appear on next year’s Oceania. Oldies such as Soma, Geek U.S.A and Silverfuck found their way onto the setlist, giving the attentive mob a chance for a sing-a-long, but tonight’s set was comprised heavily of new and/or rare material. Despite the lack of fan-favourites however, the Pumpkins’ performance was outstanding – with 21-year-old Mike Byrne simply fucking tearing it up on the drums. There were way more guitar solos than I would have ever expected. Yes sir, a great deal of guitar wankery. Extremely enjoyable none-the-less however. Gaps in the lesser known did come, no matter how briefly, with the sweaty kids down the front proceeding to kick the shit out of each other to Cherub Rock. But, just as you feel the rest of the set is going to be a ‘best of’ kind of thing, the experimental (but mostly brilliant) new sounds fill the room, and once again – the audience falls into listen mode. The intimate venue idea has now become clear. This tour is obviously about testing new material, a frustrating concept for most audiences – but Billy and his crew really do well to keep this one, for the most part, captivated. The Pumpkins encore with the first real crowd interaction of a mammoth 2 ½ hour set – a heartfelt speech from Billy thanking everyone for well…still being interested really. Furthering their gratitude with Zero and Bullet with Butterfly Wings – there is only one thing I can do – join the sweaty kids down front.” - Scott Jeffery

“Well the Smashing Pumpkins melted my fucking face off tonight! I jumped, I sang, I smiled. I also lost my voice, but I felt alive. Incredible. Thank you.” - Gemma Carragher

“The last time Billy Corgan graced a Newcastle stage was at the Mayfair on September 19th, 1993. Just over 18 years later, that extraordinary and haunting voice has returned to Tyneside – supported by an entirely new band and (almost) an entirely new setlist. By opening up their set with the first two songs from their upcoming album Oceania, The Smashing Pumpkins made it clear from the outset that this wouldn’t be any sort of ‘greatest hits’ gig. The band continued to perform with constant energy, and 21-year-old drummer Mike Byrne was exceptional throughout. Although the set was made up of mainly new songs, the melodies were typical of the Pumpkins’ energy. They kept Zero and Bullet with Butterfly Wings from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness until the very end for the encore. He and the rest of the band seemed moved by the roaring applause they received at the end!” - Marianne Francoise

Photo by Crimson Glow

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 17 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Glasgow, Scotland!

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Fan Reviews

“It was a cracking show! I’d been queueing since 5:15, so I was standing solid for around 5 hours. It was worth it though! The band was unbelievably tight and they seemed in really good spirits, especially Billy. Me and my friend were right at the front. During Owata, I got a cheeky point and a wink from Billy – probably because I was the only one in that general area who was singing all the words to it!” - afroguy10

“Yeah, brilliant concert. Pumpkins back to their best. Good mix of new and old songs. Billy looked to be enjoying himself as well. I thought the new drummer was brilliant – really fits into the band nicely.” - Nismo75

“The set was amazing! Wish I knew the unreleased songs better. I personally think that the b-sides they played trump any of their singles. Set=win” - Jamie Size

“I was at this show and I witnessed a sterling performance from the Smashing Pumpkins. This band isn’t in the top 20 best bands of all time for no reason. They were spectacular! Whether you’re a Billy Corgan fan or not, or whether you’re annoyed about the bands change of image and line-up, you need to get a grip. This is all about the music man, and the Smashing Pumpkins, whoever they are on the night, can deliver everything a great rock show promises and more. I’m glad that I spent the 35 quid to see this show and I would quite happily give Billy Corgan my money any night of the day, for one of his Smashing Pumpkins shows. BC and SP we salute you! Keep going with your Pumpkins Dream. Amen.” - Steve

“The Zero/Bullet with Butterfly Wings encore in Glasgow last night was probably the best ten minutes of my life!” - Thom Querns

Photo by Xavier Marquis

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 17 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Manchester, England!

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Media Reviews

“If you want to relive history, don’t bother with Smashing Pumpkins. Steering clear from the obvious heavy-hitters, they reeled off the hidden gems that the more discerning fan would enjoy. Geek USA, Muzzle, Cherub Rock, Soma, Silverfuck and Siva aired, but their set also leaned heavily on material from their forthcoming Oceania LP and Teargarden. It was a welcome change. It was a chance to hear yet-to-be-released songs in the way the Gods of Music always intended; a live setting. The response from their US and European tour has been largely positive. One excited fan even proclaimed them to be the “American Pink Floyd”, and not without reason. Smashing Pumpkins have never been afraid to buck the trend and throw out something different from time to time and their new direction, their new sound, is an utter joy to behold. Far from the mess you might expect from fuzzy eight/nine minute songs, Corgan and his band pull the reigns tightly to display the kind of craftsmanship only experienced and talented players could create. Whether purposefully done or not, the casual fan appears to have little need to attend anymore. The pre-encore closer, 1999’s For Martha, was a tip of the hat to the more devoted fan and a chance to witness first-hand one of Corgan’s more introspective and delicate compositions. Even the encore, blistering though rushed versions of Zero and Bullet With Butterfly Wings, seemed like a challenge to those in attendance; ‘You want the old songs? Here, take them. They’re yours now.’” - Audio Apocalypse

“Billy Corgan and his new Pumpkins lineup (he is the only original member of the group) took to the stage to a rapturous reception and kicked off with the opening two tracks from their new album Oceania, followed by lesser known B-Side Starla. We were all enthused and receptive and it showed us that this man can still play a guitar like the best of them, but we were waiting on a classic. The opening riff to Geek USA provided a huge surge of energy with everyone in the room bouncing, followed up by Muzzle creating a room-wide singalong. Corgan is no fool and he and we all knew what we had paid to see. So what followed was a mixture of the new material, which he was keen to present to his Mancunian fans (and was enthusiastically received), and older songs- the likes of which this audience spent their all-important teenage years growing up to- which sent the roof of the Apollo into the stratosphere (Soma, Siva, Silverfuck and others which don’t begin with S). The personal highlight for me had to be about ¾ of the way through the gig, when the opening notes of Thru the Eyes of Ruby rang out into the air. As such an underrated track I never thought I would get to hear it live, I think the people alongside me who started going ballistic shared my feelings- especially one very enthusiastic Irish punter, who had lost his voice by this point (but didn’t seem to care!). If you don’t know it please check it out; it is a masterful piece, a nigh-on orchestral composition. What followed was a 7 minute singalong of the highest order, everyone who knew it was at one with the song. The true definition of what music is about. After 2 hours and 15 minutes we all felt pretty satisfied by what had gone before. It was a definite improvement on the 2008 Manchester gig, which ended on a bit of a damp squib. The band came back for an encore of Zero and Bullet with Butterfly Wings bringing the crowd back to a crescendo instantly, a further 8 minutes of madness ensuring everyone left on a high.” – Gary Brown

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Fan Reviews

“Last night was incredible. I was stunned by how tight they were. We all know the setlist by now and I can’t fault it at all. The heavier tracks were intense and sounded thunderous. The crowd went mental when Starla, Geek USA, Muzzle and Siva came on. Silverfuck and Geek USA were fucking brutal. The drums sounded a little muddy at first, but the sound improved pretty quickly. Gotta say the crowd response to the new stuff was good, Quasar and Oceania seemed to really grab people. Of course, the highlight was the thunder leading into Soma and that magnificent buildup to the solo. You could also tell that Billy was in a good mood. He waved at people throughout, gave a cheeky wink to someone during Siva, and stayed at the end to throw picks out and thank all portions of the crowd with an unprecedented grin on his face. Last night was a massive success for them, I reckon. Everyone seemed to love it.” - nasalscarecrow

“Oh yes, this night at the Manchester Apollo was my first Pumpkins gig, even though I’ve been a fan since 1995. Why? I don’t really know, the same lack of reason why I’ve never seen Weezer or Foo Fighters despite being fans of them for as long as that. But anyway, the important thing is that I wasn’t disappointed, because Corgan has built up a very talented ‘new’ band that are definitely worthy of their collective name. This ‘The Other Side Of The Kaleidyscope Tour’ is to promote the new Oceania album, which is coming out early next year, so the setlist does feature quite a few new songs. That’s always a bit of a struggle in a live show, because it’s hard for the crowd to build up much energy and enthusiasm when they’re listening to music they’ve never heard before, so all anyone can do during Quasar, Panopticon, Oceania, Pinwheels, Pale Horse and My Love is Winter is to stand and listen. However, they do all sound very promising, with Corgan bringing back the dreamy melodies. There are still some classics thrown in, particularly for the encore of Zero and Bullet With Butterfly Wings, but b-sides and album tracks dominate proceedings. After a tricky opening duo from Oceania, it said a lot that early b-side Starla was greeted like Free Bird. It’s all great stuff though, and Corgan gets to show off his guitar work on a lot of it, particularly a fiery Geek USA and Silverfuck, and there’s a lot of extended riffing and jamming, stretching the show between two hours. By the encore, when Corgan finally speaks to the crowd, he tries and fails to whip up excitement about the Stone Roses before promising to return next year and ‘maybe even play some songs that you know’, an announcement that received great cheers. ‘Oh, you liked that one then’, he joked. ‘Cheeky bastards’. Sure, a few more recognisable songs might not have gone amiss in amongst the new material and old album tracks, but the setlist worked really well together and the less patient in the crowd were rewarded at the end. And despite his mock-indignation, Corgan did seem genuinely happy after the encore. I certainly loved every minute.” - jamesellaby

“Tonight was without a doubt so incredibly special and amazing. The band sounded phenomenal, they were so polished and perfect. Fantastic setlist too. The Smashing Pumpkins are here to stay and I for one am so ridiculously happy about it.” - Sarah-Louise Younas

“The band was focused and energetic, no wankery or dull stuff. The I Am One riff added onto Ruby was pretty epic. Byrne actually comes off as a talented drummer in a live setting – rousing cheers for Cherub Rock and Zero. The new material seemed to go over well too and in fact was really strong live, even more so than is suggested by the soundboards I have previously heard. One guy nearby shouted for Today, but otherwise I’d say the setlist was well-received by an appreciative audience. I even noticed some kids getting hauled out of the front after crowd-surfing. Billy was in a upbeat mood and his guitar-work and singing was excellent. I noticed that he smiled and nodded to people near the front a few times and at the end got one of the security guys to hand some kid – who was sitting on his dad’s shoulders – a pick, which was a nice touch.” - RenewRevive

Photo by Julien Perez

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 20 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Paris, France!

There is a high-quality recording of the Paris show in the audio archive. Many thanks to David Filiatre for sharing this with the SP community!

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Fan Reviews

“At 9 PM, the Zenith was crowded with nearly 5000 overexcited fans, and they were shouting out loud and clapping their hands for the band to come out and perform. Suddenly, a black curtain fell, and the lights on the psychedelic daisies in the back were turned on and the super powerful combination of Quasar and Panopticon started. That was just awesome! To give you a hint of the atmosphere at that point (which was at the very beginning of the show) – some guys were already crowd-surfing and plastic cups were flying in the air! Can you believe this!? When Starla began, the oldest fans joined the group, banging their heads here and there, and an explosion of energy happened when Geek USA came on. Gosh, I really love the USA for providing us such great bands! Billy’s solo was incredible during this song. On Muzzle, there were a lot of vocals in the crowd, me included. You would have thought that the lives’ of all the Pumpkins fans have been extraordinary blessed, cursed and won…After that, the show went on with a succession of cool and strong tunes (Window Paine, Lightning Strikes, Soma and Siva). I really loved the live version of Lightning Strikes without the synths. I am not really fond of this on the album version. Soma was really beautiful, and Billy’s old voice was still there for sure. During Siva, Billy had a great stage presence with his head going forward and backward, pointing at the audience, crossing his wrists and so on. It felt like he really wanted to get there faster! Oceania was scheduled at the right time for some much needed relief! I really enjoyed the shoegazing parts of it. It was the most avant-garde part of the show, and honestly I didn’t expect to appreciate it that much. The band members seemed to be drifting away out of this world imperceptibly, and at that time, it was a very moving moment. With Frail and Bedazzled, they came back on Earth and then we got a super powerful version of Silverfuck. The band and the crowd were so into it. I felt like Billy had plugged himself right into the power supply. He even sticked out is tongue out at the end due to exhaustion and smiled, which was really cool. He tried to interact a little with the audience during the ‘bang, bang’ part by having the people at right side of the stage shouting ‘bang, bang you’re dead’, and the left side answering with ‘hole in your head’. I couldn’t help but get into it! When the ‘please come back’ moment came on during Pale Horse, I blew a kiss towards the sky for Billy’s mom, Martha, and of course to all the ones that I know and love that are up there. It was a very fragile moment. Then Pinwheels started and the audience gave it some credit. I personally loved the sound of the Gretsch on that tune. I wouldn’t have missed Thru the Eyes of Ruby being played live in front of me for anything in the whole world. This song and the way it was performed was just perfection to me. Billy and the crowd singing together ‘the night has come to hold us young’ was a very powerful moment that just blew my mind. Exactly like the Cherub Rock right after, which left me ecstatic! I liked the new version of My Love is Winter. It’s probably the band’s next hit as the crowd was singing with Billy. For Martha closed the setlist with Mike on the mellotron, which was a surprise for me. Performances of For Martha are always deep and emotional, it was also the case on this particular evening. At the end of it, the band left the stage and there was applause, whistles and shouts for what seemed to last an eternity. Billy came back on stage and thanked us for the warm welcome, and said some nice things about the people and the city. Then, he introduced the band and told us that Oceania will be released in March 2012 if everything goes well. I hope the release date will not be postponed again. I can’t wait to have this CD in my hands!!! He also promised that the band will come back next year, and I sincerely hope that they will. The ROCK started again with Zero. The fans really did want to go for a ride and people were just bouncing everywhere! I will let you imagine how the show ended with Bullet: it was just pure delirium in the pit!

There were also really special moments with Jeff and Billy both facing each other during solos. Mike also had his moments, and that really surprised me. That man is without a doubt a terrific drummer. He is really talented and proved that he could deal with the emotions whether on his drums or the keyboard. Nicole seemed a little dreamy from time to time, and her playing was awesome. I also liked that moment when several men were crowdsurfing really close to the stage, and Billy glanced at Jeff with a ‘What the heck?!’ look on his face and they both smiled. Well, I could talk to you for hours concerning the show, but I will now end this review by saying that the Pumpkins are definitely back! The new material is amazing, their stage presence is still there and they are better than ever (musically speaking). Their sound is their own, and it feels so good to see band members who can actually play their instruments so well and try new experiments on stage. Go and see them live with no hesitation, and enjoy a pure musical moment!” - Sophie

“The first great moment of the evening, to me, was Starla. What a pleasure it was to hear it live!! I really loved the soft part in the middle before the ending solo. Then Geek USA, very nice. I had goosebumps on Muzzle, and I nearly cried when he sang ‘is the world your can’t live without…’ (I really love this line). The Oceania/Teargarden songs were logically less well received than the older ones because people didn’t know the songs. However, people seemed to like Pinwheels and Pale Horse. Silverfuck was a highlight of the show, with everybody singing ‘Bang, bang you’re dead… hole in your head…’ Thru the Eyes of Ruby was my favorite moment yesterday. It was so good hearing it live and to sing along with Billy to ‘the night has come to hold us young…’ But for many people, the best moment of the show was the encore of Zero and Bullet. When the band returned, Billy thanked the really enthusiastic audience. He told us that Paris was one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He then announced that Oceania would be released in March 2012, and that the band would come back to Europe then.” - galapogos

“Thank you very much for this awesome show. France loves you guys! I can’t wait to see you again!” - Julianne Wright Daucé

The concert was awesome and angry Billy rocked our asses well! The new songs are killer by the way.” - Bastien Tsay

Photo by Luuk Denekamp

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 30 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins’ show in Amsterdam!

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Fan Reviews

“WHOA!!!!! Just back from tonight’s show and I have to say I loved every single minute of it. Billy was on top form throughout the show, smiling and pointing to the audience and generally loving his time on stage. In fact the whole band looked like they were having a whale of a time. Nicole…man, what can I say, she stole my heart tonight, couldn’t keep my eyes off her the whole evening. The setlist was exactly the same as the previous shows here in Europe and believe me if you haven’t already seen them play then you’re in for a real treat!!! I need some time to let it all sink in but I can defintiely say it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in the 20 years I’ve been a fan. SMASHING PUMPKINS ROCK!” - NEON99

“The Smashing Pumpkins were a-ma-zing last night! I was all up front in the middle, so Billy was just 2 meters away! After Muzzle, he gave me his water bottle! He seemed really happy with the new line-up, you could really see that. Billy was smiling all the time, playing harmonies with Jeff and doing all kinds of stances. Nicole was amazing, her bass parts were great and her voice is really sweet, which created a nice contrast with Billy’s voice. He sounded fantastic by the way! I don’t know how, but the Mellon Collie sound is back in his singing. Mike’s drumming was really energetic, and he played the mellotron in For Martha! While they were playing Soma, Mike was looking right at me, and I shouted: ‘You’re doing great man!’ So he smiled, and afterwards he gave me his drum stick. Well, he tried to give it to me, but a lot of people grabbed it while he was trying to hand me the stick. So I grabbed it with both hands and teared it out of their hands and now it’s mine haha! The encore consisted of Zero and Bullet with Butterfly Wings. I was crushed against the barrier, but I didn’t mind. It was awesome, the band was having fun and so were we! For the people that have doubts about the new Pumpkins: go to their show! You won’t be disappointed!” - Jeroen

“WOW!!!!! I just got home and I gotta say that I can’t sleep! I’m still all filled with energy for another show! I enjoyed every second of it! The sound, stage and music were all just brilliant! I can’t wait to see you again!” – Ben Nils Stronghold

“Okay, this was insanely good. In fact, better than Pinkpop 1994. Still buzzing…!” - Christiaan Postma

Photo by Alex Vanhee

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 58 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Brussels, Belgium.

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Fan Reviews

“Great show, really. The new songs totally overwhelmed me (esp. Quasar and Pale Horse – that one is so Adore it gives me goosebumps). I was there with a good friend who is just a casual Pumpkins fan and not hardcore like I am at all, and he thought the show was spectacular. He seemed to be elated even though it wasn’t a greatest hit show. My friend said that he was totally blown away by the powerful opener Quasar. As my friend said, good thing for music that there are still people like Corgan out there. It was just exciting, and the rendition of the Siamese Dream songs in particular brought smiles to people’s faces. They played Zero and Bullet to end the show, which was a perfect closing to an awesome setlist. Because by the time the whiny Disarm fans had already left, the band came back with a total bang! I think Zero and the obligatory Bullet couldn’t have been more perfect to end the show. As for the band, Nicole being her talented sexy self, Jeff rather shy but man can he shred, Billy appearing to be in a rather neutral mood and… Mike – who I have been very hard of on these message boards before – really did convince me seeing him live. He almost made me forget Jimmy for a second! Obvious highlights to me were: Thru the Eyes of Ruby, Siva (damn that was powerful! It’s still ringing in my ears), Muzzle and Pale Horse. Conclusion: This show was more psychedelic than the previous ones that I have seen, and a sign of things to come if you ask me. Overall I’d state that things are going well in Pumpkinland and rather awful in hearingland. So. loud. Ears are RINGING.” - agent_cooper

“I had a blast last night! I was literally blown away during the encore!” - Ben van Heesch

Photo by Greg Notch

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Zero
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Fan Reviews

“Amazing show! I’ve seen the band 5 times (including the Adore and Machina era line-ups), and this was by far the best experience. Billy seemed extremely happy throughout, which a huge contrast to the way he acted during the two Zeitgeist era shows that I saw. And the fact that he reconnected with his old way of singing, while still maintaining the tecnical knowledge that he has amassed over the years makes a huge difference. At the end, Nicole and Billy went out to greet the crowd at the edge of the stage, and also gave each other a huge bear hug. The band all seemed to have a great time playing the material. Basically good vibes all around. I was up front and the mood there was very enthusiastic, but I can’t say how it was further back. I didn’t hear any talking during the quiet parts of songs. The venue was sold out. And another thing…THEY PLAYED ZERO!!!” - eyeboogers

“Thank you so much for the show in Copenhagen last night! It was the best night of my life. Everything was perfect. It was my biggest dream coming true! Once again, thank you so much!” - Helena Iris

Photo by Dana Yavin

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Pissant
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 10 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins’ show in Oslo, Norway!

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Media Review

“For a cynic, it’s easy to dismiss a Smashing Pumpkins’ tour as a cover band with Billy Corgan on guitar and vocals, or as a solo tour with Corgan and three young musicians. When the four members of one of the most important bands of the 90s announced their break-up in 2000, there were few hopes that they would come back together again. And when the original members Corgan and Chamberlain brought back the band back to life with dissappointing results in 2006, and when Chamberlain jumped ship again just three years later – it really look like it was over for good. But rather than pursuing a solo career, Corgan continued to record new songs under the Smashing Pumpkins name and released them on the Internet one by one. Yesterday, he and his new band members, felt like the Smashing Pumpkins again – against all odds. Rumors of the Smashing Pumpkins’ stylistic return to the Gish and Siamese Dream era sound with Oceania seem to be true, and the new material could very well pass as classics from those two albums. The Oceania material might be able to reverse the opinion of the band’s biggest sceptics. The songs were hard, raw, energetic, and are a return to the first two albums’ style without a whiff of 90s nostalgia or a tiresome ‘got-to-go-back-to-my-roots’ desperation. At the show, it was obvious that Billy Corgan had fun: he smiled and laughed with his band, and seemed to enjoy that little ‘bang-bang, you’re dead’ bridge in Silverfuck. There were smiles and jokes all around. Cherub Rock and Bullet with Butterfly Wings satisfied all of the casual Smashing Pumpkins fans, and the classic B-side tracks delighted the hardest core of Norwegian fans. A very solid evening from a man who has begun to make many good decisions again, and seems to be in his best period of time.” - Eskil Olaf Vestre

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Fan Reviews

“Billy smiled and seemed to have a great time on stage. The audience was a bit quiet at times (especially during the newer songs), but they were vocal during the better known ones. Personally, I think the new songs were performed the best. The band seemed to really enjoy playing those, and My Love is Winter and Owata (Ohh city of Oslo… look what you have done to me) were the highlights for me. Bullet was also very cool as the audience completely exploded during this song. Loved the show. Absolutely loved it.” - Cross

“Made it up to the front, the sound was perrrrfect and the light effects were just wild. Great setlist, just a pure magical night and got my first pick. Bliss.” - Becca Hoffmann

Photo by MakeBelieveStudios.se

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Pale Horse
14. Pinwheels
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. Pissant
20. For Martha

Click for 15 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins’ show in Sweden!

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Fan Reviews

“Living in Sweden is hard for a Smashing Pumpkins fan. You don’t hear them on the radio, you don’t see them on TV and rarely read about them in the papers. That’s why, at least for me, it’s a big deal when they come here on tour. I’ve seen them about 20 times since the early 90s, both in Sweden and abroad. I went to Paris in 2007 to see the first show after the break-up. Yesterday they played Annexet in Stockholm, which is a venue for approximately 3500 people. When they started playing Starla as the 3rd song, I had goosebumps all over. I’ve only had the pleasure to hear this live once or maybe twice before. The band seemed to be in a good mood, glancing at each other laughing (as always). One thing about a Swedish audience is that they can’t let loose – everybody is just standing around. It wasn’t like this 10 years ago. It’s not only at SP shows – it’s always like this. I must say I really like the new line up. It really feels like they have chemistry and the music sounds great. I’ve never complained about the original members not being in the band. I rather see a happy and healthy band. I am really looking forward to the new record. It’s hard to tell after just hearing the new songs once at a live show, but they sound new and fresh – as always with Billy’s songwriting. The one I liked the most was Pale Horse, but I also have very high hopes for Oceania – I love the longer epic songs. For me, this was one of the best Smashing Pumpkins shows I’ve seen. Maybe because it was so different from previous ones. Previously, they’ve always had a acoustic set and almost always played Bullet, Disarm and 1979.

There are a couple of things that made me sad tough. Most people seemed pretty disappointed about them not playing the ‘hits’. I personally would never trade any of the songs on the setlist for the hits that I’ve heard so many times. But, I can still understand why some people reacted as they did. The other thing is promotion, or the absence of it. I haven’t seen anything in the media except 2 articles in the papers for when the concert date was announced. In short, lots of old rare gems mixed with a couple of new songs. This show reminded me of why I love this band so much.” - Daniel Jönér

“Well personally, I loved the show! Yeah the crowd was kinda dead, but the Pumpkins haven’t been relevant in Sweden since the mid-90s so it was kinda expected. This show is also not for the casual fan. No hits, no talking, long jams etc. But yeah as for me, some songs really hit me hard. The playing and singing from the band was stellar. They did let the music speak for itself and it was damn great music. Especially Soma, very emotional for me personally. Silverfuck and Siva both ruled. Loved the dual lead-guitar thing at the end of Siva. Great dynamics in the show overall. Quiet, loud, starts and stops. Seeing and hearing the new version of My Love is Winter in person also cemented my love for that song. As for some of the other new songs, Oceania is amazing but didn’t work great this night. Pinwheels is just pure magic. So warm and sweet! Overall atmopshere was very psychedelic – Billy has really gone back to that. His guitar playing was very trippy and noisy, me like!” - Melack

“It was a fucking kick-ass-show! Total psychedelic mayhem. I loved almost every minute of it. No talk and no encore serves right to all the whiners who came to see some ‘greatest hits’ act. I wouldn’t have wanted to hear Bullet anyway. Still the greatest band in the world.” - geezero

“I was there, and it was a real treat to hear the new songs. The Oceania-stuff is VERY exciting! Personally, I enjoyed Lightning Strikes the most. It’s just so amazing live. Sure, there has been criticism that SP didn’t play enough hits (BWBW, Zero, Today, Tonight Tonight, Disarm, 1979), but I’ve seen the Pumpkins 5 times, so it would not have been a very special experience to hear the songs that we’ve all heard many times before. And besides, there are many songs that are just as good or better than the hits. Unfortunately, people that are not big fans only appreciate and want the hits, so they don’t even bother showing up in large numbers, because ‘it’s not really the SP’ and because ‘they’re never playing the hits’. People living in the past, it’s a sad attitude…The show was a taste of what is to come, but also an exibition of the band’s talents, qualities and tightness. Seeing Nicole on stage for the first time, I can say that she just might be the best bass player SP has ever had. Her playing really shines in the new songs. And Mike, well… We’ve all heard the songs from Teargarden…but seeing him play live, both the new and old songs was a bit surprising, though not unexpected. He is just such a great drummer! Well done Billy for finding this guy! Anyway, I hope you’ll be back next year after the release of Oceania.” - Nedim Kirlic

Photo by Barry Brecheisen

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore
20. Pissant
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 6 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins concert in Philadelphia!

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Fan Reviews

“Philly show was incredible! First time seeing them since becoming a fan back in 1995. Whoever had doubts about Mike Byrne can rest easy…the kid was on fire, as was the entire band. Billy sounded fantastic too. The new songs came off really well too, especially the title track.” - DTA

“This was my first ever SP concert. I was PLEASANTLY SURPRISED! I didn’t expect much mostly because I was holding on to the past. But they pulled it off & then some! I’d go a thousand times more!” - ffpumpkins78

Photo by Chris Schwegler

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore
20. Pissant
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Fan Reviews

“So, having been to NYC, Providence and Boston, this show was far and away the best of the three. The NYC show was flawless, the Providence show had a few mistakes here and there but had a certain ‘all smiles’ vibe, but tonight had the best of both worlds. Billy coming out to rip some guitar solos with Fancy Space People was pretty awesome. Coming out to do that most likely put him into a guitar-playing frenzy because he just went nuts especially during Soma and Siva. Billy’s grin never left his face, all the while his fingers were literally bleeding during Oceania from playing so hard. Jeff was also on fire tonight; he was into guitar-world, face and all, during Silverfuck and For Martha. Mike and Nicole were totally rock solid all night, no flubs to my sensitive ears. Some douche jumped on stage during the end of Bullet and was promptly taken out by Geo via headlock. Doing so made some of Billy’s wiring on the floor get messed up. Besides that, everything about tonight was perfect. I seriously wouldn’t have this band any other way than it is right now. Fantastic vibe coming from everybody. I’ve become more and more impressed by everyone’s performances each night.” - Lunatic

“I never got to see the band pre-breakup. This is the fifth show I’ve seen in Boston since they reformed and it was the best. It was the classic Pumpkins setlist I would dream of. The new stuff sounded good too, I’m really excited for Oceania now! The new For Martha outro blew my face off.” - MrRed

“Very casual fan – tickets were a last minute thing – but the show really brought back some good college memories. Disappointed not to hear a few more of the MTV songs… of course, but they definitely brought the rock… I think they were on for 2+ hours, right? BC sounded great. The band sounded great. Had me pulling out old CDs today and really appreciating what I saw last night. Looking forward to the next time.” - typhaon

“The show in Boston was amazing…my 9th time seeing you guys since 2007 at the Orange Peel. It just keeps getting better. Jeff and Billy, I could watch you both play guitar forever, you sound so great together. Thank you for an incredible night!” - Kristle Deforge

Photo by Barry Brecheisen

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore
20. Pissant
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Fan Reviews

“I’ve been a fan since I bought Gish and I haven’t felt this positive about the Pumpkins since Siamese Dream – they sound like a band with energy again, the emphasis on the word ‘band’ – that’s what I want!” - Chop

“Mike may not be quite the master that JC is, but he’s truly excellent. More than that, his stage energy is intense and infectious. At the end of some songs he rises to his feet with the final cymbal crash. You can see his enthusiasm spreading to Billy as the two of them get into lock-step rock mode in certain songs. The vibrancy of the current lineup is better than anything we’ve seen since the reunion. We had Jimmy in the band in 2007-08 and it felt kinda weird, didn’t it? Feels more natural with the all-new lineup to me, even if a hole has been left by the arguably greatest living drummer.” - werideatdusk

Photo by Dana Yavin

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru The Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore
20. Pissant
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 30 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at Terminal 5 in New York City.

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Media Review

“The band sounded phenomenal, picking up where they left off at this same venue just over a year ago, the polish possibly a product of them finally hitting their stride with the newer touring lineup behind frontman Billy Corgan. You could hear and even feel each drum hit, heavy bassline and wah-wah-pedaled note that came from Corgan’s guitar, all without it being incoherently loud.” - Sean O’Kane

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Fan Reviews

“They nailed every single song. Old and new. No disappointments. Only song I didn’t fully embrace was Lightning Strikes, but I somehow found myself & others bobbing their heads anyway. Geek USA, Ruby, Soma, Silverfuck, and Pissant slayed. Absolutely, though the other old cuts sounded great as well. I did not think Mikey could handle Geek USA, but damn was I ever wrong. Kudos, man. All of the transitions between songs were very fitting. The circus tune before Geek, the chants before Window Paine, the thunderstorm effect into Soma, and the sound of the ocean into Ruby. The crowd energy was higher than last year’s, I think. From where I was, it actually seemed as if we had more hardcores than casuals for once. For Martha was beautiful, and I actually started to tear up. Billy said nothing to the crowd until they came out for the Pissant/BWBW encore, and he had no need to. He just let the music speak for itself, and it did wonders. By the time Pissant came on, the whole place was rowdy as hell. I love the encore. A big fuck you to casuals, haha. ‘Can’t help thinking something’s wrong with every one of YOU!!’ Right into the one song the casuals probably came to hear. “Okay, we’ll play Rat In A Cage, but you have to listen to 2 hours of these first. And then, goodnight. Best of the three shows I’ve seen them at.” - LostSoul

“The show was excellent. It was really good to experience the Pumpkins energy again. BC really has a good grasp on his energy and he just pours it out on stage in all different spectrum of ways, soft and loud and everything in between. I love when he stops right before an explosion (like in Siva) and kind of teases it out and then explodes. It’s beautiful. It is so cool to see an artist like this play his music in the moment because he is just extraordinarily talented. They all played really well. I was especially impressed with Mike too and with the over all tightness of the band. I like the music in between for rest breaks too, very atmospheric and the thunder sounds after lightning. Oceania is very beautiful live, much different from just video. Also Pale Horse, I wasn’t really getting into that from the videos but live it is just really beautiful. BCs voice sounds great. Sounds 10x stronger than in recent years. Long may it last! It was wonderful to just hear all of those amazing songs in one show.” - mayday27

Photo by Stephanie Breijo

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail And Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru The Eyes Of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love Is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Pissant
21. Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Click for 9 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins concert in Washington!

SPRC Meeting/Q&A with Billy (36 minutes): Part 1, Part 2

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Media Review

“Sonically, the band displayed an incredible range of sounds. Slow buildups rising into gutteral, hard-rock crescendos; solid guitar solos; pulsating basslines; ambient, lush soundscapes characteristic of the late 80s/early 90s shoegaze genre while breaking out into steady, consistent rock odysseys. Overall, the sound was tight while remaining experimental, weaving influences and disciplines together into a quilt of melancholic distortion intrinsic to the Pumpkins’ sound. For being pinned as such a melancholic dude, Corgan is incredibly self-aware. He has the practice of being a rock star down, from shredding riffs to Black Sabbath-worthy stances. Head down during his many insane solos, he refused to make direct eye contact with anything except the guitar in front of him. Maybe it’s just me, but part of the appeal of Corgan’s voice is that it’s nearly impossible to place. Ranging from a guttural growl, to frantic and desperate, to a drawling falsetto, I was washed over with a nostalgia for something I didn’t even know I had. Corgan’s voice, while resilient, has a sense of longing that will inevitably be unfulfilled. It encapsulates what The Smashing Pumpkins are: that cathartic mood that hits you mid-autumn when the days become slower, dead leaves crunching under your feet, and everything is at the disposal of the wind blowing around you, often in ways you can’t comprehend.” - Paula Mejia

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Fan Reviews

“This Monday, I saw Billy Corgan and friends rock their fucking shit at 9:30 Club. I’ve been waiting 15 years to hear the Billy Corgan experience. He wobbled his head in a completely different way than Thom Yorke. His guitars rocked me down to my musical core. His stage setup and lights almost gave me a seizuregasm. His supporting cast had the exact stage presence they needed to. The crowd was amazing. They were in love, too. They were screaming. They were pumping their fists. It was…well, it was rock and roll.” - mathismybag

“Now, I’ve known Billy Corgan could play a mean guitar. But to see him play live…holy shit. I was blown away. I couldn’t believe he was actually playing some of the things I was hearing. And he wasn’t the only one tearing it up on guitar. Jeff Schroeder has quite a bit of chops as well. He and Billy traded off solos and even did some guitar dueling the whole night. Nicole Fiorentino, the band’s newest member, certainly held her own on bass. She even came to the rescue for Billy Corgan when he started to struggle with some she-sells-sea-shells tongue-twister freestyling. The youngster, Mike Byrne, put on a drum clinic all night. It was good to get to see a straight-up, solid rock performance. I think those are hard to come by these days. I love a good guitar solo, and I certainly got my fill that night. So kudos to Billy for putting together a group that can bring the rock and to the whole band for putting on a great show.” - silhouettecities.com

Photo from ChinaShopMag.com

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha
20. Pinwheels

Encore:
21. Pissant
22. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Here are 26 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Detroit!

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Media Review

“If there was ever a band that could play an amazing show with mostly B-sides and new tracks, it is the Smashing Pumpkins. With over 150 official songs to choose from, the Pumpkins had to make a choice: either play for the radio fans who only know the hits, or play for the die-hards who know every B-side and obscure track. At The Fillmore in Detroit, Billy Corgan and the latest lineup of the Smashing Pumpkins chose to play for the die-hards. Of their 23-song set, 6 were from their forthcoming album, Oceania, 8 were mostly lesser-known tracks from their major releases, and the remaining 9 songs were B-sides, rare tracks, or from their debut album Gish. The show opened with Quasar/Stella Polaris and the People Mover and Panopticon, the first 2 tracks on Oceania. Less-known tracks Starla and Geek USA followed. It wasn’t until Muzzle that the crowd tentatively started getting into the show only to lose interest in the next 10 songs before Cherub Rock. It was evident from the lack of energy in the crowd that most were there to hear the hits and were obviously disappointed. The die-hard fans in the crowd were treated to such Smashing Pumpkins gems as Frail and Bedazzled, Window Paine, Siva, Silverfuck, I am one, the bands debut single, and Pissant during the encore. As always Corgan’s guitar playing was awe inspiring, the sound was loud and amazing, the lights were brilliant, and the new line-up played great together. At one odd, but awesome point Corgan broke into singsong renditions of Peter Piper and She Sells Sea Shells. During the encore, Corgan spoke to the audience for the first time during the show to thank Detroit for being one of the first cities to embrace his band in the 90’s. The final song was a slightly up-tempo rendition of one of the Smashing Pumpkins biggest hit, Bullet with Butterfly Wings; a fitting gift for the fans that stayed for the entire show.” - detroitlivemagazine.com

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Fan Reviews

“Best Smashing Pumpkins show that I have seen! This is my 4th time and it blew me away. The stage and the set were awesome!” - sivasoma

“Best Smashing Pumpkins show that I have been to and I have seen them on every tour since 1995. Billy’s voice sounds better than ever, the band is really tight on the songs, great setlist that flows together well, and the crowd loved it. The set was the same as the rest of the tour so far, not a ton of their “hits”, but songs that every real fan knows and loves. I just got home and listening to the USB recording of the show, and the quality is AMAZING! Great job Pumpkins!” - dregg419

“It was my first Smashing Pumpkins show. It was my first ‘real’ rock concert. I ran into Billy at a restaurant, recognized him and spoke with him. I just knew SP’s radio hits. I got my pic taken with him and he offered me tickets to the show! Wow…I didn’t expect that he would be so nice! The show was awesome…it was so good…I am pretty deep into music myself, but never was into this type of music, but now I get it. Powerful, overwhelming, hypnotic, soothing, even pleasant…Wow, rock is awesome! Billy just made a new rock fan. THANKS BILLY! GREAT PERSON, GREAT MUSICIAN!” - doctororange

“One thing about the Pumpkins in 2011 is that Billy no longer shies away from his ability as a lead guitarist. He really goes for it in the guitar solos these days, like on Starla and during the jam at the end. Jeff Schroeder is no slouch, either. Corgan always seemed to be embarrassed about being a good guitarist during the ’90s because it was unfashionable for bands of the day to be proficient at their instruments. I’m glad that we’re past that. Geek U.S.A. was an another rarity, one that I never saw them do live before. The emphasis was definitely on the Rock tonight. Muzzle (another song that I haven’t heard them do since 2000) was a joy to hear live again. This is one of my favorite Pumpkins songs. Mike Byrne nailed all of the Jimmy Chamberlin drum fills, and I honestly don’t care if Chamberlin ever returns to the fold. Many fans want to see the “original” line up of the band. I hope that this is the line up of the band for the rest of the ride. What a great show. I wanted to get in my car and drive to the next one as soon as it was over. The Smashing Pumpkins can’t return to Detroit soon enough for me.” - PhonicsMonkey

“Killer show – they’re great live. Bloody eardrums for days. Rock n’ Roll!” - Nicholas Galgoul

Photo by Chris Sweda

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore: Catherine & Billy Corgan
20. Idiot
21. Broken Bunny Bird

Encore: Smashing Pumpkins
22. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 50 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show at the Riviera in Chicago.

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Media Reviews

“Byrne was on the hot seat, as he replaced Jimmy Chamberlin – Corgan’s longtime foil – in 2009. Though he doesn’t swing quite as fluidly as his formidable predecessor, the 21-year-old drummer has touch, power and energy. Fiorentino locked in with him, pushing her bass to the forefront of the band’s engine room, and chipping in with lots of harmony vocals that took the edge off Corgan’s nasal tone. Schroeder has developed a nuanced vocabulary with Corgan on guitar, more of a genuine give-and-take than previous lineups. Corgan clearly was enjoying the exchanges, cracking smiles and waving his guitar Excalibur-style overhead. Between harrowing screams and falsetto cries, he toggled between two personas: ax murderer and sensitive cherub. He’s never been a technically gifted singer, but he’s found a way to embody the mood swings in his songs, whether the consoling son in For Martha or the defiant combatant in Muzzle. For all of Corgan’s dominance as a personality, the set list was designed to show off the band. It lasered in on older songs with rollercoaster arrangements such as Window Paine, Siva and Thru the Eyes of Ruby. These epics brimmed with drop-out sections that brought the music down to near silence and then back up to roaring peaks. The serpentine rhythms and soft-to-lacerating guitar passages dominated the middle portion of the set, with Oceania, Frail and Bedazzled and Silverfuck forming an acid-rock triptych. So what about those new songs scheduled for Oceania? The outlook is promising, based on Friday’s local unveiling of a half-dozen new tunes. The sledgehammering Quasar and Panoptican opened the show, Corgan hunched over his guitar with splayed legs, his combat boots touching down on an armada of foot pedals. The mix was loud, violent, a thick tangle that buried melody beneath an avalanche of corrosive guitars and racing drums. The expansive Oceania title track was anchored by Corgan’s heavy organ atmospherics and Schroeder’s guitar commentary. Owata came off as one of the better, more direct pop melodies the singer has written in the last decade. After the mid-set freakfest, the baroque pop of Pale Horse, with its delicate riff and Byrne’s empathetic drumming, and the contemplative My Love is Winter provided a much-needed reprieve.” - Greg Kot

“Corgan hasn’t softened. The band didn’t neglect faster material. A steady crush of bass and galloping drums juiced the audience. Cherub Rock practically jumped out of its skin. Songs charged one to the next. Soma arose like a soul reborn out of the murky rumble that lingered after Lightening Strikes. On Siva and others, Corgan and guitarist Jeff Schroeder keened and dueled in nimble guitar harmonizing.” - Katjusa Cisar

“Setting the tone for the night, the group launched into the bombastic new track, Quasar, which seems destined for a future as a set-closer. The appropriately named song featured glimmering guitar wails that rose up over chaotic drumming, lulling briefly for a breather on a bed of bubbling bass before blasting off again. That formula worked to help Corgan craft some of the ’90s most memorable rock songs, and it continues to serve him well. The first true test of this new lineup came when 21-year old drummer Mike Byrne rolled out the opening of Geek USA, the meatiest cut from 1993′s Siamese Dream. The drum-roll was preceded by some stumbling carnie music, which would have made it a perfectly tragic time to fail on former drummer Jimmy Chamberlin’s most impressive performance. Thankfully for Byrne, Corgan and (most importantly) the audience, the kid knocked it out of the park. I can say kid because, well, he’s probably just started his Jagermeister phase. Geek sounded as agitated as ever, an aural melee that had me pissed off at someone somewhere for, well, something. That energy was deftly shifted by Corgan into the celebratory anthem Muzzle, which played out as a grand, life-affirming bounce. Jeff Schroeder’s serpentine lead snarled around Corgan’s ‘I knew the silence of the world mantra’, a moment that had me fondly recalling what happens when you stand in a meadow at dusk. The dynamic between new and old songs proved to be what the night was about. Some moments, like Panopticon drifting seamlessly into Starla, a song almost twenty years its senior, proved that despite the role players, the classic Pumpkin’s sound is alive and well for the die-hards. Others, like the strange plopping of Lightning Strikes between Window Paine and Soma, seemed to intentionally highlight the band’s new direction. The latter did lead to one of the more theatric spots of the performance, as the sound of a crackling thunderstorm gargled over the end of Lightning and faded gently beneath the opening clink of Soma. The set closed with For Martha, Corgan’s elegant, tear-inducing elegy for his late mother. The song’s normal, grandiose piano melody was traded for a more subtle music box sound that served it well. The singer reigned in his trademark whine, preferring to let the sorrow pour out in a gargantuan guitar solo. The song was the most powerful performance of the night, moving elegantly between rococo blasts and understated lyric. One more Catherine tune, the chainsaw buzzy Broken Bird, was followed by The Smashing Pumpkins taking an energetic gambol through Bullet With Butterfly Wings. The new lineup pulled it off like they’d written it and played it a million times (knowing Corgan, practices have been tough), and the chrome-domed one even let out a hair-raising howl that brought back 1996 for a few minutes. That said, I’m glad it was only a brief temporal disturbance. As much fun as it is to listen in on The Smashing Pumpkins past, their future is sounding pretty good.” – Gene Wagendorf III

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Fan Reviews

“The show last night was incredible. From the setlist to the sound. Everything. It was a great surprise to see Catherine. The highlights for me were more than I can count, but the stretch of Starla, Geek and Muzzle was just fantastic. Siva had the crowd in an uproar. Soma was just beautiful. Silverfuck was just insane. Ruby is something I have been waiting for them to bust out for years. One of my favorite songs of all time. Of all the TBK/Oceania songs I thought Owata went over the best (in Chicago I know that is not a big surprise). I loved Oceania and the new MLIW. For Martha was beautiful and heart wrenching. I would usually say that BWBW should be on the shelf, but it was really a good closer. It really brought the house down. I cannot wait to see them again hopefully in 2012. Billy was just in a great mood and he owned the stage. You can tell he genuinely loves the band he is playing in right now. A lot of interaction with them all night. When Billy is having fun playing his music, there is no one better.” - smashp1979

“One of the best shows I’ve been to! Billy was in the best mood I’ve seen him in live, and his energy and passion definitely ignited the crowd. Besides the show, the highlight of my night was saying hi to the band and then meeting Billy. Waited more than an hour, but finally got to interact with my musical idol. Funny moment: While waiting for Billy after the show, one of the Catherine guys casually walked to his car down the block saying, ‘Back to work on Monday…’” - HereIsNoY

“Saw both the Milwaukee and Chicago shows. Truly stellar. I don’t think the youtube vids or audio bootlegs come close to capturing what this tour has been like. Dramatic, intense, dreamy. More serious and beautiful than anything the band has done since the revival. The band was in exquisite form and you could see the power of the music overtaking all four members, something that was lacking in the sometimes perfunctory performances of the 07-08 era. Personally, I would have liked to have seen a bit more post-MCIS material…Was thinking With Every Light, In My Body, or Bring the Light would have made fine additions to the setlist to better represent the full SP mythology. But I can’t complain, this was the SP show I’ve been waiting a decade to see!!!” - werideatdusk

Photo by CJ Foeckler

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Pissant
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

Click for 27 pictures from the Milwaukee show on October 13th.

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Media Review

“In tune with the name of the Pumpkins latest project, Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, vibrant pinwheels of lights flickered and shone while two giant mirror-glass daisies spun loopily around the frame. Behind drummer Byrne, a psychedelic kaleidoscope pattern undulated, recalling acid-trip-inspired art circa Woodstock. Audience members cheered as the group rocked hard through Panopticon and Starla, but madness struck when the initial chords of Geek U.S.A. rang out into the crowd. Moving further into the set, the band managed to juggle pensive indifference and stellar musicianship. The sound was rich, complex and loud, just the way it should be. Between songs, atmospheric noises like thunder, calliope music, and heavy reverb fill the air. All the elements of ear-bleeding rock and roll meld with a tone of warmth and compassion. This recipe, along with Corgan’s ability to reinvent himself, is what has kept the group up to date for more than 20 years. Time after time, Smashing Pumpkins deliver unexpurgated sensuality mixed with bacchanal force.

In the opera seats above the left side of the stage, I watched an older pale man take in the show. He looked to be in his mid-70s, but his age didn’t seem to stop him from fist-pumping as though his life depended on it. At the encore, Corgan recognized the man as his father, blues guitarist William Corgan, Sr. He said that Bullet With Butterfly Wings was inspired by the words of his father. The band then proceeded to blow the roof off the theater, while Corgan Sr. beamed and fist-pumped himself into joyful oblivion.” - Rosy Ricks

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Fan Reviews

“The experience I had at the Smashing Pumpkins show in Milwaukee at the Riverside Theater was probably the best I’ve ever had at a concert, and I’ve been to A LOT of shows over the years despite only being 15. This was my first time seeing you guys live, and I’m definitely going to another show when you guys tour again. The mix of old and new songs was fantastic, and I’ve been loving the USB you offered. So from a somewhat new fan, thank you for the great time my dad and I had at the concert.” - JSpiwak

“The signature sound of Billy Corgan filled Milwaukee’s Riverside Theater for The Smashing Pumpkins current tour of the US and Europe. Although the original lineup of the SP is long gone, Corgan still knows how to put on quite a show with the rest of the (quite talented) band. Breaking out hits like Geek USA and Bullet With Butterfly Wings the Smashing Pumpkins brought fans from multiple generations to their feet for the majority of the show. The general admission pit allowed fans to get up close and personal to the SP, unlike a lot of rock concerts that are straying away from the traditional “pit” at certain venues. Using some very technical lighting and visual effects, the band gave fans a great visual experience, complementing the amazing performance.” - Nick Semrad

Photo by Deyanira Sullivan

 Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock

Encore:
17. Pinwheels
18. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Click for 6 pictures from the Smashing Pumpkins show in Omaha on October 11th, 2011.

Photo by Jessica Teel

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Media Reviews

“Cherub Rock and Bullet With Butterfly Wings [were] played faster than I thought they could be played, but whipped the crowd into a crazed state. The band played almost 20 songs in two hours. Songs bled into each other and some tunes seemed to have no end, mostly because Corgan and guitarist Jeff Schroeder spent lots of time noodling around on their instruments and playing solo after solo.” - Kevin Coffey

“Corgan’s new band is remarkably proficient — good players all. His classic Chester Cat-in-heat voice was as good as it was back in the day. And the sound was huge; painfully huge. As always, I had my earplugs. I pity those who didn’t, as the gear stacked on either side of the stage looked powerful enough to fill a good-sized theater instead of humble ol’ Slowdown. You felt the bass.” - Tim McMahan

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Fan Review

“SP went on about 9:50 p.m. or so, and started off with the same setlist that they have been playing. Quasar sounded amazing with the heavy guitars and deep sound. I thought the venue added an extra dynamic (obviously being the smallest they are playing on this tour). Jeff, Nicole and Mikey definitely seem at home, and the band truly is a tight four-piece in my opinion. They played the same setlist up to Cherub Rock, and then they left the stage. For the encore, they played a new song that referred to a mistress…can’t recall the name right now. Then they played Bullet and the show was over. I talked to Billy after the show, and he seemed to have enjoyed it. He mentioned that it was an older crowd and that playing Owata and the other new songs wouldn’t have made much sense to them, but he wasn’t upset or anything. Billy and Jeff definitely have an awesome dynamic going on right now. During Ruby, Nicole’s bass was LOUD, which made Billy laugh and Jeff seemed surprised and kind of shook his head (which was pretty funny). All in all – a very good show. Even though it was an older crowd, the new songs seemed to go over well – especially Oceania. The crowd seemed receptive of the band.” - Shaun Rabe

Photo by Jessica Teel

Photo by Michael Fajardo

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Pinwheels
21. Pissant
22. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Click for 88 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at the Ogden Theatre in Denver, Colorado on October 10th, 2011.

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Media Reviews

“Whatever Corgan and his latest cast of bandmates lacked in crowd interaction, they made up for with heart-rending extensions of the band’s traditional jams. Siva, for example, takes on a life beyond its lyrics, only allowed to end when Corgan has bent is original melody and tortured his own vocals, when a pained and violent screech curdles the crowd’s blood and announces its own end. Every song comes with its traditional length, followed immediately by approximately three minutes of aggressive rock posturing.” - Kelsey Whipple

“Of course, the show was sold out, and chances are not one of those 1,300 were complaining about the amazingness the Pumpkins laid down. The band raged through a set chock-full of songs from both their newest album Oceania as well as many of their old classics as far back as the album Gish. The Pumpkins illuminated the stage with their energy and endless list of hits. The band seemed to effortlessly flow through each song, but with experience and energy that truly captivated the fans. The Pumpkins played from all eras of their discography despite Corgan being the only remaining original member. It was an intimate encounter any die-hard Pumpkins fan was hoping for.” - Josh Barrett, Metromix

Photo by Nathan Iverson

“The show started strong and loud, and as soon as Corgan’s shrill scream pierced the air, a wave of excitement crashed down and filled the room. Corgan stood much taller above his bandmates—guitarist Jeff Schroeder on his left and bass player Nicole Fiorentino on his right—and at times he hunched over to see the frets on his white Fender Stratocaster, which classically hung low to his waist. Schroeder, though he rarely took the spotlight, pulled some deep cuts out of his guitar and led the fire at the beginning of the evening, but Corgan soon took all control and threw his instrument hard to bring up the volume on every solo. Meanwhile, drummer Mike Byrne sat behind his kit and pounded hard on his skins – some of the only times Corgan smiled during the show were when he’d look up to see Byrne thrashing around in perfect rhythm. It wasn’t until the very last possible minute that Corgan addressed the crowd directly. Focused so much on the music that he barely looked up at the audience more than a few times, he took a breather in between the final two songs to thank us profusely before launching into Bullet with Butterfly Wings. It was the only truly iconic song they played all night, but that is classically Pumpkins, and perfectly Billy Corgan. He’ll do exactly what he wants, but he knows just what he has to do to pull you right in.” – PopMatters

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Fan Review

“Last night was my 8th Pumpkins show and by far the most rocking I have ever seen them!!! It was 2 hours and 15 minutes of energy! Highlights were Starla, Soma, the I Am One tease was AMAZING, and Bullet with Butterfly Wings was fresh and full of energy!” - Ryan Spahr

Photo by Nathan Iverson

Photo by Erik Kabik

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata

Encore:
18. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Click for 40 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, California, USA on October 8th, 2011.

Photo by Erik Kabik

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Media Reviews

“The Smashing Pumpkins rooftop poolside on a beautiful summer night. Sounds amazing? Well it was. Sure, it’s not the original lineup and of course some people are going to complain that it can’t be The Smashing Pumpkins with only one original member. Those people are wrong in my opinion because the remaining original member is frontman and phenomenal guitarist, Billy Corgan, and since he’s the voice and driving force behind all that is The Smashing Pumpkins, those naysayers can just talk amongst themselves, I’m not listening. Bands change lineups and as long as the heart and soul of the band remains then it’s The Smashing Pumpkins.” - Karen Mandall

“Elevated above the famed Las Vegas Strip, the evening began with several throwbacks to the band’s earlier years with tracks like Geek U.S.A. and Starla. Eventually, new material from the band’s soon-to-be-released album Oceania began to soar through the venue. One of the highlights of the evening came when frontman Billy Corgan stepped back to bask in the collective voices of the audience. After a roaring and energetic encore, everyone in attendance cheered. As The Boulevard Pool began to empty out, concertgoers left with a greater dedication and heightened love for one of the country’s most acclaimed musical acts.” - VegasNews.com

Photo by Karen Mandall

From Golden Gate Xpress

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Pale Horse
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Pinwheels
21. Pissant
22. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
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Click for 71 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins performing at the Fox Theatre in Oakland, California on October 7th, 2011. Many thanks to Elliott Dozier for capturing the band so beautifully from the front row!

Photo by Clay Lancaster

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First Known Performance

* Pale Horse
* Pinwheels

Photo by Elliott Dozier

Photo by Ellen Wood

Setlist

1. Quasar
2. Panopticon
3. Starla
4. Geek U.S.A.
5. Muzzle
6. Window Paine
7. Lightning Strikes
8. Soma
9. Siva
10. Oceania
11. Frail and Bedazzled
12. Silverfuck
13. Obscured
14. Suffer
15. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
+ I Am One (tease)
16. Cherub Rock
17. Owata
18. My Love is Winter
19. For Martha

Encore:
20. Pissant
21. Bullet with Butterfly Wings

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Click for 78 pictures of the Smashing Pumpkins launching The Other Side of the Kaleidyscope Tour at The Wiltern on October 5th, 2011.

You can watch the full Smashing Pumpkins concert at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA, USA on October 5th, 2011 thanks to DrCopperpot!

You can buy a recording of the show for $25 + $10 shipping & handling at the Smashing Pumpkins Store. A USB will be shipped to you 7 to 10 business days after the performance date. The USB is loaded with a user dashboard that contains an audio player. It’s worth it just for this song alone! Geek U.S.A. @ The Wiltern

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First Known Performance

* Quasar
* Panopticon
* Oceania
* Lightning Strikes

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Last Time Played

* Geek U.S.A. (1999-04-24 – Roxy, Los Angeles, CA)
* Window Paine (1994-08-27 – Lollapalooza ’94, Mountain View, CA)
* Frail and Bedazzled (1995-08-23 – Club SFX, Dublin, IE)
* Obscured (1992-07-23 – Metro, Chicago, IL)
* Thru the Eyes of Ruby (2000-12-02 – Metro, Chicago, IL)
* For Martha (2000-12-02 – Metro, Chicago, IL)
* Pissant (1995-02-28 – Double Door, Chicago, IL)

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Media Review

“They’ve just crushed a true-to-form resurrection of Frail and Bedazzled from 1994′s b-sides collection Pisces Iscariot, closing with a fierce guitar duel that careened from thrashing jags into blistering harmonics out to transcendent squeal. Jeff Schroeder’s head is down, facing his axe, but Corgan is leaning back with arms spread, looking like an angel of the apocalypse, staring at the rafters and soaking up the crowd’s terrific screams.” – Chris Martins from SPIN Magazine

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Photo by Torry Pendergrass

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Fan Reviews

“As far as the new songs, they had some AWESOME solos in them and they continued with the theme of the night, which was PSYCHEDELIC EXTREME. One new song sounded very catchy, and another sounded VERY heavy. Hard to describe what a song sounds like, especially since I am new to Oceania songs.” - Samuel Mills

“The Pumpkins just delivered the most face melting, mind blowing, run me over with a semi-truck 1000 times hard hitting concert I’ve ever ever seen, and I’ve been to my share. The audience AFTER the encore was deafening for what felt like 5 minutes.” - Jase

“I went with a friend who listens to KROQ and only knows the hit songs. So he only knew three songs (didn’t know Siva), but thought it was a good show. I told him that he may not realize it, but he just saw one of the most epic concerts ever. Song after song, I was just thinking “you’ve got to be kidding me, this isn’t possible.” Never thought I’d hear Ruby live. That was the high point for me. They definitely left the crowd wanting more. People hung around cheering for more after Bullet. Even when the crew came on stage people were still cheering for another encore. After a couple of minutes one of the roadies removed Nicole’s mike and we knew it was over.” - ZivotSon

“Easily one of the top 3 SP shows I’ve been able to attend out of about 25ish. I felt like I was robbing a bank with this setlist.” - Jcoriha

“I was there and I have to say that I wasn’t expecting them to be even a shadow of the original band. Boy was I wrong, they knocked my socks off, along with the shirt of the girl standing behind me.” - Steve Stroup

Billy Corgan, Jeff Schroeder, Mike Byrne and Nicole Fiorentino of the Smashing Pumpkins are returning to the road this fall for an intimate 13-city US tour. The fall trek launches in Los Angeles on October 5th, 2011 at the Wiltern Theatre and wraps in Philadelphia on October 22nd at the Tower Theatre. Mixing classics, deep cuts and a few songs from their upcoming album “Oceania”, the Smashing Pumpkins will be touring Europe for the remainder of 2011 and the rest of the world in 2012.

Bystarlight.org and Crestfallen.com are teaming up to cover the Smashing Pumpkins world tour. There is going be a weekly blog that will provide show setlists, concert pictures, audio/video links and fan reviews. If you would like to add your live show pictures into the archive, please send them to admin@bystarlight.org with proper credit info. Alternatively, you can add me as a friend on facebook and tag the user “SPpictures” for your photos and videos. We are looking forward to documenting the tour!