Smashing Pumpkins Live at the O2 in London, June 8 2024

I went to the O2 on Saturday night to see a gloriously effective show by Smashing Pumpkins. It’s my 5th - I think? - trip to see them (quick check…

1. 1996 at the NEC Arena in Birmingham
2. 2005 at the Kentish Town Forum
3. 2013 at the Wembley Arena
4. 2018 at the Wembley arena (again) and…
5. 2024 @ the O2 arena

… yes, that’s 5) and they were brilliant.

I saw this headline “Billy Corgan doesn’t want to play fan favourites at Smashing Pumpkins gigs: “I don’t care if they’re a classic or not” and had some slight trepidation that they were going to play only Atum or Cyr songs. So, I was pleasantly surprised when they opened with The Everlasting Gaze and included bona fide classics such as Mayonaise, Today, Thru the Eyes of Ruby, Disarm and Rhinoceros.

A real treat.