Saturday 8th June 2024
A co-headline tour is a weird concept. Because if we’re all being honest… there is a headliner isn’t there?. It’s whoever plays last and plays longest. Weezer and The Smashing Pumpkins may seem like slightly odd bedfellows. In one corner, Weezer, a band that are often goofy and have no issue with making what is essentially pop music, and in the other corner, The Smashing Pumpkins, a band whose most recent release was a three-hour rock opera and concept album about someone being jettisoned into space. And yet, somehow it works…
Weezer are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their self-titled debut album this year and so ‘My Name is Jonas’, the opening track from that album, feels like a logical opener. And so it is. It is clear that in the minds of the band themselves and many in the crowd throwing up the famous W hand signal that this is absolutely a headline show. For reasons that I’ve never understood, the band insist on playing ‘Beverley Hills’ at every show, and it pops up again here, mercifully, however, they do get it out of the way early. From there it is a true career-spanning greatest hits set with deep cuts such as Maladroit album track ‘Burndt Jamb’ and Pinkerton era b-side ‘You Gave Your Love to Me Softly’ rubbing shoulders with big hitters such as ‘Island in the Sun’ and ‘Pork and Beans’. It is the Blue album tracks that resonant the most, however, with seven of the album’s ten songs given an airing at London’s premier music venue. Despite being three decades old ‘Say It Aint So’, ‘In the Garage’ and ‘Surf Wax America’ still sound as vital as ever.
After an incredible cover of Hole’s ‘Celebrity Skin’ (cheekily introduced by Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo as ‘one of Billie Corgan’s early songs’ – look it up), band and audience settle in for the inevitable showstopping finish. ‘Only in Dreams’ is a miracle of a song. Utterly timeless. It sits snugly alongside anything The Beatles or The Beach Boys ever created in terms of perfectly crafted pop songs. Just incredible. ‘Buddy Holly’ closes things out and judging from the crowd reaction people are not ready to leave this band or this album behind yet. Now for the Pinkerton 30th anniversary tour in 2026…
On to the act that I will begrudgingly accept are the night’s headliner. The Smashing Pumpkins and particularly frontman and bandleader Billy Corgan have a reputation for being difficult. Indeed, on this very tour Corgan has come out swinging against fans pleading with him to play the hits. Well, London must bring out the best in the Chicago indie legend because this is as close to a hit parade as you will ever get from this band. Corgan even makes a joke at his expense at one point asking long-time guitarist James Iha ‘Reputation? Do I have a reputation, James?’.
If you’re looking for a statement of intent look no further than opening track ‘The Everlasting Gaze’. It’s a bruising and committed performance and so the tone is set. An interesting cover of U2’s ‘Zoo Station’ keeps the momentum going before the opening twinkle of ‘Today’ sends the crowd into raptures. It’s a sell-out at The O2 and the fans are rapt throughout. People really love this band. ‘Tonight, Tonight’ is a personal highlight with drummer Jimmy Chamberlain laying waste to his drumkit before ‘Disarm’ rings out across London with every single punter screaming their lungs out. What a song. It’s a privilege to see it live. The band play a couple of songs from their latest album ATUM before Corgan looks the crowd right in the eye and slyly declares ‘The world is a vampire…’ – cue pandemonium. Every chorus is delivered like this is the last song of the last show at the end of the world. There is a still fire raging inside The Smashing Pumpkins. It’s almost frightening to see it unleashed with such vigour. Later, Corgan’s kids join him onstage to dance along to ‘Beguiled’ and then Iha introduces the band as they launch into the Siamese Dream classic ‘Cherub Rock’.
As for the last song, there can only be one. Walking around the arena there are so many people wearing Zero t-shirts (myself included) that, of course, it has to be the set closer. That riff. That solo. The final chorus. It’s impeccable.
Weezer formed in 1992, The Smashing Pumpkins in 1988. And yet they are still two of the most consistent rock bands on the planet. Throw up your devil horns. Throw up your W. Rock ‘n’ roll will never die (although it might go to bed at a sensible time and drink plenty of water).