Music Banter - The Smashing Pumpkins @ Manchester Evenings News Arena

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The Smashing Pumpkins @ Manchester Evenings News Arena

Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong place, still getting used to things here I guess.

***

I'd been looking forward to this for a while now, but I'm disappointed. I really want to say I enjoyed tonight. I still love the music of The Smashing Pumpkins and I think Billy Corgan is a genius, but tonight I feel so uninterested. Usually after a gig I'm in a sort of euphoria, and I'll want to listen to said band's music for days.

A few things weren't right. It's not really the fact that they didn't play the encore of two songs that they had planned which bothered me, it's the fact that Billy Corgan didn't really seem to be too interested and showed little energy and passion. That's not completely his fault though.

The first thing that hit me when me and my friend walked into the arena was how empty it looked. I've been there a handful of times now and each time I've seen it, it's been packed and busy - tonight it was barren and desolate. The higher tiers were closed off, as were some of the lower tier sections. The entire back of the arena had about 10 - 20 people there, at the most. From our perspective, things looked pretty bad sales-wise.

But at that minute I didn't mind. I sat down with my recently bought t-shirt and watched Oceansize, who sounded like my sort of thing. The arena slowly filled up a bit more, yet it still seemed empty. I didn't think much of it until The Smashing Pumpkins actually hit the stage - and instantly the problems all made themselves completely clear.

The atmosphere was the worst I've been experience to. There was very little energy from the crowd until Tonight, Tonight began - of course, everyone was excited at the commercial radio material. It was pretty obvious from the surrounding crowd that we weren't sitting amongst many proper Smashing Pumpkins fans - instead we sat with a crowd of nostalgic people who liked what they saw on MTV in the 90s.

The lack of energy from the crowd reflected on stage. Jimmy Chamberlin is still, without a doubt, one of my favourite drummers and his playing was incredibly impressive, but even he seemed fairly uninterested. The bassist and keyboardist - whoever the heck they are these days - seemed cut off from the male members altogether. The only thing capable of cutting the tension in the arena was a chainsaw.

When they finally did pull out the hits and played them all in one collective lump, the crowd was slightly more animated, but the lack of enthusiasm from the band was clear. At points, these songs just didn't sound convincing enough. If I had to list bands that sound emotionally effective, The Smashing Pumpkins would be floating around near the top somewhere, but tonight many songs which are beautiful on the albums were sped-up, forced, mechanical and lacking something.

Apparently we got a good deal compared to Nottingham last night though - Billy Corgan walked off mid-set, apparently.

The Smashing Pumpkins just aren't a big arena band anymore (at least in the UK). If they had played in smaller venues, like the Apollo, they could easily have sold out two or even three nights consecutively, which could've been ideal. The atmosphere would've been better without a doubt, and the right sort of people would've bought tickets. Actual fans, maybe.

However, it wasn't all bad. Some of the songs did sound great - songs like Today and Bullet With Butterfly Wings are timeless, and the crowd felt that. It's just a shame to see such a brilliant band look so uninspired and passionless.

An encore was planned, but apparently we just weren't worth it. I'm pissed off at the fact that I missed out on seeing Cherub Rock live, especially since my friend who I'd only introduced to the band a while ago really likes it too and I'd guess it's his favourite Smashing Pumpkins song.

The only way I'd go see them again was in a smaller venue. Even then, it'd be a push, unfortunately. I'll continue to follow the band because their music still sounds good to me, but I'm not sure if I'd rush to see them live now after such a disappointment. It had all the potential - just not the execution.

Smashing Pumpkins and disappointment in the same sentence? Well I'm inexplicably shocked.

Corgan hasn't been bothering for about 15 years.

I'm surprised it's taken people so long to catch on to this.

I was going to see them when they came to Vancouver...........but their new album was ****, so I decided to spare myself the money and not go

I'm amazed the M.E.N. booked them at all.
In an indoor arena with a 20,000 capacity no wonder the atmosphere was flat.

I don't like the M.E.N. at the best of times.
The acoustics are crap and unless you get good seats it's hardly worth bothering going at all. Unless you take binoculars.
Every time a big band hit town that I want to see, I groan when I find out they're set to play the M.E.N.

I was lucky enough to be in standing and I thought it was Brilliant although the sound was muddled at times (Typical of the MEN) I agree with the original poster that the band lacked much intensity I could see them trying at times but like the original post said soem songs seemed forced and I couldnt believe how empty the seating sections were when i looked up (from standing LOL) when i went to see Arcade Fire it was near enough a sell out and i was expecting the same from such an influential iconic band who hadnt played in the city for like 8 years.

the support band Oceansize were pretty damn good too, their last song was epic brilliance.

gutted the pumpkins didnt play Zero though

http://photos-389.ll.facebook.com/ph...43254_9108.jpg

My videos are much better
i managed to get the whole of the epic United States

there's 3 vids from the gig on my myspace profile

MySpace.com - The Head - 21 - Male - Manchester, UK - www.myspace.com/britishpharaoh

I'll upload mine later and post them i was stood near enough to where these vids were taken

Yah, the SPs aren't anything worth mentioning anymore. I might go and see them if they were playing the whole Siamese Dream album or something. Fat chance of that ever happening. Besides, I don't even see this reformation as The Smashing Pumpkins. Only 2 of original line-up remain. Course, Billy Corgan's the only one who counts anyway, but it'd have a totally different feel to it.

Corgan shoulda stuck in his solo career and continued writing awful, though adventurous, garbage for 10 years.

Hope Corgan read this comment from a fan at the Nottingham gig posted on the SP's myspace page

Quote:

My all time favourite band announced a tour.

Smashing Pumpkins? WOW I thought. I got my tickets for Nottingham as soon as they went on sale. Then my idol just ****s on me.

You know what Billy? The moment you go onstage, you're there to perform, it doesn't matter if there are 3 people in the crowd or 3 million. In fact it doesn't matter if the entire audience hate your music- you go onstage to perform. Just one encore would have been enough. Was it because of that bum note in "1979"? Hell I've played heaps of bum notes onstage. You dust yourself down and just get on with it. Not run away in a strop! Was it because the audience weren't electrifying? So ****ing what! When people buy your records and your t-shirts, and line your pockets and buy your bloody guitars, the least you can do is play a show for them!!

I'm seeing this more and more, and as a musician myself, I promise to never get to a point where I think I'm better than my fans. I would play though 3 watt amps in a room full of people who hate my music, and I would play from the second I go on to the last note of the last song. If one person in my audience likes me, that is more than enough to keep me happy because I play music because I love love it. It's my life. And I'd of chewed off my own leg to be where you were on that stage, playing to all those people.

Real musicians don't want to be rock stars, they want to write the best music they can and get it heard and loved by as many people as they can!

I don't hate you Billy, I could never do that- your music has inspired me beyond anything that words can say. I'm just severely disappointed. I waited years and years to get the chance to see you live in concert. And if I was in your shoes that night, and you were the one who's eyes were tranfixed on me and my guitar, I'd of finished the set for you and you alone.

I agree with that guy for the most part. What annoys me most is that there were people in there (me included) genuinely enjoying the music and the concert apart from the fact that they didn't seem bothered - isn't the effort worth it for them at least? Without them, a band is nothing so it's not much to ask for, really.

Pumpkins are one of my favorite bands. I'm slightly worried about Corgan, as he's showing the same level of uninterest and bordem Kurt Cobain showed during his final tour of europe. It may seem silly to think that he would kill himself, but it's not impossible :(.