The Smashing Pumpkins

Aug 31, 2010 by Cali Sanford

Small Venues USA Tour

with Kill Hannah

July 20, 2010
Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

If you drove past Revolution Live around sundown on July 20, chances are that you saw the line forThe Smashing Pumpkins and Kill Hannah show snaking through the parking lot. The Smashing Pumpkins have begun a tour where they play only in small venues – boy, do those tickets fly off the shelves! Revolution’s staff told me that the tickets went on sale at 8 a.m. and were gone by 1 p.m. on the same day. They were as amazed as I was about the number of dedicated fans.

When I walked inside the venue, I could see just what sold out really looked like. From the merch table to the pit to the balconies, the place was packed; I heard more than one person mention claustrophobia. At 8:30 p.m., alternative rock band Kill Hannah was scheduled to come on. The band from Chicago got on stage with incredible energy and began playing “The Chase,” a song from their 2008 album Hope for the Hopeless. The show progressed with Mat Devine, the lead singer, dedicating the decade-old “Nerve Gas” to his band mate and friend. Between songs, he excitedly explained to the crowd that he used to sneak into Smashing Pumpkins concerts and was honored that they ended up on stage together. The entire crowd went wild when they heard the first few chords of the band’s last song “Lips Like Morphine” from 2006′s Until There’s Nothing Left of Us. This band was truly one of the best I’ve seen live, especially in a small venue. If you get a chance, they are definitely a go-see.

“Between songs, Mat Devine exclaimed to the crowd that he used to sneak into Smashing Pumpkins concerts and was honored that they ended up on stage together.”

After Kill Hannah packed up, The Smashing Pumpkins set up their gear. The crowd, filled with people of all ages, went crazy when they got their first glimpses of the band members. When I talked to some fans, it was clear that a few were new to the music. Most people in the venue, however, had been fans of Smashing Pumpkins since the late ’80s. The group began their two-hour-long set with the soothing “A Song for a Son” and “1979,” eventually working up to “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” off of their 1995 mega-hit album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. I was impressed by their bass player of only a few months, Nicole Fiorentino. Her hands moved quickly and fluidly, almost so that it seemed as though they had a mind of their own. The only real complaint I had about the show was that at points Billy Corgan’s vocals were not set to be loud enough; however, he still did a wonderful job singing.

For a band that has been through so many members, there was still a classic feel to the performance. When I started heading toward the exit, I was surrounded by so many people it made my head spin – it seemed that the entire city of Ft. Lauderdale was packed into the room. I went home sweaty and tired from the show, but I can say it was worth it!