"Sonic Assault: Smashing Pumpkins Prove They Are on Top of Rock with Assembly Hall Performance"
Show review of the January 18 show
Indiana Daily Student -- Jan. 20, 1997
by Troy Carpenter
(Transcribed by Jason J. Briggeman)
When the lights finally went down around 9:15 p.m. Saturday and the delicate piano strains of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" began to flow out of the speakers, Assembly Hall was transformed into a sea of lighters. Hearkening back to hard-rock viedos from the '80s, this was the first sign the show to come would be performed by one of today's most powerful rock bands.
The Smashing Pumpkins took the stage with the lights out, and once "Mellon Collie" was finished, launched right into the aggressive "The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right)," as the stage came to life. Huge screens on both sides of the stage flashed psychedelic video of a guy in sunglasses, and the drapes behind the stage dropped to reveal a huge scaffolding in the shape of a rocket, from which colored lights radiated throughout the room.
For the next two-and-a-half hours, the Pumpkins wreaked havoc on the crowdm exacting a sonic assault that left thousands with their ears ringing. The band proved the exponential sales of their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, are justified, and the group has more endurance and willpower than most of its contemporaries.
Their exhaustive set featured 18 songs, most of which were culled from Mellon Collie, but also included old favorites "Rhinoceros" and "Siva" from their debut album, GishSiamese Dream, "Disarm," was included.
Each song in the set was given an extensive treatment. The longest song in the regular set was "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans." The three encores got progressively longer, culminating in an all-out jam that stretched more than 20 minutes and included parts of Siamese Dream's "Silverfuck."
Openers Fountains of Wayne had brandished their alterna-pop sound earlier in the evening and were well-received but not respected nearly as much as the Pumpkins. The Fountains had some catchy tunes and a well-formed style of jangly pop that is lovable at first but wears thin on a longer listen.
On the strength of the single "Radiation Vibe," the band is doing well with the easily-swayed young MTV generation. Listeners who are a bit older have already heard most of the Fountains' hooks on records by the Connells, Teenage Fanclub or the Ocean Blue.
The Fountains carry themselves so well, it almost seems as if they know their music is cheesy, and there is a sense of irony involved. The band served as an effective opener for the Pumpkins as it entertained but didn't require too much thought by the audience.
The Smashing Pumpkins were the true headliners and this was never more obvious than during "Zero," when anthemic lyrics and breaks in the song provided the perfect forum for a sing-along. Norman Rockwell would likely shudder at the sight: more than 10,000 American youth screaming at the top of their lungs "God is empty -- just like me!"
Lead singer/guitarist Billy Corgan, the author of the above phrase, is one of the few voices that have defined '90s youth through musical success. With Kurt Cobain gone and Eddie Vedder shedding his angst, Corgan is the closest he's ever been to being the sole spokesperson for "Generation X," and he is playing the part well.
During the show, he dedicated a song to "anyone who has ever been yelled at by Bobby Knight," ("Muzzle" :) wielded his guitar like an ax and fell to the floor as he began writhing at just the right point in the guitar solo during "x.y.u."
Though the band (especially on older numbers) missed the instrumental prowess of former drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, replacement Matt Walker held the job sufficiently, and bassist D'Arcy Wretzky and guitarist James Iha also excelled in their positions.
But it is Corgan who has the true star power of the band. As he strutted around the stage after the other band members had left and the lights had turned on, it was clear the power of his persona was the focal point of the performance. Though the band's long-windedness had sent some fans packing earlier during the encores, the Pumpkins rocked until they felt like stopping.
And that is the mentality that has saved the Pumpkins from near self-destruction and placed them at the top of their profession.