The Smashing Pumpkins mastermind is cementing his legacy as one of music’s most accomplished performers
Last night in South Philly, Billy Corgan and the Machines of God took the TLA stage in Philadelphia on Monday night for a sold-out show, weaving together classic hits and deep cuts over a two-hour performance that was sure to please all the Smashing Pumpkins fans in attendance, be it casual or hardcore.
LA-based Return to Dust, featuring Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash’s son London Hudson on drums, kicked off the evening’s festivities. They grungy group gives off a real Alice in Chains-meets-Soundgarden vibe. Much like the Pumpkins, they will be headed towards playing much larger rooms very soon.
The current Return to Zero tour is meant to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Smashing Pumpkins 1995’s classic double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and the 25th anniversary of the band’s albums from the year 2000 – Machina/The Machines of God and Machina II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music albums, combined with new songs from last year’s Aghori Mhori Mei record. Instead of the Pumpkins however, Corgan has put together a tight quartet including Kiki Wong (the Pumpkin’s newest touring guitarist), drummer Jake Hayden, and bassist Jenna Fournier (aka Kid Tigrrr).
Fans coming just to hear the classics were treated to “1979”, “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”, “Zero” and “Tonight, Tonight”, and while it’ll never get old hearing those classics live, it really was the deeper cuts where the band shined the brightest.
“Porcelina of the Vast Oceans” showcased Kiki Wong’s explosive riffs and backed up why she was chosen out of over 10,000 applicants to be the Pumpkins new drummer in 2024. Kid Tigrrr impressed when she took lead vocals on a cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “You Only Live Twice” from the 1967 James Bond film of the same name, while also singing support on the hit ‘Tonight, Tonight”. And Jake Hayden really showed off his impressive drum chops on “Muzzle”. It was also a delight to see Corrgan switch things up a bit as he took to the bass to play “Glass and the Ghost Children”.
The night ended with “The Everlasting Gaze”, the opening cut from Machina, after which Billy was joined on stage by two of his three children, son Augustua Juppiter and daughter Philomena Clementine, ending the night on a truly joyous and touching moment. But this was no victory lap, as it’s clear Corrgan has many years of even more incredible live performances ahead of him. However, I’m not sure we’ll ever get the chance to see him again in this intimate setting, so make sure if you get the opportunity to see this tour, you take it.
LA-based Return to Dust, featuring Slash’s son London Hudson on drums, opened the show, and they had a real Alice in Chains meets Soundgarden grunge vibe. And like the Pumpkins, they will be headed towards playing much larger rooms very soon.
The Smashing Pumpkins have revealed the details of the long-awaited and reconstituted release of the 2000 concept albums Machina/The Machines of God and its companion Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music which have been extensively remixed and remastered. Corgan’s Madame Zuzu’s tea shop in Highland Park, IL will exclusively offer this expansive 80-song box set; featuring a 48-track MACHINA plus an additional 32 bonus tracks of demos, outtakes, and live performances, marking the first time these two records will officially be united. Additionally, the rock band will release a 16-song reissue of the original Machina/TheMachines of God vinyl on August 22, and pre-orders will begin on June 27.
This year will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Smashing Pumpkins era-defining acclaimed album, Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness which set the sound for a generation. To commemorate the album, Corgan has partnered with Chicago’s Lyric Opera to world-premiere A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness, a seven series performance taking place November 21 through 30.
These noteworthy music announcements follow on the heels of an already exciting 2025 for Billy Corgan; earlier this year the rock legend also launched his applauded podcast series The Magnificent Others.
Beyond these accomplishments, the GRAMMY® Award-winning musician, versatile producer, songwriter, poet, also serves as the President of the National Wrestling Alliance, owns Madame Zuzu’s, a beloved tea shop in Highland, IL, and remains a devout philanthropist through varying initiatives focusing on animal advocacy and NO KILL shelters.
