Memory: The Final Smashing Pumpkins Show

Seven years ago, the Smashing Pumpkins as we knew them played their final show at the Metro in Chicago, IL. This was a crazy time for Pumpkins fans. Four months before, they spread a free album (Machina II – the friends and enemies of modern music) out to everyone. This album was arguably (and I’m arguing it) better than Machina – The Machines of God which had a proper CD release. But the record company didn’t think there would be enough interest in Machina II so they said “Nah.”

Then there was the November 29, 2000 show at the United Center in Chicago IL which was broadcast over the Internet. I remember sitting in my bedroom at Bayshore listening to the show and having this overwhelming feeling of “How can this be ending?” Nowadays, there’s a different outlook on life and if your favourite band breaks up, you move on easily. It’s not like your dog died. But back then there is so much passion put into your favourite band – going to the concerts, owning the t-shirts, having fan sites made for them…it was a part of your life.

The show at the Metro was their final show and it went back to where they started. They had played the Metro quite a few times while growing as a band so it was a fitting end. They ended up playing 4 1/2 hours which is insane. It was filmed for a DVD release but never released to this date which still angers Pumpkins fans around the globe. There were people paying $2000 to go to see their last show. There was a Machina Mystery contest which some girl in South America won which gave her tickets to the show but considering she couldn’t go, she gave them (free of charge) to some fan. Awesome.

I have heard a few songs which were bootlegged that night but there haven’t been any complete recordings that have come from it which I’m bummed about. I think there are some out there but people are just hoarding them for the time being.

In the end, this was the last time that we would see the band with James Iha. Seven years later, the Pumpkins are back with a vengeance but they lost their guitarist in the process (and one could argue their bassist as well but she was gone for awhile already). I dig the new incarnation of the Pumpkins but do yourself a favour today and put on your favourite Pumpkins album and think that seven years ago today, people thought that was it for the band.

Here’s the setlist from their amazing show:

Set 1:

Rocket
I Am One
Rhinoceros
Shame
Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
The Everlasting Gaze
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Spiteface (tease)
Thru the Eyes of Ruby
Blissed and Gone (with the Frogs)
To Sheila (with Linda Rowberry and the Frogs)
Mayonaise
I of the Mourning

Set 2:

Muzzle
Stand Inside Your Love
Perfect
This Time
Go
The Last Song
Last Instrumental
Age of Innocence
Thirty-three

Set 3:

Tonight, Tonight
Siva
An Ode To No One
Drown
Starla
If There Is a God
Cash Car Star
Rock On [Essex]
> Heavy Metal Machine
Today

Encore 1:

For Martha (with Billy Corgan, Sr.)
Born Under a Bad Sign [Jones/Bell] (with Billy Corgan, Sr.)

Encore 2:

Cherub Rock (with Rick Nielsen)

Encore 3:

Disarm
1979 (with Matt Walker)

Encore 4:

Silvercrank