Smashing Pumpkins' classic line up recording a new album & tour*

Maybe - I'd need to play it again to remember.

All I know is that the song - if that's the one I remember - went on for-freaking-ever at the concert I saw, and it seemed absurdly self-indulgent.

Like I said earlier, I'm loathe to leave a concert before it ends, but enough was enough!

 

If Billy was smart and wanted to play arenas, lower the price more to guarantee more people in the seats.

 

Yeah, I'm in too for essentially the same reasons.

 

Many shows still have $29 tickets left. Promoters fund these tours with the expensive seats and only have cheaper seats to help make it look full.

Look at the interactive ticket maps on ticketmaster. It's the $130 stuff fans went for first.

 

A phrase that crops up more than I'd care to admit in my mind lately is, "Getting older is a bitch, but it beats the alternative!"

 

Maybe, though I'm not sure it's the price that's making those shows slow to sell - I think it's just a lack of general demand/interest.

Would an arena with all the tickets at $29 do better? Probably, but I still think there'd be plenty of unsold seats...

 

Agreed. I’d rather they do a nice theatre tour instead anyway. Much better sound and more intimate. I’m not a big fan of arena shows anymore TBH.

 

I see this being a bomb without D'arcy. Iha doesn't seem enough to me...but it's nice to see him back in the fold.
Billy needs to be presented with a Draft D'arcy petition

 

I agree. I keep hearing this touted as a reunion but it’s not complete without D’arcy TBH. Although it would probably sell the same even if D’arcy was there. I really don’t see her as being the big wildcard in all this. Would I wanna see her there? Of course but I’m still gonna go anyway even without her being there. It’s was weird seeing them the last few times though without a female bass player. That’s always been a visual aspect of the Pumpkins. They’re pushing that it’s gonna be all 90’s songs though because you know they wanna sell tix.

 

It's crazy to see the difference between ticket sales/demand for SP and Radiohead, two bands that emerged at roughly the same time. SP had the bigger commercial peak, but Radiohead just sold out 4 nights at Madison Square Garden in an instant, and you can still get tix for the single SP show at the same venue.

 

I just got tickets for both tours yesterday. I’m really looking forward to both shows. Haven’t seen either band for many years.

 

I though for sure NYC/LA/Chicago or opening night Arizona would be sold out at this point. All single nights.

 

This reunion news has prompted me to dig out Mellon Collie again. After all these years it is still staggering. So many sounds, so many moods, all so affecting. And to think they recorded 22 other killer songs to go with this monster.

I wouldn't axe one single songs from this set (well, maybe just We Only Come Out At Night).

Like Liberace himself said, too much of a good thing is a wonderful thing!

I suppose knowing that Billy had always been an ambitious artist makes it disappointing that the Pumpkins are going for straight up nostalgia with this tour.

 

I'm 100% fine with big venues. Arenas, stadiums - as long as I'm close to the stage, I don't care how big the place is,

There's also an energy that can come from a giant venue you lose in a smaller place. Not a factor with some bands, but for an act like U2 or Springsteen, there's a lot that the audience can bring to the show.

In this case, the issue becomes the logic of booking a band who don't seem to be all that popular into large venues.

Maybe the tour will end up doing fine, but I expect to see Groupon offers any day now!

 

Maybe Corgan figured if GnR could get away with a 'reunion' that lacked key members, he could do the same!

GnR are a totally different situation, though - much bigger "legacy" band and Slash is much more identifiable to the general public than Iha.

Still a shame Izzy didn't participate, but the GnR tour was certainly an enormous financial success - doesn't look like SP will follow those footsteps...

 

Radiohead have maintained an extremely strong cult over the years. IMO, they're similar to Pearl Jam: commercial peak years ago but still have a very devoted fanbase.

I mean, PJ have sold out multiple 2018 shows at stadiums - even though when I mention them to a lot of people, those people respond "oh, they're still around?"

SP clearly don't have that same level of longterm devoted fan base...

 

I thought the deal here was an ep release before the tour, and then another ep release during or after the tour?

Either way, I think some new stuff will be played, but considering where they're being booked, it's no surprise Billy's looking
to put on an accomodating face by talking up playing fan favorites and suggestions.

 

I hope they play new stuff. I even hope they play stuff from Zeitgeist! Though I am sure that the hype for this tour was 'songs from the first five albums'.

 

Haha.... then you would axe one of my five favourite songs on here

 

D'arcy.....well yeah the picture would look good with her in it, no doubt.
But she seems to be a major PIA to deal with, which can't be a plus in the over-complicated world of Billy Corgan, especially now that Billy seems to be under a lot of pressure to produce a successful project here.

Imo if Wretzky wanted to do this, instead of moaning about nobody calling her etc, etc, she'd be out there telling the public that's she's clean, been working on her chops, ready to work the minute Billy calls her, and is waiting for anyone from the Pumpkins camp to return HER call.
Play it from a position of strength, instead of weakness.

 

It's the only song from the album, or its many b-sides, that I find a bit irritating.

On the other hand, massive works of art are defined as much by their weaker moments as their stronger moments, so... I can live with this song's existence.

 

The song you heard was probably silverf*k.
They end shows a lot with that and it goes on and on. It is an ok song. Many pumpkins fan love it. I find it not that great and goes on too long.

 

No, I know "Silverf--k" and that wasn't it. I like that song!

As we established via helpful setlist links, it was almost certain "Gossamer"!

 

Maybe it was my first exposure to the song that makes it special? The day the album came out I was visiting a friend who was studying in Leipzig. He was living in this enormous 1888 building (toilet bowls made by the official supplier of Her Majesty The Queen Of England), his flatmate had just bought "Mellon Collie" and was super excited by the sheer amount of songs and atmospheres. So that night we went out and when we arrived back at the building around 4am he put on that song really loud. Since we were the only people in this space this wasn't a problem at all. But that was a fantastic moment because it fitted the atmosphere of the place to a tee

 

Anyone know when the UK tickets are going on sale? I want to see them in Glasgow.