In decline In the days of the alternative rock revolution of the ’90s, before major record labels forever turned away from leftist acts and toward more mainstream acts (cough, cough) that made the world an ever-more bleak place, Green Day and the Smashing Pumpkins were two of the most popular young rock bands on the planet. And while Green Day appealed more to punk skater types and the Pumpkins suited their grouchy classmates on the other side of the detention hall, it wasn’t uncommon for teenagers in 1994 to have it both ways. Doki And Siamese dream In their CD changers. These two albums sold millions and were hit after hit.
Green Day and the Pumpkins have taken very different paths over the past three decades, to say the least, but this summer they're reuniting for a stadium tour with Rancid and the Linda Lindas. It's a tour that's brought generations of fans to New York's Citi Field on Monday night. And to make it even more special, Green Day will be playing Doki And american idiot Straight to celebrate their 20th and 30th wedding anniversaries. Many of the younger fans arrived wearing fishnet stockings while their parents wore old socks. Nimrod And I love T-shirts, but everyone was there to celebrate the last undeniable era of rock and roll.
Pumpkins, with Corgan, center, at Citi Field
Griffin Lutz for Rolling Stone
The show kicked off at 5:30 p.m. with female punk band Linda Lindas. They had the daunting task of playing in bright daylight to a three-quarter empty stadium, but they won the crowd over with their powerful vocals and exhilarating show. They were followed by Rancid, who devoted more than half of their short set to selections from their groundbreaking 1995 album …and the wolves come out. This band has decades of club and stage experience and has never spent much time on the field, but they adapted to the big stage with ease. The set closed with 90s hits “Time Bomb” and “Ruby Soho.”
As the sun began to set and temperatures finally dropped, the Smashing Pumpkins took the stage. Casual fans were a bit confused by the opening numbers “The Everlasting Gaze” and “Doomsday Clock,” not to mention their unexpected cover of U2’s “Zoo Station,” but iPhones finally went up in the air as they played “Today,” “Tonight, Tonight,” “Ava Adore,” and “Disarm.” This tour saw the unveiling of new guitarist Kiki Wong, who they hired after offering public auditions to anyone interested in replacing bassist Jeff Schroeder. After seeing her in action alongside James Iha, bassist Jack Bates, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, it was clear why she got the job. She has the ability to play just about anything, but we still don’t quite understand why the Pumpkins can’t rely on guitarists like they have for the vast majority of their history.
“Fooled” from 2023 Atom It could have been a moment where fans would have packed bathrooms and beer booths, but Corgan chose this moment wisely to bring his young children on stage with two professional wrestlers from his league, the National Wrestling Federation. They staged a mock battle while the kids danced around their father. It was a strange moment of lightness and joy that would have been unimaginable at a Pumpkins show in the 1990s.
They closed out their show with a powerful performance of “Cherub Rock” and “Zero.” It gave all three guitarists moments to shine, and it proved that Corgan still has a great voice at 57. If you closed your eyes, you might think you were back in 1996. There were years since then when Corgan would have scoffed at the idea of playing a greatest hits set in a stadium before Green Day, but the man has softened considerably with age and delayed fatherhood. The new attitude is serving him well.
The Smashing Pumpkins may once again be a singing group, but it was clear that the majority of the crowd at Citi Field was there to see Green Day. After the traditional warm-up of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Blitzkrieg Bop,” they kicked off with “The American Dream is Killing Me” from their new album. RescuersBut there wasn't much time to focus on the present when the schedule required playing two classic albums in full.
Doki First up on the album was a re-release of the album’s back cover. While hits like “Longview,” “Basket Case” and “When I Come Around” have been played at every Green Day concert over the past 30 years, this was a rare opportunity to hear rarities like “Sassafras Roots,” “In The End,” “Pulling Teeth” and “FOD.” Each of these deep tracks was met with cheers. Billie Joe Armstrong did his best to keep fans in the moment, repeatedly urging them to put down their phones. “Don’t watch the screen,” he said. “This isn’t the Olympics. This is a Green Day concert!”
In the middle of the night, they took a break from the full albums to enjoy the pieces from Rescuers“Know Your Enemy,” “Minority,” and “Brain Soup.” As the last song ends, american idiot The slogan was embodied on stage. It was time to travel from 1994 to 2004. In those ten years, Green Day put aside lyrics like “When jerking off doesn’t feel good, you’re too lazy,” entered their thirties, and focused on life in America under George W. Bush. Despite all the difficulties, american idiot It was a bigger hit than DokiEven though the record industry was in the midst of a complete meltdown at the time, the album lost none of its power when they re-released it 20 years later in the age of Trump and misinformation.
Even after two hours, Armstrong seemed ready to play another full album.
Griffin Lutz for Rolling Stone
The band updated the theme song again with the lyrics “I am not part of the MAGA agenda,” which somehow offended one of the world’s richest men when the band did the same thing on New Year's Eve Late last year. (Unlike the tour’s opening night in Washington, D.C., Armstrong didn’t cause any trouble by holding up a Trump mask, which some in MAGA land felt was supposed to represent a disembodied head.) Just like DokiThere's no such thing as a really deep cut. american idiotThis is one of the last albums of the rock era that a large number of people listened to from beginning to end. “Give Me Novocaine” and “She's a Rebel” were standouts, and the rare live performance of “Homecoming” was a chance to hand the microphone to Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool.
They had 35 songs in the set by then. american idiot The song ended, and the two-hour mark passed. The throngs of weary fans had already turned out to beat traffic or get a spot on the No. 7 train, but they missed “Bobby Sox” and “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” that were supposed to close out the set. Many of the singers would have been stunned by this point, but Armstrong seemed ready to deliver another full album. (We suggest either warning or meInsomniac in the next time.)
Green Day and Smashing Pumpkins will spend the next six weeks playing their 1994 album in stadiums across America. Before the band is done, Weezer will release their new album. The Blue Album 30th Anniversary Tour, Live and STP will hit the road with their own 1994-style show in tribute Throwing copper And purpleIt's tempting to joke that this is the summer of middle-aged dads, but a very large percentage of Green Day's audience at Citi Field came into this world long after Doki Many of them came out, and they looked very small even for The American fool. This music is now passed down through the generations.
With the news that Aerosmith has permanently retired from the music business, adding them to the sad list of permanently disbanded bands like Van Halen, Rush, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, it's clear that the previous era of classic rock is fading fast. Let's all enjoy this. new An era led by Green Day, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, and Jane's Addiction. Who knows if we'll ever see another band like this?
