Pumpkins play Mellon Collie in Vegas

The Smashing Pumpkins returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Oct. 30 for a date on their Rats in a Cage Tour. The tour marks the 30th anniversary of their 1995 album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Frontman Bill Corgan led the band through a three-hour performance that prioritized the vintage material over new releases.

Corgan opened the night by addressing the audience directly. He clarified that he prefers to be called Bill rather than Billy or William. He noted that the show was fueled by dystopia and anger. The lineup included original members James Iha on guitar and Jimmy Chamberlin on drums. Touring guitarist Kiki Wong and bassist Jack Bates also performed.

The setlist consisted of 31 songs split into two acts by a 20-minute intermission. The first act contained only tracks from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The performance began with 1979 and Bullet with Butterfly Wings. Fans responded with strong enthusiasm to the orchestral elements of Tonight, Tonight and the rhythmic drive of Zero.

Chamberlin asked the crowd how many people intended to sin that night. He compared the response favorably to a previous show in Salt Lake City. Corgan closed the first act on the instrumental title track. He switched from guitar to keys for that number while the rest of the band provided gentle accompaniment.

The second act featured newer material from albums released in 2023 and 2024. The band played Sojourner, Edin, and Pentagrams. They then shifted to their 1993 album, Siamese Dream, with the song Disarm. The arena reacted strongly to the first few strums of that track.

The group performed Mayonaise later in the set. The audience sang along to the final lines of the song. They also played Black Stars, a track released on Oct. 16 for the Hunger Games movie soundtrack. Corgan paused to let the audience sing the hook, though the crowd was initially quiet. The show concluded with the instrumental Superchrist.