The Smashing Pumpkins and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have joined forces for their summer tour, and made a stop at Tinley Park.
Although it may not have been marketed as a 90s walk down memory lane, when these two names come together under one billing, you can’t help but think that. That’s not to say that either band are stuck in yesteryear. Far from it, in fact. The first half of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds‘ set concentrated on their material, launching into the first five tracks from their 2017 Who Built The Moon? in chronological order. Gallagher teased the audience by asking if there were any Oasis fans in the crowd, before making them wait that bit longer by performing the singles “Black Star Dancing” and “This Is The Place.”
The latter half of the set turned into an all-out, venue-wide singalong as they indulged the audience with four Oasis songs that you can’t help but join in to – “Wonderwall,” “Little by Little,” “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger.” The hour-long set gave a bit of everything – some new, some old – just enough to satiate the fans’ appetite.
Last year, there was a lot of excitement and buzz around The Smashing Pumpkins when it was announced that James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlain were rejoining the band for a reunion of sorts for the Shiny and Oh So Bright Tour. At the time, it was unclear whether they were only going to be part of that tour, or if it was going to be an ongoing affair. Much to the joy of the fans, Iha and Chamberlain have continued to perform with former bandmate, Billy Corgan. It seems that Chicago can’t get enough of the hometown band, as they sold-out two nights at the United Center just last August, and then also the Aragon Ballroom in December as part of The Nights We Stole Christmas.Their set had something for everyone as it reached back through their lengthy back catalog. Opening with “Today” from Siamese Dream, quickly followed by “Zero” from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the tone was pretty much set for the evening as Chamberlain made his presence known right from the very beginning. The combination of Corgan, Iha and Jeff Schroeder made for a very guitar-laden set as they each brought their own flair to the evening.
The set was a psychedelic dream with colorful large inflatables adorning the backdrop of the stage, with Corgan, as always, stepping up to the plate when it comes to showtime outfits and makeup. More than anything, these guys know how to put on a live performance, an art that is sometimes lost these days. The stage was dressed in a way that did not distract from or over-power the musical content, yet added just enough “show.”
As always, it was the likes of “1979” and “Tonight, Tonight” that prompted the involuntary singalong, whilst two set staples which always stand out at any Smashing Pumpkins show, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings and “Cherub Rock,” got everybody bouncing.
This 16-date summer tour continues until the end of the month. Click here to check out the remaining dates.THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
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