Smashing Pumpkins Deliver 31-Song Mellon Collie Tribute in Las Vegas
The band performed the 1995 album in full during the first act of their October 30 show, a night marked by Corgan's public name change and a new Hunger Games track.
By Lucas Sheridan ·
Billy Corgan, who announced on stage that he is returning to his birth name Bill, led The Smashing Pumpkins through a 31-song set at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on October 30. The performance was the Las Vegas stop for the Rats in a Cage Tour, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band's 1995 album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
The tour follows a period of public friction between Corgan and music critics. In an October 22 interview on The New York Times Popcast, he criticized what he called the "hipster writer class," accusing outlets like Pitchfork of mocking and bullying him throughout his career. This sentiment was in the air when his team denied media review credentials for the Vegas show, a move that made him the second of dozens of artists to do so, alongside rapper Key Glock.
The concert began precisely on time with no opener and no encore. Corgan told the crowd the set was fueled by "dystopia, disaffection, anger, rage," adding that being miserable has been a "highly effective business model." The lineup included original members Corgan, guitarist James Iha, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, joined by touring guitarist Kiki Wong and bassist Jack Bates.
The first act consisted entirely of songs from Mellon Collie. The set opened with "1979" before moving to the Grammy-winning "Bullet with Butterfly Wings." Visuals on stage featured celestial and nautical imagery, including winged Renaissance babies and hot air balloons. Chamberlin engaged the audience by asking how many people were planning to sin that night, noting that Las Vegas offered more opportunities for such behavior than Salt Lake City.
The second act shifted to newer material, including "Sojourner" from the 2023 album Atum and "Edin" and "Pentagrams" from 2024's Aghori Mhori Mei. The band then returned to their 1993 debut, Siamese Dream, playing "Disarm," "Today," and "Cherub Rock." A standout moment arrived with "Mayonaise," which prompted the crowd to sing along word for word.
The set also included "Black Stars," a new track released on October 16 for the upcoming Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping soundtrack. Corgan paused to let the audience sing the hook, but the crowd reacted with silence because most attendees did not know the lyrics. The show concluded with three instrumental or lesser-known tracks: "Jesus Is the Sun," "The Everlasting Gaze," and "Superchrist."
As the band left the stage, Corgan remained alone wearing a flowing white gown and green-embroidered tunic. He bowed to the audience while the rest of the musicians had already exited.
