30 years ago this month, the Lollapalooza 1994 festival landed at FDR Park in South Philadelphia, with anthemic alt-rockers The Smashing Pumpkins as headliners; a few days later, a bustling Bay Area punk trio joined the tour at Randall’s Island in New York, riding the irreverent high of their kinetic third LP Dookie.
In the months after Lolla Green Day and the Pumpkins quickly achieved iconic status in the modern rock world, going on to score chart hits, collect Grammys, and have had at least one Broadway production based on their music. Of course, they experienced setbacks and forgettable – and sometimes confusing – moments throughout their career. But overall, they both thrived, so much so that their combined strength brought a sold-out crowd to Citizens Bank Park in South Philly on a rainy Friday night.
At the end of a stormy, rainy week that saw Tropical Storm Debby move up the East Coast, it initially seemed like a rather grey day for Green Day; a late afternoon downpour led to The Linda Linda’s‘ opening set was cancelled. (More on that later.) The first band to take the stage were Berkley punk veterans Rancidwhose half hour on stage was crazy and rifftastic and was heavily influenced by their 1995 classic …And out come the wolves, from “Maxwell Murder” and “Roots Radicals” to “Ruby Soho”.
Rancid | Photo by John Vettese for WXPN
When The Smashing Pumpkins returned in 2007 after a long hiatus and began to find their way in the 21st century, they were very keen not to be a nostalgia band. Under Billy Corgan’s leadership, they began ambitious projects such as song cycles (2012‘s Oceania) and a triple album (2023’s ATUM), everything is conceptual and elaborately produced and pretty good. The band even released a new record last week, Aghori Mori Meithat is dark and focused and somehow reminiscent of her Machina Epoch.
The Pumpkins see themselves as very much in the here and now, but Corgan doesn’t deny the band’s hits, and so their own shows can be three-hour epics that pack everything in. What does that mean for an hour-long set on this tour? All of the above, condensed. Of course we heard “Today,” “Cherub Rock,” “Zero” and “Tonight, Tonight.” And then there were surprises – “Jellybelly,” I wasn’t expecting that, a dark metal cover of U2’s “Zoo Station,” I wasn’t expecting that either – as well as new songs like Zeitgeist“Doomsday Clock” by, which was powerful, progressive and entertaining.
The Pumpkins’ current lineup consists of co-founders Jimmy Chamberlin (in the best possible way as an extra drummer) and James Iha (skulking stage left on guitar), as well as newer band members like bassist Jack Bates and keyboardist Katie Cole. For his part—and in contrast to his sometimes super-grumpy, super-serious personality—Corgan seems surprisingly cheerful to be up there performing, especially while playing with new guitarist Kiki Wong. Already surrounded by so much instrumentation, he had the freedom to put down his own guitar during “Ava Adore,” throw himself fully into the singing and performance, and howl and writhe on the catwalk—which later in the set was the site of a mini-wrestling display with no explanation.
As the band played “Beguiled,” two muscular guys came in, flexed their muscles and fought until the heel was dramatically thrown to the ground. Corgan told the crowd, “We’ll be back on August 21st, at the 2023 Arena, the old ECW Arena.” Important to note: He means he and the wrestlers will be back, not him and the Pumpkins – in case you didn’t know, he has also been a professional wrestling promoter and owner of the National Wrestling Alliance since 2011.
The Smashing Pumpkins | Photo by John Vettese for WXPN
