Photos and Review by Brad Goldstein – The World Is a Vampire Tour is well underway with only a few dates remaining for fans across North America. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Grammy-nominated rockers The Smashing Pumpkins.
On September 2, 2023, The Pumpkins graced the stage at the outdoor amphitheatre, Budweiser Stage, in Toronto. One of two stops in Canada. They were supported by Rival Sons and Interpol who gave us superb rock performances.
The Everlasting Gaze kicked off the show followed shortly after by a cover of Talking Heads, Once in a Lifetime. The concert goers inclusive of me exploded with admiration when hits Today and Disarm were then performed.
After several songs including Bullet With Butterfly Wings, we are finally introduced to the latest album release from the band. We were treated to Empires, Beguiled and Spellbinding off of ATUM: A Rock Opera In Three Acts. During Beguiled, Billy’s two kids joined onstage with headsets and showed all in attendance how much they vibe with their cool rock dad’s vocals and his band. Being a dad of two myself, this made me have a smile from ear-to-ear.
Billy Corgan’s voice sounded incredible from start to finish traveling through the amphitheatre. Guitar rifts and antics during songs like Manfred Mann’s Hubble Bubble (Toil & Trouble) added another level of attraction to the frontman’s stage presence. Thunderous energy accompanied by dramatic lights were also seen and felt, such as in the immediate burst of song Jelly Belly off of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
During the show, there was a side conversation taking place between guitarist Jake Iha and the onlooking music lovers. Mostly Iha was thanking everyone for coming to rock out. Billy and Jake also included a comical sketch-like anecdote appealing to the crowd talking about adventures at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) earlier that day with the Snowbirds and their love for the city.
Empires, Hummer and Beguiled followed Jelly Belly for The Smashing Pumpkins set. After Beguiled faded off into a brief pause, a roar could be heard when it was noticed after a few seconds that 1979 had arrived, setting the stage for another sing-a-long. In fact Billy calls out to the audience “last one” before the last chorus to initiate the crowd to join in with the sing-a-along. Once 1979 wrapped up, Jake proceeded to do intros of the band members and asked Jeff Schroeder on guitar, what do you got for our Canadian friends? The show concluded with songs Cherub Rock and Zero. Before exiting the stage, Billy gestured to everyone his gratitude while raising the chanting and applause levels.
The 1 hour 45-minute set spanned albums Machina/The Machines of G-d, Zeitgeist, Siamese Dream, Adore, Oceania, CYR, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and ATUM.
INTERPOL
RIVAL SONS
