Show Review: Smashing Pumpkins

I’m late on this post. I’ve been working on some things in the background of this site to improve performance, but I’m finally back.

The Smashing Pumpkins is a band I’ve wanted to see live for years, so when I discovered they were playing in Mesa with Drab Majesty and Joywave (two other bands I really like) there was no question that I would be attending.

The Venue:
Mesa Amphitheater - A 4,950 person capacity venue in Mesa, AZ. The venue opened in 1979 and has hosted concerts and other performances in its outdoor space since that time.

The Show:

Drab Majesty - I was very curious to see this band, as I’d been listening to them for about a month or two before this show. Their sound is highly influenced by 80’s New wave music, with an emphasis on synths, which can be a mixed bag live. There were some technical difficulties with the sound when they attempted to start their set, which they handled well, diving into their song “Dot In the Sky” when everything was finally corrected. Their performance was solid and for the most part their songs sounded true to their recorded versions. They played some other songs from their album Demonstration, including “39 By Design,” and “Cold Souls.” Unfortunately, their set was cut short due to the time lost trying to correct the sound. I’d like to see them again without technical issues, as I think that threw them off their game a bit.

Joywave - Joywave is another band I’ve been wanting to see live for quite some time, and they did not disappoint. They began their set with the song “Content,” a newer song that continually changes from soft vocals over simple drums and keyboards to heavily distorted guitars over aggressive drums and keys. The band then switched gears and launched into “Shutdown,” a more light, synth-pop inspired song. They followed with “Somebody New,” “Doubt” and new song, “Blastoffff.” The band had a seamless performance and sounded just as good (if not better) live than they do on their albums.

The Smashing Pumpkins - This was the second time The Smashing Pumpkins played in Phoenix in 2018, with their first show at the Ak-Chin Theater in July. That particular tour marked the return of James Iha after an 18-year hiatus from the band. This time around, they were celebrating their 30th anniversary.

They started off their set with “Solara,” off their new album Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1, following up with older classics “Zero,” “Today,” and “Disarm.” The band switched gears for a moment and threw in a cover of Depeche Mode’s “Never Let me Down Again” and Iha singing lead on The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love.”

In the 30 years The Smashing Pumpkins have been at this they haven’t lost their musical ability with age. Joking at points in the show that Iha’s looks haven’t changed at all.

The band’s setlist successfully interwove older material with new songs including “Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts).” Finally ending the evening with “Tonight, Tonight,” “Cherub Rock,” and “Heavy Metal Machine.” The final encore of the night was an incredible performance of their song “Muzzle.”

Overall, I thought The Smashing Pumpkins put on a great show and lived up to the expectations that can come with a 30 year career.