Tuesday 19 February 2008

Cool Kids Never Had The Time

Smashing Pumpkins + Oceansize
Venue: 02 Arena, London
Date: 16/02/08


Seeing Smashing Pumpkins for the second time was even better than the first. The night began with support band Oceansize doing their whiney indie 'look at us we're so great' kinda thing, which I thought was pretty awful. Really the wrong act to support SP at such a big venue. The crowd didn't seem into them at all and they were just bland and predictable.

And then it was a completely different reaction at 8.45 when Billy and co. took to the stage. Right form the opener of Porcelina... through to the encore of an Echo and the Bunnymen Cover of Lips Like Sugar they had the crowd in the palm of their hand. Classics such as Zero and Disarm were left out in favour of a more diverse delve into their extensive back catalogue. The set included Mayonaise, Lily, Drown, Today, 1979, Ava Adore, The Everlasting Gaze, Stand Inside Your Love, Tonight Tonight, and a few off their most recent Zeitgeist album, including a storming Tarantula. Billy even played an impromptu version of 'Call The Shots' of which I have no recollection but I'm sure it was pretty special all the same.

Sure they were self indulgent, sure the solo's were drawn out but that's what makes the Pumpkins what they are. That's the point. And overall they put on a fucking great show with an amazing setlist to boot.

Tomorrow a change of scene with some French New Wave covers from Nouvelle Vague, followed by American college radio rock from Nada Surf on Thursday.

Busy times.

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