Olympics? What Olympics?
August 8th, 2008 by jillysptags: tour, blogging, live
We’re about ten minutes from the house lights going down at Adler in Davenport, Iowa and the Smashing Pumpkins taking the stage for the first set of their US tour. As you can see below, we’ve stocked up on supplies at HU Central in Brooklyn in preparation for the livebloggin’ fest tonight should become. Stay tuned!
7:25pm CST: JJB says, “Testing. We are inside, we are inside now.”
8:08pm CST: No word yet, but check out these stunning photographs from rehearsal while the countdown continues. There’s also a behind-the-scenes video SP.com has put up and is quite nice. Check it out below.
8:30pm CST: It seems as the show hasn’t started yet, as JJB is now sending me random pictures. One, of a Smashing Pumpkins pick he’s holding, and another of what looks to be HU reader “MonteLDS” on patrol in the venue. Apparently he’s attempting to liveblog the show too; unfortunately, your computer will die in a fiery crash of ads if you try and read it.
8:33pm CST: JJB says, “Tarantula.”
8:36pm CST: Song number two is a new one, which we’re presuming will be “G.L.O.W.” according to sources.
8:41pm CST: “Siva.” And then there was light:
8:46pm CST: HU reader q-dog is also on the scene and promised to send colorful comments my way tonight. He reports the show is being taped tonight by several folks. When asked to provide a colorful comment about the new single, “G.L.O.W.” I got the text: “It’s ok.” Brilliant. [ed note. Okay, q-dog’s internet connection dropped at the venue and I missed a later message he sent to say he was just kidding - “G.L.O.W.” was awesome. PHEW, thanks q-dog! There was no way it could be bad with an acronym like that.]
8:49pm CST: “Eye.” In q-dog’s defense, he did say: “‘Siva’ was really cool. Had an intro and extended solo part, but faithful to the Gish version.” Great — not time to rework a classic just yet.
8:53pm CST: JJB reports they’re now playing “Mayonaise.” q-dog reports that “Eye” had an extended solo and was also similar to the album version.
8:59pm CST: “Tonight, Tonight.” q-dog says there’s no piano intro from Lisa, so it’s obvious they’ve reworked the song again! Wait — scratch that. He says it’s back to the studio version once again.
9:05pm CST: “Speed Kills.” q-dog has now resorted to belittling me with his comments: “Speed Kills. You know, the version from the ‘Stand Inside Your Love’ single.” Thanks, smartass.
9:10pm CST: “Transformer.”
9:13pm CST: “Superchrist.”
9:22pm CST: “United States.” JJB sent over two new photos, one here of a soloing Billy Corgan and another below of the light and stage setup.
9:36pm CST: No word; this must be an epic version of the “‘States.” I’ll bide my time listening to “Girl Named Sandoz.”
9:37pm CST: Okay, I spoke too soon - they’re now on to “Once Upon a Time.” Now that’s gotta be a transition.
9:41pm CST: “Again, Again Again (The Crux).”
9:44pm CST: “Rose March.”
9:51pm CST: “Today.”
9:54pm CST: Here’s a real shocker. They’re playing “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” for the 462nd time live in concert. JJB claims Billy is saying, “Sing it!” to the audience. In other news, I will now pay attention to one of my kittens, who has decided to attack my fingers as I type. It’s alright though — he’s adorable. Oh, wait, the world is a vampire? Sigh.
9:58pm CST: “The Beginning is the End is the Beginning.” Wow. Interesting choice.
10:04pm CST: “Heavy Metal Machine” into the “White Rabbit” schtick. Haven’t seen this song since last year!
10:14pm CST: “Glass’ Theme.”
10:20pm CST: “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.”
10:33pm CST: JJB says this is the end of the set and they crowd is cheering.
10:38pm CST: “We Only Come Out at Night.” Indeed. And in Davenport, Iowa.
10:43pm CST: JJB reports that they’ve playing a cover with the lyrics, “In the summertime, when the weather is fine.” Looks like it could be a Mungo Jerry cover? Or maybe Shaggy’s remix of the tune. Hmmmm. Mr. Lover Lover is feeling Boombastic.
10:46pm CST: END SHOW! Jason also reports that the last encore was the entire band on kazoo, except for Lisa on organ. Apparently, Ginger’s husband also came out to play accordion. WTF.
Also according to JJB, they’ve changed the riff on “United States” and the audience no longer has the opportunity to fascistly shout “Hey!” every pause. *sniff*
August 8th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Mmmmm…. cold beer! :)
August 8th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
NO WAY. Those fictitious hundred dollar bills are FLYING!
August 8th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
great pic with the lights
and um an unrealted question jill, what is that design on your wallpaper
August 8th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Ru-by! Ru-by! Ru-by!
August 8th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
LOL — they’re actually curtains my boyfriend and I put up just tonight. It’s such a horrible picture, but they’re actually black and white floral. Lemme know if you want a better pic.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
i couldn’t figure out what it was, it kinda looks like brocoli. lol
and thanks for answering my silly question. and you can post a better pic if you want, no hurry or anything.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Haha, broccoli wallpaper would be prety amazing. Wonder if that would exist.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
How many times has Siva been given an extended intro? I’ve heard them extend the slow part and the pause ad infinitum (which is gggreat!). Any news on what Eye sounds like? Am I being impatient?
I’m just so excited by this set so far. Even with Tarantula opening! (I like Tarantula, btw).
That should be the official review of G.L.O.W.: “It’s okay.” That’s all it should say on the cover. Just “it’s okay.” It wouldn’t even say G.L.O.W. on it.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
TRANSFORMER? this is the best tour ever.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
I like turtles.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Also watch this site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesmashingpumpkins/
They are posting (better quality) photos during the show as well
August 8th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Thanks Kirk! That’s the official Media Militia flickr page. :) Should’ve known!
August 8th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
how many songs do you guys predict?
August 8th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
oh wow i cant wait to see a video of beginning
August 8th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
We’re at sixteen already — an hour and a half in? Another half hour — at least. I’m hoping we still have Gossamer, so maybe the song count is low?
August 8th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
am i correct in assuming that they have never played “beginning” live EVER?
August 8th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
according to spfc.org, beginning has never been played live.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
This show sounds cool. I’m down with this liveblogging thing.
at necks
August 8th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
me too
August 8th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Man I love this band. They totally gear the crowd up and then end the set after “Set the Controls.” So funny. PSYCH, dudez!
reCAPTCHA: promoting under
August 8th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Oh my god, kazoos and accordion. Echo the WTF. I love this band… who else?
August 8th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I’m pumped.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:02 am
I’m happy you guys had a good time. I just hope a live recording surfaces in the coming hours, much like the the first show at the Grand Rex.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Hm, I’ve got a total of 11 songs played for the first time since the reformation:
Again, Again, Again (The Crux)
The Beginning is the End is the Beginning
Eye
G.L.O.W
Glass’ Theme
In the Summertime [Mungo Jerry]
Once Upon a Time
Siva
Speed Kills
Transformer
We Only Come Out at Night
If we remove Again^3 from the list (since BC played it solo in 2006), and G.L.O.W, since it couldn’t possibly have been played before, I think we have our “9 new songs that the band has never performed before in this incarnation of the band”. Or, we DO count Again^3 (since the BAND hasn’t played it), and leave off the cover, making it 9 new TSP songs.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Plenty of great songs were played but something was off about this show. It had no flow and there was way too much guitar wankery (Billy playing solo/feedback type stuff). Maybe it was because I was up in the balcony and there was so many idiots in the audience, but this show was terribly sub par for the Pumpkins. It was the third time I’ve seen them since the reincarnation and it was not even close to being as good as the other two times I saw them (Asheville and St. Paul). The main show ended with Billy feeding back on the guitar for ten minutes, then they came out for an encore with kazoos. Sure, kazoos are cool but don’t end the show with them! I couldn’t believe it when the house lights came up and I realized the show was over. I’m very sad to say that the whole thing just fell completely flat. If they do indeed play the exact same set every night (as reported on netphoria), then maybe other fans will see what I mean. It just felt… off.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:43 am
For those wanting to hear GLOW:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOkaVnPAPgw
Also thanks to HU team keeping the global fans up to date from the show, much appreciated!
August 9th, 2008 at 12:44 am
stay home and wack off next time then.
August 9th, 2008 at 1:09 am
G.L.O.W sounds awesome! Can’t wait to hear the rest.
August 9th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Wow, G.L.O.W.’s chorus really is “c’mon c’mon c’mon can you feel the glow?” I just gave myself a fictitious hundred dollar bill.
But W.O.W. at Once Upon A Time and We Only Come Out At Night. I mean, way to include two of my Faaaavvvveeees in one set. But no Pennies. Dang. Maybe next time. (not)
August 9th, 2008 at 1:27 am
And I will never get my “apples + oranjes”. We should riot.
August 9th, 2008 at 1:30 am
First impression of GLOW: Sounds like Spilled Milk
August 9th, 2008 at 1:30 am
no it doesn’t : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOkaVnPAPgw
August 9th, 2008 at 1:31 am
edit - i should read all the posts first yes :(
August 9th, 2008 at 1:47 am
GLOW seemingly sounds like a reworking of the riffs “zoom” and “spilled milk”. Which gets me happy thinking that those old riffs haven’t been forgotten. I want the “black rider”, “dearth”, “the viper”, “knuckles” and “star song” made into full songs now.
August 9th, 2008 at 4:45 am
eye didn’t sound like the album version, sorry q-dog. no synth fuzz bass….all ginger. and she was awesome. she shined on GLOW and Transformer and Eye and Siva.
Speed Kills, Siva, US were the best of the night for me.
Jeff was phenomenal on Speed Kills and HMM. The HMM lead-in to Glass’ Theme was kickass.
Billy was in great spirits the whole time. His new “fuck it” attitude about politics and what peopel say about the band is great. the whole vibe was very refreshing.
mayo had a ton more heart than in euro 08, and GLOW live is great. The Crux was a great moment too…the crowd ate all these moments up as well as BITEITB.
Rock on. Everythign from soundcheck has been played besides Gossamer. THat will be the encore tomorrow night in Hammond, mayb 2nd encore….hopefully.
August 9th, 2008 at 4:46 am
Strangest SP show I’ve seen (#18 overall), but still AWESOME.
GLOW is great music and has a solid drive to it. Lyrics probably aren’t the greatest, but I also couldn’t hear all of them. Anyway it rocks.
All the “new for SP2″ songs were amazing — Speed Kills, EYE, TBITEITB (!!!). Also, the encore was just so much fun. It is great to see the band having that much fun too.
See you tomorrow night!
August 9th, 2008 at 4:53 am
studio version of tonight tonight?…nah much more rapid fire and noisy. in a good way. not as majestic, more thick and driving.
US was epic. faster and tighter than ever. the sped things up, changed up the ending…chopped it a little, but also added more guitar indulgence with jeff. national anthem solo noodling is stll there, but refined.
superchrist *might* have been better than Reading. sorry Billy.
August 9th, 2008 at 5:00 am
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/08/09/news/local/doc489d2a415050c238967178.txt?sPos=1
August 9th, 2008 at 7:58 am
they might ,make brocoli walpaper.
show sounded great i can’t wait to see them on the 12th.
August 9th, 2008 at 8:17 am
From the review:
That was followed by the non-album track, “The End Is the Beginning Is the End,” currently featured in the theatrical trailer for the upcoming comic-book film “Watchmen.”
Wrong song there, buddy.
I never mention the recaptchas that I have to type but this one made me giggle: fat launched. What?
August 9th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Want to hear “Eye” and “The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning”
August 9th, 2008 at 10:42 am
The show was great. Speed Kills was awesome. The slow version of TEITBITE (with Billy walking around the stage holidng the microphone singing). Mayo. Transformer. Very nice.
Pink Floyd’s Set the Controls was a very psychodelic freak out, which you can always expect a good 10minute guitar solo moment from Billy live.
Others have said it, but it was a unique setlist and I am hoping to see a new setlist tonight in Hammond, but if it is the same, I won’t complain.
August 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
*waiting for bootleg*
Where’s my bootleg? How long? Huh? Huh?
*not-so-patiently waiting for bootleg*
August 9th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Oh, and Jill, stop running Windows on your MacBook Pro! Geesh!
August 9th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Mike - OMG, I know. While I was in Vegas, my boyfriend installed XP on the Mac. Apparently, since I took my work computer with me, the Mac was left defenseless. I’m still soooooo mad at him but don’t know how to fix it myself. I want it off the machine — on principle! Every time it boots up with that awful Microsoft sound.. *cringe*
August 10th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Try this Jill, when you restart your laptop, hold down the “option” key. If he installed it the way I think he did, doing this should allow you to boot back into OSX.
August 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Mike — I do know how to dual boot and get back into Leopard, but what I was saying earlier is that I’ve been trying to get him to completely uninstall XP from my machine on principle! It’s XP! On a MAC! SACRILEGE! :)
If I wanted Microsoft, I wouldn’t have bought a Mac. Grrr…
August 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Amen sister. It’s like being Hindu and eating beef. Not cool.
August 10th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
sorry to take this back on topic, BUT….
US end riff wasn’t changed…it was just shifted slightly. there’s still plenty of time for the “hey” to happen…you just have to be a little quicker on the draw because the gaps of slience are smaller, and have fewer obverall # of gaps to shout it. still there for at least 4 chances though.
the biggest difference is the beginning and end of the song…the start is now more spacey….and the original beginning drum part has been moved to the end with some new guitar and extended jam sections.
oh, and the entire song itself seems faster, more driving. its cool they managed to accomplish this while still keeping the solo & anthem in the middle.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
[…] As I told Jill on the phone, the rhythm pattern in the “United States” breakdown has been changed and no longer naturally incites the “hey!”, which I find sort of sad but sort of typical Billy (not wanting anything to be too easy or predictable). A lot of fans who remember the old version of the song did try to yell; I was one of them in Davenport, but in Hammond I became an elitist of the post-”hey!”-in-”United States” variety. (Yes, Davin, you can still yell…the question is whether you should.) ;) […]
April 16th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Transformer -cool!