PARIS show discussion thread.

[theFoulLasagna]

Hey guys, I finally got to listen to the live bootlegs from the show. I have to say....the band sounded pretty damn good. Out of the songs I heard, the band sounded tight as hell, and BC's voice was spot on. I have never heard him sing so well, actually. He was hitting the right pitches, and had a good tone to his voice(do I sound like Simon Cowell yet?). To me, the vocals have always been the live pumpkins achilles heel. Jeff's lead work in Tarantula sounded great, very Brian May-ish.....nice tone, also. I hope on the next album he gets to let loose some, and not just play backup to billy. Ginger's playing seemed tight, and with a nice growly bass tone....also, she is very pretty. Jimmy, as always, is a monster behind the kit. Consistently one of the best drummers in rock.......IMHO. In summary.....I was slightly dissapointed that James wasn't coming back, although I totally understand why he wouldn't. But after hearing Jeff rip it up, I am excited to see this band live. They sounded lean, mean, and clean......no GRUNGE to be found....=). I feel this is all I can say since I wasn't there.....let's hope Zeitgeist is great! Also, thanks to everyone who worked so hard to keep us updated with setlists, videos, and mp3's. I'll gladly return the favor if I ever get the chance.


Love,
TheFoulLasagna

P.S.....God and Country sounds like a pretty crappy song. I din't enjoy what I heard of it. The chords were nice, but not sure about the lyrics or the melody. Maybe the album version will be better.

[pulsar]

WHERE THE HELL CAN I DOWNLAOD ALL THE BOOTLEGS SOMEONE MAKE A THREAD WITH LINKS THE TO THEM ALL THANKS !!!

[brendo_91]

HEYMANIMPRETTYSURETHEREISAPOSTONHEREWITHALLTHELINK STOTHEVIDEOSINIT!

[theFoulLasagna]

there was a thread called Paris Mp3. thats where I got them.

[harvey]

[quote=greenkittie]I notice that most of the people complaining wern't even there, saying "omg billys singing sucks!" when all they saw was some shitty phone recording of the concert.

i was at the show!
he could have introduced them! it was more jimmy jimmy and these guys wear costumes cos i told them too... ginger was hot tho and jeff can play.

[r_eg]

Rocket acoustic is awesome...hope we hear that some more

[memories_unwind]

After the Pumpkins broke up, I slowly lost interest in them, Zwan and Billy solo made it even worse. Somehow the interest was still there but I didn`t feel the enthusiasm during the Zwan shows, the solo one was just horrible. I tried to like it but it was sad for me to see Billy Corgan on stage and dislike most of the music that was performed during his solo tour.

But wtf was that two nights ago in Paris?!? Everything came back, the magic, the feeling, everything. Especially Hummer, Thirty-Three, Rocket and Silverfuck nearly made me cry, what a show...

[dronestar]

Originally Posted by valvolux

One stupid Japanese girl was scaring the band and everyone around her with her "Beelee´Beelee, sign ticket Beelee"...although uncomfirmed reports suggest they ended up taking her onboard the bus. OK thats it...it was a great show thats for sure..will be interesting to see how Jimmy´s arms hold out if they plan on doing 30 song shows all tour.

I'd just been to pick up some quality American food at McD's with Kahlo and heard the BEELEE girl screaming. The bus drove off without letting people on.. I think they were glad to get the fuck away from the loonies.

Then I had a drink.

[dronestar]

Originally Posted by pete

I thought Billy was complete fag after the show

heh.

[markpregen]

This dude has a bunch of vids he just posted...

http://www.youtube.com/profile_video...rganitalia&p=r

Gossamer


Zero


Silverfuck


Bleeding the Orchid


Neverlost

[Reyngel]

That Silverfuck clip was the most confusing clip I've seen so far... was is it just Billy and Jeff soloing simultaneously?

[theFoulLasagna]

hey, thanks for the vids. that gossamer song sounded fantastic.....someone said that's a B-side? That sounds like a-side material to me. LOVED the guitar riffs and harmonies.

Thanks again.

[JokeyLoki]

Gossamer sounds fantastic

[darcyismybass]

Originally Posted by pete

I cant tell how pissed i was by that. I mean, people have travelled from all over the world, sign my fucking ticket! That woman who kept shouting Beeleee didnt get let in, i was right next to hear, my eardrum was ruined by that more than the gig. I thought Billy was complete fag after the show, and i hope he doesnt make a habit of ignoring his fans after shows.

Didn't Billy point that out as being one his "problems" with James? Seems pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

[SpFission]

I hope he does ignore the fans, because his fans are mostly douchebags.. case in point this thread / board.

[MisterSquishyHalo]

Originally Posted by darcyismybass

Didn't Billy point that out as being one his "problems" with James? Seems pretty hypocritical if you ask me.

[waltermcphilp]

i think billy should give his fans a little meat and greet. know what im saying?

[markpregen]

finally a review in English

http://www.musiqualite.net/the-smash...ticle-685.html

Reportage - The Smashing Pumpkins live in Paris
The Return of Rock

After a well-publicized breakup in 2000, The Smashing Pumpkins are finally making their long hoped for comeback, starting here in Paris at The Grand Rex on May 22nd. An international crowd descended on this legendary venue for a first glimpse at the band after the replacement of two members, and a curious listen to songs from their upcoming sixth album. It was a Smashing success, and relieved many fears of another failed rock group attempt at a “reunion tour”…Fans got a chance to size up the future potential of one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 90’s grunge/progressive rock scene. In a word: Huge.

by Tiffany Miller 24/05/2007

Following six years of bleak prospects for the group, The Smashing Pumpkins took the stage last night for their first live gig since 2 December 2000. It was an impassioned night at the acoustically favorable venue The Grand Rex, an intimate and opulently decorated concert hall which was packed with the 2,200 screaming fans that were lucky enough to grab a ticket in the few minutes it took to sell out. A three hour performance at the culmination of two years working on the highly anticipated comeback album Zeitgeist, due out 10 July (Martha’s Music/Reprise), they were met with a warm and rapturous welcome back to the stage. Their last show in Chicago in 2000, and subsequent dissolution, saw the splintering off of band members James Iha, who went on to work with A Perfect Circle, and D’Arcy Wretsky, who left indefinitely under obscure circumstances. Corgan himself produced a solo album and formed the band Zwan, but has now returned with the help of super talented drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, and some newcomers: bassist Ginger Reyes (who also sang backup quite effectively), guitarist Jeff Schroeder, and keyboardist Lisa Harriton, who all do an exceptional job of filling the very big shoes of their predecessors.
They played an explosive 29-song set, leading the audience through a hurricane of powerful musical style. Uncovering for the first time some new tracks from Zeitgeist, and a wide range of songs from their previous five albums, they had fans jumping out of their seats and running down the aisles like a wall of dominoes.

The band was dressed in all white, and Corgan came on stage draped in a long white robe, well fitting of his rock-God status. As he reached his arms out wide, tilted slightly backwards and belted out one of his signature howls, the crowd, simply put, went wild. The iconic frontman seamlessly glided into his set like it had only been days since the last show. There were plenty of familiar favorites, such as “Disarm”, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”, “1979” and “Silverfuck.” The riotous punch of “Zero,” coupled with a heavy lightshow artillery, incited a mad rush of headbanging, arms-in-the-air hysteria from the crowd. They also unveiled a few songs behind the release of the new album, including the now leaked “Tarantula,” with its pounding drums and marching bass lines, and the emotionally-charged acoustic “God and Country.” Fever pitched rock sections book-ended an interlude of more demure and melancholic acoustic songs, just as would be expected from a good Pumpkins show. It is a tumultuous ride on the Pumpkins chariot with its constant dynamic shift from placid to violently aggressive, most tracks lulling you into a trance with ethereal keyboards and slow guitar strumming, then slapping you in the face with an explosion of high decibel mayhem. Corgan’s nasal, whining voice is still a debated advantage, but love it or hate it, it is an epitomic scream of angst and fury that will flood instantly through your ears and infect every level of your consciousness like the aftershock of an earthquake.
Though fans are anxious to see the direction the new album goes and how the new band members will play into that, Corgan has always been the defining member of the Pumpkins, and we have faith he will not disappoint. However long it took him to establish his deservedly strong reputation, his musical and lyrical aptitude and determination will ensure it holds up. The band is well-known for their beautifully chaotic, densely layered soundscapes, and from what we’ve heard tonight, there is definitely more pumpkin smashing to be had in the future. All that’s left to ask now is: “Wanna go for a ride?”

Tiffany Miller

[StuP]

One thing I forgot to mention about the show was the presence of cameras in and around the venue. There were 3 in set positions setup inside the venue. Didn't think a lot of it until I looked at my ticket just now and saw that it says www.gdp.fr with Europe 2 TV and Oui FM. Perhaps we might see some Pro shots or audio appear sometime soon?

[theFoulLasagna]

cool review. listening to the full boot now. it's GOOOOD.

[Reyngel]

Originally Posted by StuP

One thing I forgot to mention about the show was the presence of cameras in and around the venue. There were 3 in set positions setup inside the venue. Didn't think a lot of it until I looked at my ticket just now and saw that it says www.gdp.fr with Europe 2 TV and Oui FM. Perhaps we might see some Pro shots or audio appear sometime soon?

Maybe. If third parties are involved with the production and distribution, there's probably a good chance we'll see some of it. But if the Pumpkins are in charge of it, we may never see any of it, just like it's been in the past.

[theFoulLasagna]

thats the way is great.....just now getting to it.

[matthewf01]

Finally getting settled in back home after a short trip to Paris for the first time...

boy what a show!

I've been a Pumpkins fan since I was seven (I'm 20 now), and had never been able to make it to a show for various reasons... but having done Zwan a few times, and Future Embrace, I was ready to see SP!

Anyhow, I took 100 or so pictures at the show, from Orchestra (lower) level, row U, which is unfortunately 2nd from last row... so most of these pics are with my camera zoomed in all the way, making some of them shaky or blurry, and out of focus, but there are a few in there that look pretty great.

You can view the whole collection online through Picasa Web Album here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/matthewf...RexParisFrance

And if you'd like to download them all in ORIGINAL FULL SIZE, I've zipped them up, and uploaded them to MegaUpload here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DKMYALME

[JokeyLoki]

Wow, fantastic pics, matthewf01, thanks!

edit: Well, some of them

[matthewf01]

Originally Posted by JokeyLoki

Wow, fantastic pics, matthewf01, thanks!

edit: Well, some of them

yea, I coulda picked out the shit ones and removed em, but I figured I'd give them all to you.

I report, you decide.

[jackhalo]

Thanks for sharing all the pics. They're great.

[Kahlo]

Originally Posted by pete

I cant tell how pissed i was by that. I mean, people have travelled from all over the world, sign my fucking ticket! That woman who kept shouting Beeleee didnt get let in, i was right next to hear, my eardrum was ruined by that more than the gig. I thought Billy was complete fag after the show, and i hope he doesnt make a habit of ignoring his fans after shows.

that stupid cow stood next to me front row centre the entire gig dancing for the cameras and screaming her stupid head off. After the gig q few of us saw Billy come out the venue and walk straight to the bus and she screamed constantly until it left. I ,ust have been standing close to you. we offered him chips from mcdonalds. he never answered.

[1100ww]

really nice pics, matthew, thanks for those.

[matthewf01]

Originally Posted by 1100ww

really nice pics, matthew, thanks for those.

thanks for the compliment, you're welcome.

[smashapumpkin]

someone on this board mentioned that the new pumpkins members were chosen mostly on looks and not skill.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Harriton

she seems qualified to me