When the Smashing Pumpkins released their second album, Siamese Dream (Virgin Records, 1993), I was finishing my sophomore year in college, and, like many kids my age, the fusion of heavy metal and progressive rock appealed to me, as did Corgan’s lyrics and angst.  By the time I saw them live, headlining the fourth edition of Lallapalooza the following year—on a bill that also featured Beastie Boys, George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, A Tribe Called Quest, the Breeders, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, L7, and Green Day—songs like “Today” and “Disarm” had cemented the band’s alternative rock bona fides thanks to being in frequent rotation on multiple rock and alternative radio formats as well as MTV.

The band’s next release, the double-album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Virgin Records, 1995)—considered by many to be the band’s magnum opus—would, thanks to their first Top 40 hits, including “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “Tonight, Tonight” and “1979,” find the Smashing Pumpkins crossing over from those rock and alternative stations to the realm of pop (while losing none of their alt-rock street cred). *

So, when I learned that the band would be performing at BleauLive at Fontainebleau Las Vegas as the final stop on their 2024 North American Tour, I thought it’d be a blast to revisit my college years. Having now attended said concert, some thirty years after seeing them at Lallapalooza, I can say that it was a blast, indeed.

As I’d hoped, the majority of the setlist was comprised of songs from Siamese Dream (“Today,” Disarm,” “Mayonnaise,” and “Cherub Rock”), Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (“Tonight, Tonight,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “Jellybelly,” “1979,” and “Zero”), and Adore (“Ava Adore”). And even though I wasn’t familiar with most of the songs from the remaining albums (nor the song from the band’s feature-length documentary If All Goes Wrong (Coming Home Media, 2008), my joy at being there and seeing Messrs. Corgan, Iha, and Chamberlain performing together, once again—deftly supported by Jack Bates (bass), Katie Cole (keyboards, guitar, and backing vocals), and Kiki Wong (guitar)—was in no way diminished.  True to form, Corgan wailed, Chamberlain flexed on the drums, and Iha remained, as always, the coolest cat in the room.

Then, just before the penultimate number of the evening, the audience joined the band in singing “Happy Birthday to You” to bassist Bates as Carrot Top wheeled a table stacked with In-N-Out burgers onto the stage.  Only in Las Vegas, right?

Meanwhile, I’d be remiss not to give a quick shoutout to BleauLive, and specifically the VIP loges that flank the stage.  Unlike so many such alcoves, BleauLive’s loges are not above the stage so much as level with it.  As such, instead of looking down on the performance, those seated there are roughly at eye level with the performers.  It’s a pretty fantastic perspective, and the addition of a dedicated cocktail server and plenty of legroom make these seats particularly choice and well worth the additional ducats.

The setlist from the final stop of the Smashing Pumpkins’ 2024 North American Tour, in BleauLive at Fontainebleau Las Vegas (Friday, September 27, 2024), was as follows:

1. The Everlasting Gaze
2. Doomsday Clock
3. Zoo Station [U2 cover]
4. Today
5. That Which Animates the Spirit
6. Tonight, Tonight
7. Ava Adore
8. Disarm
9. Mayonnaise
10. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
11. Sighommi
12. Jellybelly
13. 1979
14. Gossamer
15. Happy Birthday to You [Mildred J. Hill and Patty Hill cover] Sung for Jack Bates; with band introductions and verses of Thunderstruck [AD/DC cover] and (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction [Rolling Stones cover]
16. Cherub Rock
17. Zero with verses of Ziggy Stardust [David Bowie cover] and Are You Gonna Go My Way [Lenny Kravitz cover] in the intro

The Smashing Pumpkins | 2024 North American Tour
BleauLive | Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Friday, September 27, 2024
Click HERE for more info

Get into it!
#FBLV

[Editor’s Notes:  * Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness debuted at number one on the Billboard 200; received a Diamond certification from the RIAA; and earned the group nominations in seven categories at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year (“1979”), Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (“1979”), Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal (“Bullet with Butterfly Wings”) won, Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and Best Music Video – Short Form (“Tonight, Tonight”); as well as nominations in nine categories at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year (“Tonight, Tonight”) won, Best Alternative Video (“1979”) won, Breakthrough Video (“Tonight, Tonight”) won, Best Direction in a Video (“Tonight, Tonight”) won, Best Special Effects in a Video (“Tonight, Tonight”) won, Best Art Direction in a Video (“Tonight, Tonight”) won, Best Editing in a Video (“Tonight, Tonight”), Best Cinematography in a Video (“Tonight, Tonight”) won, and Viewers Choice (“Tonight, Tonight”)]