Wired: Pumpkins’ Best Buy audience “thoroughly confused”
October 28th, 2008 by jjbtags: mark mcgrath, amusing, live
This review by Tom Tabanao is too fun not to share:
Next door, the crowd of several hundred was warmed up by DJ Jazzy Jeff before emcee Mark McGrath introduced Smashing Pumpkins.
One might have expected a set peppered with Pumpkins hits like “Today” or “1979,” but front man Billy Corgan (above right, with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin) was clearly at odds with the situation, and was much more interested in pushing the limits of his audience and hosts. Certainly the band’s most dedicated fans would appreciate a blistering rendition of “Siva” off the Pumpkins’ first album and the debut of the new song “As Rome Burns.” But casual fans didn’t get any of the huge hits.
Corgan punctuated his point with the set closer — an extended cover of Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” which devolved into the Pumpkins’ bald leader pounding on timpani, guitarist Jeff Schroeder on theramin and the rest of the band joining in with a chorus of chirping stuffed bird toys. The performance left the audience thoroughly confused and emcee McGrath at a loss for words.
October 28th, 2008 at 12:48 am
As if the dress isn’t enough to overcome …
October 28th, 2008 at 1:46 am
(1:41 AM) jjb: i love the mark mcgrath thing. even if it’s bullshit that he was speechless, it’s still a hilarious thought
(1:42 AM) davin: yea, funny thing about him
(1:42 AM) davin: sugar ray is totally lame
(1:42 AM) davin: and he looks like a total douche
(1:42 AM) davin: but in a few weird circumstances, 1 being musical celebrity jeopardy…another being something i read or watched
(1:42 AM) davin: he’s a smart guy
(1:42 AM) davin: when it comes to music
(1:42 AM) jjb: yeah he seems bright
(1:42 AM) davin: he totally grasps what he is, and what he represent in the world
(1:43 AM) davin: he’s got an amazing knowledge of 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s music
(1:43 AM) davin: again, taking him at face value i expected him to be a douche
(1:43 AM) davin: so maybe its just a case of lowered expectations
(1:43 AM) jjb: yeah, but then he shouldn’t be that perplexed by what billy is doing. and, maybe he wasn’t, maybe the writer was full of it
(1:43 AM) davin: so in any case, ….yea exactly
(1:43 AM) davin: you said it
(1:43 AM) davin: he shouldn’t be
(1:43 AM) jjb: and maybe he’s not
(1:43 AM) jjb: maybe he thought it rocked
(1:43 AM) jjb: haha
(1:44 AM) davin: we’ll see. maybe he was “wow’d”
(1:44 AM) davin: specchless and all smiles
(1:44 AM) davin: vs speechless and all confused
October 28th, 2008 at 10:48 am
October 28th, 2008 at 11:34 am
First off, thanks for promoting my little article. :)
I guess it’s a slight embellishment that Mark McGrath was at a loss for words. It’s not like he stood there with his mouth hanging open. What happened was, after Set the Controls, the band made their way off-stage and McGrath came out to wrap things up. I don’t know if he had something already prepared to say, or if his words were genuine, but he was saying things like (and I’m paraphrasing) “That’s one of the best bands you’re ever going to see.” It really seemed like he was caught off-guard and was trying hard to convince the audience that what they saw was actually really great. I think he dug it, though. I got to say hi briefly to Ginger afterward and said how hilarious the setlist was, all things considered, and she laughed and said she was right there with me.
October 28th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Thanks for the commentary, Tom. It was pretty hard for me to believe that we were talking about the same Mark McGrath here. I mean, didn’t he host the entertainment show, Extra? Hard to imagine that he’s a guy who’s ever at a loss for words.
And I swear, that song will stay on Adult Contemporary radio stations ad infinitum.
October 28th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
cool, thanks for Tom. i figured someone with as much appreciation & knowledge for good music would be more stunned by joy rather than confusion. :-)