“I mean the humidity out there is oppressive, I mean it’s hot out there, baking with all those gators snapping at you” founding Smashing Pumpkins guitarist, James Iha told a near-sold-out crowd at Tampa’s Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre on Sunday night.
Iha and co-founder Billy Corgan were halfway through the band’s 21-song set in front of the rain-soaked venue where Manhattan-based, Interpol and California blues rock band Rival Sons opened—and it wasn't just other musicians that came for the ride.
Corgan also brought a small army of his National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) wrestlers and a portable ring which was completely outfitted with referees, ring ropes and corner cushions and just maybe the ghost of Gordon Solie.
Clean strobes with red flares and white light were mixed into the hypnotic, Joy Division’ish sound of Interpol as the band celebrated the 20 year mark of its landmark album Turn on The Bright Lights.
The Pumpkins took the stage to a thunder of applause and bright green laser lights. Corgan, standing in a silhouette pointing to the crowd, guitar swung around his back, paused. It was then that the power of Jimmy Chamberlins kick and snare patterns would own the night. At some point it felt like a 5th “Matrix” installment was taking place but the band steamrolled through every song with reckless abandon.
“Everlasting Gaze,” “Doomsday Clock” led into a cover of Talking Heads’ “Once in A Lifetime.”
“Today,” “Perfect,” “Disarm,” “Purple Blood’ and “Ava Adore” followed before almost everyone onstage picked up an acoustic.
Corgan then reflected on his late father, who was a Tampa resident and dedicated “Tonight, Tonight” to him and any others who lost parents. Cell phone lights were everywhere and at some point it looked as if Corgan broke some tears in the emotional exchange. The acoustic pinch harmonic from Iha’s guitar on the intro could be heard in every nook throughout the Amphitheatre. “This song is for my daddy,” Corgan added.
It was the 1995, hit single “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” that seemed to steal the show.
At one point Corgan addressed the crowd and stated “Sing it with me.” When the chorus came, the crowd was louder than the PA. The Pumpkins ran through about 10 more songs and ended with “1979,” “Cherub Rock,” and “Zero” which seemingly satisfied every person at the Amp.
Except for the wrestlers, they might have a bone to pick.
