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Circus Magazine - November 1996
Dateline-Music News Aftertaste
By Jessica Letkemann

(Contributed by Irene Tien)

The Smashing Pumpkins treated their attentive fans in their hometown of Chicago with a secret show at a small club a few days before their return to touring. New touring members Matt Walker of Filter and The Frog's Dennis Fleming performed.

The surprise show at 1pm on August 16 was at an 800 person capacity club called the Metro. A local radio station announced the show the previous day, and tickets went on sale just an hour after the announcement. Proceeds from the $12 tickets for the sold out show went too Christmas For Kids, a Chicago area charity.

Those lucky enough to snatch up tickets were treated to two hours of music from the bands' latest disc, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, as well as a smattering of songs from previous albums Siamese Dream, Gish, and Pisces Iscariot.

Dennis Fleming's brother and Frogs bandmate Jimmy joined the Pumpkins on "1979" and on ad extended improv jam. The band was talkative. Guitarist James Iha bantered about his collection of frozen things and Corgan's played silly tricks of catching guitar picks in his mouth. They politely didn't comment on firing longtime drummer Jimmy Chamberlin or on the death of keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin.

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