The Homecoming Liveblog
November 18th, 2008 by jillysptags: tour, blogging, live
Within the hour, the Smashing Pumpkins will appear on stage at the Chicago Theatre for their homecoming show in the City of Big Shoulders. Marking the beginning of their sold out four-night run, tonight’s show should prove interesting; there are already rumors flying of potential “special guests” and plenty of hype.
HU reader Cara graciously offered to liveblog tonight, so we should be receiving regular updates from her. Stay tuned for her reactions!
6:26pm CST - Cara texts: “Having our own preshow dinner at Elephant and Castle on Wabash and Lake Street, just one block from the theater. Place is packed and they are playing the Pumpkins’ Greatest Hits disc start to finish!! Pumpkins energy is palpable!” Funny, HU blogger Pins was also there earlier for happy hour. He should be wrapping up his thoughts about tonight’s show later this week.
7:00pm CST - It looks like the SPMM Flickr page is being regularly updated, complete with the shot of the marquee below. Ahh, I miss you, city by the lake. At least when it’s not winter.
8:53pm CST - We’re nearly an hour into the show and the first update I’ve received is from Pins. “”New York? Didn’t get the first half of the set. Boston? Not so much. You guys are focused; that’s good. Now he’s talking to a girl in the balcony. Literally.” I am assuming that the first part of this text refers to some ongoing confrontational banter Billy is having with the crowd.
8:59pm CST - Pins responded again, stating that the banter’s weird becaue the crowd is kind of dead. Billy’s going on again: “Oh, good quote. ‘Now that we live in a democracy, you can say what you want.’ BTW, when did it become August again?” I think the latter statement is a testament to Pins’ unwavering decision to ignore all coverage of the shows thus far. He’s catching on quickly.
9:08pm CST - HU friend Davin sends a rogue text Jason’s way: “LOL. Billy tried to get a rise…tried to instigate…but nothing but love from Chicago. Now playing: Today.” Looks like the comments have started.
9:30pm CST - Wow, the texts are picking up, this time from Mr. SPMM himself, Paul. “New Heavy Metal Machine breakdown. More like the original song,” he reports. You know, Zach and I both commented about this at the Mohegan Sun show - they seem to be mixing it up a lot.
10:01pm CST - Now this takes the cake. Pins continues his series of texts, presumably about Billy’s ah.. stageside manner. He paraphrases the banter: “When I go home tonight and masturbate to Sarah Palin, bent over that amp right there, I will think of you. [points to crowd]” Oh, lord. Time to back up the HU servers and prepare for the Blogosphere Armageddon, you betcha.
10:05pm CST - My mobile is blowing up. Paul: “This is insane.” And Pins again: “Billy chant by the crowd after he gives the mic to a guy in the crowd.” Say what?! They’re chanting for him? And some dude has the microphone? I feel like I’m hearing a bizarrely retold modern version of Macbeth. Or something.
10:57pm CST - Well, after nearly an hour with no updates, I’m going to assume the show is over and people are on their way home or out for post-show drinks. I know this isn’t a satisfying end to a liveblog, but consider it a nod to that song. You know, HOTS, the set-ending crowd-pleaser.
November 18th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Cool
I loves me some live blog
November 18th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I would be willing to bet money that the shows have no surprises and go like any other show.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Isn’t this part of the reason why inevitably half of the crowd will be disappointed? I guarantee you that many of the people in that restaurant are listening to the greatest hits and thinking “oh man, I forgot about that one! What a great song! I really hope they play it” about a song they won’t play, and those people will be disappointed and angry when the Pumpkins do something unique and different rather than treading the same ground they did in 1996. Someone needs to send the Elephant and Castle a copy of American Gothic to play, or whatever Pumpkins album Set the Controls is on :)
November 18th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
What’s up with the lack of updates? Kind of lacking….
November 18th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
So confused…
November 18th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
What happened to the Cara updates? And Pins update makes zero sense.. I assume this means there are zero surprises
November 18th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
“”New York? Didn’t get the first half of the set. Boston? Not so much. You guys are focused; that’s good.
To me it sounds as if billy said that
November 18th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
I haven’t heard anything yet from Cara — there’s a chance that reception is spotty there; I always had the weirdest reception when I was working in downtown Chicago. Plus, I won’t lie — liveblogging is not always the first thing you want to do when at a show. :) (Speaking from experience!)
Pins’ update is a surprise, and I do think it makes some sense. At least the way I decode it, it sounds like Billy is giving a backhanded compliment to the Chicago audience. He seems fixated on this media persona he’s developing for himself, but that’s not out of the ordinary.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Ongoing confrontational banter?
haha!
This is growing on me. …..dare I say it? I’m beginning to find it charming!
He’s like that archetypal awful relative that routinely gets surly but livens up a boring get together with family and friends. Even one that he throws in his own home..
I hope he does this routinely, at every stop of the tour now. Every city deserves a patented Billy Corgan asshole moment.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Haha, are they even playing songs tonight?
Because if all Billy is doing is talking, I’ll definitely buy this show from livesmashingpumpkins.com
November 18th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
I think Bill’s confused, the first half the set of both nights was about the only segment of the set Boston “got”.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Billy’s gone rogue!!
rC: “ric Wyckoff” <– not kidding
November 18th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
He’s a MAVERICK!
November 18th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Masturbating over Sarah Palin while bent over an amp!? Has Billy been reading my diary?
November 18th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
you write about billy masterbating in your diary?
November 18th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Your gross Stephen Bayne.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:01 am
DeRogatis posted his show review at 10:12pm? That’s a man who wants to get home.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Just got back home. Show really tripped me out. Particularly HOTS. I really liked it. Should of taken some acid and made a night of it.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:11 am
The main reason for DeRogatis wanting to get home so quick is the stack of Hamburgers his body requires him to eat right before bed
November 19th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Remember DeRogatis’s review of the final metro show? Where he was like, paraphasing, “it was like they were playing career long retrospective”.
I think he had the review already done in his head for the most part. Alot of his little review is fluff anyways.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:16 am
this was the worst show of the tour
November 19th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Buddy, the tour hasn’t ended. This is going to be like Sherman’s March. You have to wait until everythings scorched before you assess the damage.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:32 am
So Billy having by some accounts already said “fuck you” to Chicago in scheduling the Hammond events just outside the city limits earlier in the year left no doubt this evening. Wonderful. Maybe he’ll do another “silent show” tomorrow.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:48 am
Hey, come on — there’s no way Chicago can take it personally!
rC: “Good welcomed”
November 19th, 2008 at 3:56 am
There was a bit of cubs centric banter, also blackhawks for the sake of jeff. That said, he was also pretty active in seeking out agression from the audience toward the end, who didn’t really provide him with it.
Weird crowd, and energy was very ebb and flow
November 19th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I had a friend in high school who had pet parakeets. When she first brought them home she would have to hold them in her hands while they pecked and bit her, until they realized she wasn’t going to hurt them and calmed down.
Sometimes Billy reminds me of those birds.
That is my weak analogy for the day.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:08 am
after this tour. who knows if they will tour again???????????????????
November 19th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Great job, Cara! How you managed to post this and text me is beyond my understanding! Haha.
Here’s my coverage of night 1…
http://consequenceofsound.net/2008/11/19/the-great-pumpkin-homecoming-night-1-1118/
November 19th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Masturbating over Sarah Palin while bent over an amp!?
I don’t think he meant that he would be bent over the amp while masturbating, but that he’d picture Palin bent over the amp.