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Old 09-07-2010, 03:03 PM   #1
bardy
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Please post your recent live show experiences in this thread.

I went to the Sacramento show last night. I was pretty disappointed.

The venue - Good. There wasn't really a bad seat in the place. There wasn't a large space between the stage and the first row of seats, so I was able to get close really easily. Probably the closest I've been at an SP show.

The crowd - Good. They were really supportive and into the show. I don't think Billy could have asked for a better reaction to the music he was producing. Lots of pot smoke though, which annoys me, but that is neither here nor there. Billy commented on the amount of pot being smoked though, and asked the people up front to continue lighting up or the quality of the show was going to start decreasing. I am not if this was from his or their point of view.

The music - Meh. I really am not a huge fan of the new stuff. It's definitely better live, though.

The band - uuuuuuuuuugh. It's just so wrong to see the new people up there playing those songs. I don' t think that they are incompetent musicians, though. It's just wrong. It felt like I was watching a bad cover band. I kind of giggled to myself when I heard the news that jimmy left the band--I was amused that Billy still thought he could tote around the SP flag all by his lonesome. The absolute absurdity of this didn't hit me until I saw them live last night. Its freaking WEIRD to see the songs being played by people who were probably not even able to walk when Gish came out. It honestly made my heart hurt. It would help if they even seemed to be enjoying themselves. That 12 year old drummer was the only one out of them who seemed to be into the music at all.

Billy - He seemed to be having a good time, but his heart wasn't in it. It seemed like he was just going through the motions. Honestly, I was screaming louder than I really wanted to because I felt if the crowd appeased his ego he might try harder. That is not something your fans should feel during a show.

In my humble opinion, he needs to drop the three non-pumpkins, pick up an acoustic guitar, and search that bald head for some actual emotions. Stop soothing the mid-life crisis with trashy women and off-the-wall religious nonsence. Pick up a guitar and write a song about how empty your life is. Isnt that what artists are supposed to do?

On a side note, the neighborhood I live in has a 'concert series' during the summer at the local ampitheatre. It's not a very ritzy place, so they always get washed-up bands to play. The other weekend I went to see YOSO, which is a compliation some of the members of Yes and Toto. On the surface, it would seem that this band was created just to cash in on whatever remaining fame is left over from the 80s. I was expecting to feel embarassed just watching their desperation on stage. But I was surprised--they were together because they still loved to play music and all of the members were having so much fun. You know when I felt embarassed watching someone on stage? It was when I watching Billy last night. I was getting definite whiffs of desperation.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 03:45 PM   #2
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Pick up a guitar and write a song about how empty your life is.
I think this is what we all really want from him.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 04:04 PM   #3
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Petition for Billy to play solo acoustic sets of ultra-sad songs - SIGNED.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 05:42 PM   #4
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I think I would also be happy with either of the following:

Billy playing solo acoustic sets of ultra-sad and ultra-angry songs

Billy consuming large amounts of a mild altering substance and playing any instrument.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 05:48 PM   #5
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ya know, i haven't seen this show in person, but watching the spin broadcast i got the same vibe of 'going through the motions.' and as happy as he likes to tell himself he is with what he's doing now, it's coming off as denial. and this new band sucks.. amazing the levels of mediocrity the current fan base is willing to accept. this is some of the worst shit he's done in years (as far as new songs go and live performance) and people are eating it up. i don't understand it. but to each his own.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:16 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by paranoid View Post
ya know, i haven't seen this show in person, but watching the spin broadcast i got the same vibe of 'going through the motions.' and as happy as he likes to tell himself he is with what he's doing now, it's coming off as denial. and this new band sucks.. amazing the levels of mediocrity the current fan base is willing to accept. this is some of the worst shit he's done in years (as far as new songs go and live performance) and people are eating it up. i don't understand it. but to each his own.
Let me guess- you want Corgan to release re-hash after re-hash of Siamese Dream, uh? Just crank up the fuzz pedals and dime the Marshalls, right. Yeah. They should do it. Hey man, lets revive 1993 completely.

You people are really AC/DC fans, because those guys have been putting out the same album for 35 years, and that is what you want the Pumpkins to do, face it.

I'm not criticizing people's opinions. I'm criticizing the close-mindedness of some fans. What did you all think from 2003 to 2007, between Zwan and Zeitgeist, when the Pumpkins were out of the conversation? Did you all shit on "thefutureembrace"?

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:24 PM   #7
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This talk about Billy "going through the motions" really makes me wonder just how familiar some of you really are with the guy's history. Compare now to late 2008, to the entire TFE tour, to later parts of the Zwan tour, to the later stages of the Machina tour. Those are prime examples of times when Billy's heart and head clearly weren't 100 percent into what he was doing onstage, times where he was clearly looking ahead and/or was at total odds with the people he was playing with. There's really no similarity between now and any of those times.

Really, it's fine that some people aren't down with this version of the band for whatever reason...but it's silly when people continually try and project their disenchantment onto Billy and make it out like he somehow secretly shares their lack of enthusiasm. It just doesn't mesh with the reality we're faced with. For better or worse, Billy is clearly very happy with where things are going with this lineup and the recent touring. Some of you might feel like you're going through the motions going to these shows, and that's okay, but that doesn't automatically mean that Billy is going through the motions playing them.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:30 PM   #8
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TheFutureEmbrace is a masterpiece compared to ZG and TbK.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:33 PM   #9
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He's happy with mediocrity which just proves that his heart isn't in it anymore.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:35 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eyesofruby32 View Post
Let me guess- you want Corgan to release re-hash after re-hash of Siamese Dream, uh? Just crank up the fuzz pedals and dime the Marshalls, right. Yeah. They should do it. Hey man, lets revive 1993 completely.

You people are really AC/DC fans, because those guys have been putting out the same album for 35 years, and that is what you want the Pumpkins to do, face it.

I'm not criticizing people's opinions. I'm criticizing the close-mindedness of some fans. What did you all think from 2003 to 2007, between Zwan and Zeitgeist, when the Pumpkins were out of the conversation? Did you all shit on "thefutureembrace"?
we're talking about live show here, please Billy, calm yourself down

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:38 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eyesofruby32
Let me guess- you want Corgan to release re-hash after re-hash of Siamese Dream, uh? Just crank up the fuzz pedals and dime the Marshalls, right. Yeah. They should do it. Hey man, lets revive 1993 completely.
you are completely off, so stfu.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:43 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Corganist
This talk about Billy "going through the motions" really makes me wonder just how familiar some of you really are with the guy's history. Compare now to late 2008, to the entire TFE tour, to later parts of the Zwan tour, to the later stages of the Machina tour. Those are prime examples of times when Billy's heart and head clearly weren't 100 percent into what he was doing onstage, times where he was clearly looking ahead and/or was at total odds with the people he was playing with. There's really no similarity between now and any of those times.
you're the type of fan that was defending all this shit and you continue to do so today. two years from now when this whole thing implodes you'll be saying how off he was and whatever the fuck he's doing in 2012 (which will be him singing to a backing track), you'll be defending it. shut up.

he's been on a downward trajectory as far as how he's felt on a stage/what he's doing on a stage since the last days of SP. This current tour is not an up-kick, it's a continuation.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:46 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Corganist View Post
This talk about Billy "going through the motions" really makes me wonder just how familiar some of you really are with the guy's history. Compare now to late 2008, to the entire TFE tour, to later parts of the Zwan tour, to the later stages of the Machina tour. Those are prime examples of times when Billy's heart and head clearly weren't 100 percent into what he was doing onstage, times where he was clearly looking ahead and/or was at total odds with the people he was playing with. There's really no similarity between now and any of those times.

Really, it's fine that some people aren't down with this version of the band for whatever reason...but it's silly when people continually try and project their disenchantment onto Billy and make it out like he somehow secretly shares their lack of enthusiasm. It just doesn't mesh with the reality we're faced with. For better or worse, Billy is clearly very happy with where things are going with this lineup and the recent touring. Some of you might feel like you're going through the motions going to these shows, and that's okay, but that doesn't automatically mean that Billy is going through the motions playing them.

I did state that I think he is very happy. I guess I missspoke--I mean't that I don't think he has as much emotional attachment to the songs as he used to. Does that make sense? The the guy is obviously having a good time, but the stuff that he is doing seems void of any real energy or emotion, other than what he has 'learned' to do to decently entertain people. To me, he has morphed from an artist to some sort of musical theatre act. Creating vs. Entertaining.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 06:48 PM   #14
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And for anyone's reference, I thought that Zwan put on a great live show, from the clips I saw... and TFE tour looked pretty horrible, but I really liked that album.

The last time I saw the band, it was Machina-era with Jimmy and James. I remember thoroughly enjoying myself. The only other live show I've been to was Adore-era with the 800 drummers. That was a bit different becuase it was all-acoustic, but it blew my tiny mind.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 07:02 PM   #15
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you know what's incredibly ironic about this accusation that the old school fans want 1993/siamese dream all over again? He's been trying to do the same type of production/writing techniques that he did in 1993. He's brought out the fuzz pedals, the loud guitars. He's using dynamics, the same kind of harmonies. The difference? IT SUCKS THIS TIME AROUND. He's branded his sound now, or the 'smashing pumpkins' sound. it's an insult to 1993. He obviously can't do that kind of thing anymore (as has been proven largely since 2007).. so why not finally move on from that brand and truly try something new? And there's been glimpses.. I was excited, for example, to hear a latin percussion ensemble mixed with some U2 inspired guitars on march hare, i was thrilled they decided to dive a little bit into some droning free improv (set the controls), etc etc. But some of this new stuff.. my love is winter? why would I, as a fan of SP and a fan of music in 2010, want to listen to a second rate speed kills? WHY?

All He's proven in the past 3 years is that he truly doesn't have the talent anymore to continue pushing ahead as an artist. he's so deep in denial of that, and so scared of it that he continues to hide under the safe moniker of the band that made him famous. I'd like to see him grow some balls and move on from it already and REALLY PROVE that he can push ahead, break some new territory he's never explored before. I'd be curious to view the parallel universe where he didn't reform the band in 2005, and instead continued forging ahead on his own as billy corgan. might have been garbage, who knows.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 07:27 PM   #16
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Quote:
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we're talking about live show here, please Billy, calm yourself down
It all goes back to this dissatisfaction so rampant in these forums. People go to see a SP show, and come away underwhelmed or whatever, because they percieve the new musicians to be lacking something. What do you want Corgan to do? Call up D'Arcy, James, and Jimmy and demand them to come back? They don't want to come back. Keep fantasizing. This ties in to the new music. "Oh, it sucks," "WWMM is terrible," "Song For a Son is garbage." Whatever. The way you guys are, if D'Arcy, James, and Jimmy had appeared on Teargarden, and SP were currently touring in their original incarnation, you'd be worshipping it, probably doing backflips down your street.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 07:37 PM   #17
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I dont want the group to reform with its original members--I am not delusional. I want Billy to grow some balls and change the name of the band. He will have the right to play any of the SP songs if he wants, but it will be a COVER--that's what they sound like now anyway.

I will say that I enjoyed whatever song he did on the ukelele. And also Gossamer.

edit: Well I guess it wouldnt technically be a cover, I dont know what word would work there.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 07:47 PM   #18
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That's why Spirits in the Sky was exciting - new band, new songs, new name, new energy, new hope.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 07:56 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eyesofruby32 View Post
It all goes back to this dissatisfaction so rampant in these forums. People go to see a SP show, and come away underwhelmed or whatever, because they percieve the new musicians to be lacking something. What do you want Corgan to do? Call up D'Arcy, James, and Jimmy and demand them to come back? They don't want to come back. Keep fantasizing. This ties in to the new music. "Oh, it sucks," "WWMM is terrible," "Song For a Son is garbage." Whatever. The way you guys are, if D'Arcy, James, and Jimmy had appeared on Teargarden, and SP were currently touring in their original incarnation, you'd be worshipping it, probably doing backflips down your street.
I don't give a shit who's on the band as long as I like the songs. Sure I miss Jimmy's amazing drumming if anything but it all comes down to the fact that I simply don't fucking like the new material. It's as simple as a matter of subjectivity, and you can't force someone to like something he or she doesn't like. I liked many Zwan songs, I liked many Future Embrace, I liked some Zeitgeist material, I just happen to not like any of the SITS/Teargarden songs.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 07:59 PM   #20
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If you don't like SP3 you are living in the past and if you don't like rap you are racist.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 08:01 PM   #21
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Indeed. I find the new stuff very hit or miss. Stitch In Time I love, Astral Planes and Song For A SonI quite like. Freak and WWMM I find actually immensely annoying to listen to. It's the drop in the standard in songwriting that's the worst thing, although there are some positives in what they are doing now, there's never been a time like the last couple of years where that factor has fallen so rapidly. However, a lot of the unreleased live stuff shows promise, Baby and My Love Is Winter have the potential to be great recorded songs. I can see Owata being another dose of aural Prozac

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 08:10 PM   #22
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Let's take a look at any given setlist from the current tour (this one from Sept 04):

Spirits in the Sky Songs:
02. Astral Planes
06. A Song for a Son
22. Freak

SP1 Songs:
03. Ava Adore
04. Drown
07. Today
08. Eye
09. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
13. Perfect
15. Cherub Rock
17. Tonight, Tonight
18. Stand Inside Your Love
21. Disarm
24. Zero

SP2 Songs:
05. As Rome Burns
10. United States
16. That's the Way (My Love Is)
19. Tarantula

New Songs:
12. My Love Is Winter

Absolutely Groundbreaking

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 08:12 PM   #23
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I mean, the ratio for a band with their eyes on the future is just fucked.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 08:35 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Astur View Post
I don't give a shit who's on the band as long as I like the songs. Sure I miss Jimmy's amazing drumming if anything but it all comes down to the fact that I simply don't fucking like the new material. It's as simple as a matter of subjectivity, and you can't force someone to like something he or she doesn't like. I liked many Zwan songs, I liked many Future Embrace, I liked some Zeitgeist material, I just happen to not like any of the SITS/Teargarden songs.
I understand your point; if you don't like something, you don't like something. I felt the same way back when Radiohead released Kid A after OK Computer. There were definitely a handful of songs from Kid A that I liked, but I was disappointed with the techno/electronic direction they were going in. Then I went to see their show at Suffolk Downs, outside of Boston, in 2001, and it was a great show, but the 20,000 people there seemed to be mostly frat boys and hoochies who wanted to hear "Idioteque" all night.

i also agree with the discontent in the current setlists. Who the hell wants to hear BWBW and Disarm for the billionth time? There are a ton of great, un-played, and ignored SP songs from all the albums. Billy would obviously be in better graces with the longtime fans if he played a variety of this stuff.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 08:42 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bardy View Post
I dont want the group to reform with its original members--I am not delusional. I want Billy to grow some balls and change the name of the band. He will have the right to play any of the SP songs if he wants, but it will be a COVER--that's what they sound like now anyway.

I will say that I enjoyed whatever song he did on the ukelele. And also Gossamer.

edit: Well I guess it wouldnt technically be a cover, I dont know what word would work there.
I actually think your critique was well done. I agree that hearing SP play Today or Tonight, Tonight these days is probably a downer. I haven't seen an SP show since 1996, so I can't accurately judge their sound, even if I downloaded a bunch of recent shows. It's all about the physical experience. I wish they'd come around my neck of the woods so I could chime in as a concert-goer, not a bootleg collector.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 09:00 PM   #26
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Just for the hell of it:

Everybody, choose a song or songs that you'd like to hear live if you were going to a Pumpkins show.


-Snail
-Suffer
-Hummer
-Luna
-Rocket (acoustic)
-Obscured (acoustic)
-An Ode To No One
-Here Is No Why
-Galapogos
-Porcelina
-Tales Of A Scorched Earth
-Thru The Eyes Of Ruby

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 09:07 PM   #27
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-The Aeroplane Flies High
-Love

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 09:10 PM   #28
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-Where's Vince?

and of course

-Do the Rubberman

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 09:17 PM   #29
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i want to hear the future live.

 
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Old 09-07-2010, 09:17 PM   #30
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I would rather hear all new stuff (sp2 and beyond) because proof is in the pudding that playing old jams with the current band just isn't enjoyable/plausible anymore.

 
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