[Review] ACX 2010 – Smashing Pumpkins Close Out The Night

The Smashing Pumpkins first emerged onstage for KROQ’s Acoustic Christmas in 1993, with a cello harmonized with Corgan’s airy timbre. Over two decades have glided by since then.

In the interim, the band has completely regenerated its composition; Corgan is the last remaining original member. They’ve become coliseum headliners; they’ve sold manifold albums; they’ve become parents; their fans have become parents. The band is markedly different now from their origins as suburban kids communicating their angst, confusion and curiosity, through dark-tinged rock.

And yet, closing out the first night of KROQ’s Acoustic Christmas on Saturday night, the band proved despite this change and perhaps propelled by this change, they are just as dark, fierce, and mesmerizing as they were in 1993.

From the moment Corgan and co. beasted on stage, opened with their new electronic- “The Fellowship,” they had concert goers on their feet, holding up their cellphones/blackberries/lighters, and pulsing along.

Just as Corgan hinted in his interview earlier with Stryker, they played a goose-bump worthy rendition of “Today”, as well as “Bullet with Butterfly wings” and “Tonight, Tonight.” Clad in a black Asian-inspired coat, head as bare as it has ever been, Corgan has defied age.

The only indication of the passage of time? Mid-way through the set, his son – dressed in black with a luche libre mask on, came on stage, held up the mic, and playfully, punkishly stated:

I hate you dad.

Billy Corgan’s retort: ” I love you, son,” before launching into the Fleetwood Mac cover “Landslide” from the album Pisces Iscariot. Full-time rocker as well as full-time dad, full-time creative force behind the sound.

Shelly_JB on twitter proclaimed on, “Today is the greatest. Well tonight it is thanks to Kroq.” We’d like to thank The Smashing Pumpkins, and all the other contributing artists, for such a raucous celebration of punked out, nerve-stimulating sound.