Last night, Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer opened their joint UK tour in Birmingham. The two bands played full sets of hits, deep cuts, and even some covers. Weezer began the night with a 19-song setlist, featuring ‘My Name Is Jonas,’ ‘Beverly Hills,’ ‘Island In The Sun,’ and ‘Buddy Holly.’ They also played a cover of Hole’s ‘Celebrity Skin,’ which they previously performed at a one-off show in Santa Ana, California. Smashing Pumpkins followed with a 24-song setlist that opened with ‘The Everlasting Gaze’ and included covers of U2’s ‘Zoo Station’ and new music like ‘That Which Animates The Spirit’ and ‘Springtimes.’
This concert was the first with Smashing Pumpkins’ new guitarist, Kiki Wong. They selected Wong from over 100,000 applicants, when they put out an open call to replace longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder. The tour continues throughout the UK, hitting London, Dublin, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Manchester.
Frontman Billy Corgan has announced that he does not want to play exclusively fan favourites at their shows, saying, “I don’t play any songs I don’t want to play. I don’t care if they’re a classic or not.” He added that fans might hear lesser-known tracks and become interested in the band’s back catalogue. The ultimate goal for Corgan is for fans who want to hear older music to come and hear it, but also keep an ear out for new tracks, which might push fans to become more knowledgeable about their discography.
In addition to the tour, Corgan announced in February the development of his new unscripted series, ‘Adventures in Carnyland,’ which focuses on his involvement in wrestling. The show will explore Corgan’s experiences as the president of the National
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