On a cold, dreary night at an intimate club in Chicago, The Smashing Pumpkins performed what was advertised, and sure seemed like, their last show ever on December 2, 2000.
It was a week that began with a triumphant 27-song show at the United Center, the 18,000 seat home of the Chicago Bulls; and concluded tearfully with a 37-song epic gig at the 1,100 capacity Metro on the Northside of the city.
Those tears were shed by more than the fans. Both singer/songwriter/frontman Billy Corgan got emotional, as is to be expected from the Pisces, but also from the not-so-secret weapon of the dynamic band - drummer Jimmy Chamberlain.
The 4 1/2 hour grand finale was both a celebration of the group's 5-album discography that had sold more than 22 million copies, but a reminder that the band could rock as hard as any of its ilk while also having the ability to pull it all back and become soft, flaunting its bipolar nature.
Which in the case of the group that Saturday night in the Windy city, meant tossing it all in the lake and calling it quits.
But why? Why would one of the most interesting groups to come out of the grunge era pull the plug on such a beautiful melding of glam, hard rock, and victorian wizardry?
Because for some reason Corgan felt he was “fighting the good fight against the Britneys of the world,” as he told the listeners of LA's groundbreaking radio station, KROQ that May.
"Let's rock one more time," he told the Metro crowd near the end of the show.
"Not for you, because you get it. Let's rock one more time for all those people who don't get it, who don't understand that music overcomes all this fucking bullshit."
The group that night was Corgan on guitars, Chamberlain behind the drums, bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, and James Iha on guitar.
Even though the Pumpkins would regroup a few years later, Iha would not return for 18 years.
Of the special guests that joined the quartet was Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen who hailed from Rockford, Illinois. Billy's dad, William Corgan, joined his boy on "For Martha" - an ode to the rocker's departed mother.
Of the many great moments from the show was the second-to-last tune where Chamberlain helps out on guitar and Matt Walker took over on drums for an extremely bittersweet version of "1979" capping their third encore.
After a short pause they then wrapped up the night with a fourth encore, a 25 minute version of "Silverfuck."
An excellent recording of the night is available here.
The Pumpkins only have one upcoming date on their calendar as for now. They will be performing in Mexico City in May of next year for the Vive Latino 2026 festival which will also include John Fogerty, fellow Chicagoan Tom Morello, Juanes, Lenny Kravitz, and Moby doing a DJ set.
Get your tickets here.
