Features
Smashing Pumpkins Summer Tour
Forecastle Festival isn’t the only place fans can find the Smashing Pumpkins this summer. In July Billy Corgan and the gang will be visiting intimate venues across the U.S. for the band’s first tour since December 2008.
As the Pumpkins’ only original founding member Corgan says he’s happy with the lineup after adding a new bassist in May and a drummer last summer. Both bassist Nicole Fiorentino and drummer Mike Byrne were snagged after an open audition process. The lineup also includes guitarist Jeff Schroeder.
Rehearsals “have been fantastic,” says Corgan. “I haven’t been this comfortable in a band situation since about 1995. Musically, we seem to have wound our way back to a more kinetic, electric, and psychedelic sound that reminds me of SP in Gish – Siamese [Dream] era.”
The singer says the tour will feature “a balance of classics, a few obscure ones, and new Teargarden material.”
Frontman Billy Corgan holds perfectly still for his photo op.
The trek begins July 6 at House of Blues in Cleveland with U.S. dates booked through a July 24 gig at Minglewood Hall in Memphis, Tenn.
Additional stops include Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio (July 9), Rams Head Live! in Baltimore (July 12), NorVa in Norfolk, Va. (July 15), Music Farm in Charleston, S.C. (July 17), The Ritz Ybor in Tampa, Fla. (July 21) and House Of Blues in New Orleans (July 23).
“We are going to do something unique, which is play an invite-only set during sound check of almost all new, unreleased songs,” Corgan said. “We’re still figuring out a way to make it possible for some of the fans who’ll be in the line outside waiting to get in for that.”
The Pumpkins will rock Forecastle Festival July 10 at Louisville Waterfront Park in Kentucky. The July 9-11 event also features The Flaming Lips, Spoon, She & Him and Devo.
After wrapping the U.S. tour the Pumpkins play Japan with two Summer Sonic festival dates (Aug. 7 in Tokyo and Aug. 8 in Osaka) and two headlining shows Aug. 10-11 at Studio Coast in Tokyo.
The band plans to tour South America and Australia later this year and also hopes to return to the U.S. for more 2010 dates.
Last month the Pumpkins released the four-song EP, Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs For A Sailor. The physical box set is available in record stores and the songs can be downloaded for free through the band’s website. As part of the Pumpkins’ 44-song project, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, the band plans on releasing one song at a time culminating in 11 limited edition EPs that each feature four songs.
Click here for the Smashing Pumpkins’ official website.