Wow. Wow wow wow! Tonight was amazing! And I finally remembered to bring my digital camera along, so I got some decent pics and even some passable video. Just remember, I don't have a great camera, and I have no idea what I'm doing with it, so the pics here are the best I can do.
The first band to play was Bad City. They're a new band from Chicago (actually, every band on stage tonight was from Chicago). Their first studio album is due out in August. To be honest, I really wasn't all that impressed. I felt that they were a little out of place at this concert. They would have fit right in with the hair bands of the 80s. The lead singer pranced around stage with his perfect platinum blonde hair and sang his songs about how rock and roll would never die. They weren't really for me.
Kill Hannah was band number two. They had a more alternative sound. I thought they were okay. I might look into them a little more, but I'm not sure that they've completely won me over.
Then the main event. The SMASHING PUMPKINS!! First let me say this: it was bloody hot. I've been to a lot of shows, and I've never been that hot before. It rivaled my days in band camp. I'm sure it was a combination of the hot July weather outside, plus the sold-out crowd inside, who were all shoving forward as close as they could possibly get. All of the bands made comments on how unbelievably hot it was. Billy Corgan said this about halfway through their set: "Well, that's the show! It's too fuckin' hot, so I'm gonna go lay down in the bus!" Haha. Oh Billy, you kidder. For real though, he seemed to be having a really great time. He said he couldn't believe how into it we were despite the heat.
I'm a really big Smashing Pumpkins fan. The anticipation I felt for this concert was only surpassed by Muse. They didn't play anything from their first album, but they played a few songs each from albums 2-8 (except 6. Skipped that one, too). It was so incredible. It was kinda funny though. All day, I had been watching SP videos, in most of which Billy was in his 20s. It was funny to go from that to the 43-year-old Billy Corgan on the stage in front of me. He still looks good though. And still has his voice.
Pretty sweet, huh? I thought that one turned out quite well. And lookee there! I was pretty close to the stage, eh? Man, it was so amazing!! And you haven't quite lived until you've jumped up and down with hundreds of sweaty people screaming "DESPITE ALL MY RAGE, I AM STILL JUST A RAT IN A CAGE!"
But the biggie...the moment I was really waiting for..."Tonight Tonight." I've loved that song for years. I actually teared up when they played it. It was so incredible, and the crowd was so into it. They closed the set with it, before coming out for the Encore of a 1000 Guitar Solos. I took a video. It's not great, but it's really not that bad considering my equipment. Of course, it's shaky as hell. I was trying to hold somewhat still, but well...you'll see how that worked out. So yeah, I was screaming out lyrics, and throwing my left arm in the air, and moving to the music. But here's the video anyway. It's just a minute or so.
Also, as you can see, I'm having format troubles again. Get over it!
Awesome.
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