Billy Corgan, lead singer of The Smashing Pumpkins, plays the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. (Photo by Joseph Nuzzo)
The Smashing Pumpkins burst down ‘90s alt-rock memory lane in Brooklyn this week when they became arguably the edgiest band yet to take the new Barclays Center stage.
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Founding frontman Billy Corgan, the lone Pumpkins member still with the band after a breakup and string of line-up changes, teased fans waiting for the hits while he first played their latest “album within an album,” Oceania.
“If I’m in the mood…we’ll get around to playing some of those dusty classics,” Corgan told the crowd Monday before launching into the new album’s title track.
He first wished everyone a Happy Halloween, joking about how their original Oct. 31 performance at the venue had to be rescheduled following Superstorm Sandy.
After wrapping Oceania but before launching into those “dusty” tracks, Corgan revisited the Pumpkins’ early psychedelic streak by covering David Bowie’s Space Oddity.
Once they got around to the classics, the Pumpkins mostly revisited their breakout sophomore effort Siamese Dream and the recently reissued double album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
The only exceptions to this were “Ava Adore” and an arty new track dubbed “The Dream Machine.”
Dream hits revisited included Disarm, Hummer and Cherub Rock, which came during the encore. MCIS fans were pleased to hear X.Y.U, Tonight, Tonight and Bullet With Butterfly Wings. Corgan closed out the show with Zero.
Those who missed the show need not worry. Although it was the last date on their Oceania tour, video cameras were rolling for DVDs of the concert that are being produced—there’ll even be a 3D option.
Aside from watching Corgan do his best Victor Cruz salsa dance and Tim Tebow pose, there’s also a bit of sarcastic soul-baring to be had.
“Now back in the day, NYC proper didn’t quite know what to think of SP,” he said between songs. “A little too weird, a little too psychedelic, a little too solo-y. And I’ll never forgive you. I still got a bitter pain in this heart, whatever’s left of it.”
