The Smashing Pumpkins @ LunaPark, Sydney (16/10/2010)

Wed 20th Oct, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Hearing so many people complain that they couldn’t get tickets to this show could make you wonder why Luna Park’s Bigtop was the selection for the Sydney leg of The Smashing Pumpkins Australian tour. Whilst many bands of their era and style still maintain healthy sales and large fanbase amongst younger audiences, The Smashing Pumpkins had had to deal with a complete change of lineup (minus Billy Corgan ), and floundering popularity may be the only explanation.

Generally you expect a well known support for a well known international touring band, yet thanks to the fate of a shared producer we end up with City Riots. To their benefit, Sydney has made the effort to show up early with a rather healthy crowd filling the venue, generally staring at the stage and talking about the last time they saw The Smashing Pumpkins play. Sure it was good background music but certainly only bland four four count, Neat and tidy, but predictable pop rock that was always going to be blown away by the headline act.

As The Smashing Pumpkins new 44 song epic Teargarden By Kaleidyscope is released a song at a time over the coming year or two, Billy decided to bring his little collective to our foreign shores to show us his new wares. A new lineup made up of Jeff Schroeder (who isn’t so new) on guitar. 20 yr old Mike Byrne on drums and the so called hottest bass player on the planet, and band hussy Nicole Fiorentino (formerly of Spinnerette and Veruca Salt to name a few).

The set beings with the apt query of “Are you with us, or against us tonight?” of Vampire Diaries soundtrack song The Fellowship followed by Lonely is the Name. The crowd took this in its stride with polite reaction before a raucous applause welcoming Today. Billy quickly reacts thanking the crowd and asking “Why didn’t the first two songs get that same applause?”

A good mix of songs were on show tonight showing this is not a tour to cash in on old material but an attempt to impress new material on those most willing to listen. A splintering of tracks from throughout The Smashing Pumpkins career made up the set with the addition of new songs like Astral Planes and A Song for a Son bracketing Ava Adore. But it wasn’t until Bullet with Butterfly Wings that the crowd realised where they actually were.

United States flowed into Billy’s smooth and sexy guitar apt solo of the Star Spangled Banner which in turn flowed in Mike Byrne’s mighty impressive Moby Dick drum solo which provided the rest of the band with a half time break. Upon return to stage Billy moved into what seemed to be a stand up routine which fell onto a tough crowd. Whilst some of this was amusing, it fell fairly flat and everyone just seemed to want Billy to shoosh up and start thrashing his guitar. The “very pretty” new single Spangled up next followed by Mellon Collie’s Stumbliene slowly rebuilt the crowds praise.

What more could the crowd ask for next than the double hit of rarely played pure rock blitz of Cherub Rock and Zero. Definitely the most pleasing section of the set so far with many stating that hearing either of those songs would have made the night worthwhile. The set slowed again from there with Stand Inside Your Love, Shame and the melodic catchy rock of newie Freak. Tonight Tonight and Tarantula closed the main set of what was really a well balanced and organised selection of tunes.

The encore was up next and all who were following the setlists for this tour were expecting the band to return with acoustic guitars for the Fleetwood Mac cover Landslide. To our surprise a Marshall stack is dragged to center stage and to nobodies disappointment a healthy looking Craig Nichols and a fellow member of The Vines stand up and break into Get Free with Billy on lead. The band had not had any fun like this all night. Billy enjoyed it so much that his grin even made Mr Nichols smile.

Following a verbal warning of bad reviews and 30 minutes song length, The Smashing Pumpkins closed with Gossamer, a distorted, layered, slow, loud, ever changing instrumental which is the oddest way to finish a concert I have seen. Almost an invitation for the crowd to start dispersing, and yet, the loyal fans stayed to the last note showing the respect which in the end you cannot say the band did not deserve.

Check out the photos from the gig