Pumpkins Dominion Theatre Gig - 22nd Jan 2000
The tourists gathered and gauped at the queues and the buzz of the touts and the fans. Could it be that "Whistle down the Wind" was being upstaged by something far more superior ? I think so !
Tickets were changing hands at £120, touts with bruised faces had sweat drawing lines in their dirty faces__.. I got that rare feeling of something special in the air. There were rumours flitting about that the Smashing Pumpkins would split which was fuelling the frenzy further. Frantically the hungry deep set eyes of the indie kids stared in my face begging me to part with my ticket. No way ! I finally pushed through and scraped into the circle of the Dominion Theatre. The pomp, the lush deep carpet , the drapes_. this indeed was a special evening.
Like Air at the Haymarket, Theatre gigs enter the memory like the usual Astoria gigs so often fail to do.
Ding "Please take your seats in the auditorium, as the show will be starting in 5 minutes". Ding
Under a shower of bright white light The Smashing Pumpkins took to the stage with the effervescent rock of new track "The Everlasting Gaze" to erupting volcanic applause. The Pumpkins continued in very much the same vein. Head down contemporary rock played at it's best. James Iha, clad in white jacket looked as he had been plucked from the top of a wedding cake, surfed his effects board with intelligence. The right shade of chorus Cocteaus' guitar for the ballads, the right stomp on the Heavy Metal Machine tracks. After a measured performance initially, Billy threw himself into the 3rd track in, his now trademark Karloffian stance throwing shadows around the stage. Black attire from the marching boots upwards, Billy introduced the band as "Fred, Sam, Tom and Sally" before launching into "Tonight Tonight". Riding on the crest of adoration the Pumpkins were now at their most perfect; Postmodern stomp-rock pushing back the boudaries. Three quarters through, James took the time to bond as Billy is swigging from his silver flask. "Billy's getting over a rough throat" (unlucky Manchester) but now for a jazz experience ! We have been recording with a couple of bands_.Westlife and Backstreet _.we are trying to crossover !" Natural bonhomie flowing, the luckies soak it up.
Melissa's hand is held high. "We are now ready to rock !!" Queue blinding illuminating waves and the pounding drums from the return of the prodigal Jimmy. There is a fantastic atmosphere on stage, Billy quipping, James taking off "Teen Spirit" and Melissa and Jimmy backboning metal grooves. Melissa looks fantastic, white togs falling about her back, ringlets falling from her hair. She has not once let up, plucking the strings like an old fashioned Christmas morning. After rapturous adulation from an elated Dominion the 4 returned for a single acoustic shot in the arm. Jimmy came forward to make the third acoustic guitar and classic "1979" washed around the outstretched arms. "I of the Mourning" completed what was a truly awesome gig. Free flowing light like vertical rivers of flickering fire licked the curtains as the Pumpkins unleashed their final round of Kalashinkov rock.
Finally, Billy asserted that they would be returning to the UK later in the year, scolding rumours and giving hope to the broken fortunes of the Manchester posse.
-- by Jai Stokes © 2000
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