photos by Jen Maler

"Billy Corgan says something about being our rock n roll puppet, still has beef w/ Pavement, mimes puppet him killing "guy from Pavement"" - BrooklynVegan

"LOL, one guess at the only thing @BrooklynVegan cared about from tonight's show. It's just too easy for Billy to troll the indie bloggers..." - Hipsters United (a blog about the Smashing Pumpkins)

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan had one message for long-time fans last night: I'm sorry.

The indie rocker issued the apology for reasons that remained unclear Monday night during a sold-out performance at Spin magazine's 25th anniversary concert at Terminal 5.

"For the old-school fans, sorry for what I've done to you," lamented the crooner, who headlined the event.

"We love you guys. Thank you so much." [NBC]

Don't forget that all five SPIN shows, including tonight's Flaming Lips show, are streaming online. For part of the show last night I was watching the stage with one eye, and the live video they were capturing with the other (on a TV screen), and the video was actually more fun to watch. They were doing a great job thanks in part to the serious set up they have going on with cameras flying over people's heads and on stage and in the photo pit.

The venue was decked out with SPIN magazines - on tables and pasted on the walls along with "Zync Zones" and other sponsor stuff.

It's hard to get past the new band, and I wasn't really expecting much from the Billy Corgan show, but they sounded and looked (lights, stage setup, outfits) good. There was lots of wailing by Billy and a bunch of highlights in the set list, which you can see below with more pictures and some videos (grabbed from the stream) from the show...

Continue reading "Smashing Pumpkins @ Terminal 5, NYC (SPIN 25) - pics, setlist"

Chicago's nu romantics KILL HANNAH woke up on the eve of wrapping their fall tour with Jet, Papa Roach and Morningwood to a find their 15-passenger van and 14-foot trailer stolen. Taken between 4am and 11am today, Wednesday, November 11 from the front of the Holiday Inn on 900 Packer Ave, Philadelphia, PA-the same location that rock trio Mae had their van stolen from just a week earlier-the band lost over $120,000 in gear and merchandise, including one-of-a-kind vintage custom guitars and vintage custom effects. The theft comes just over a year after a devastating fire in Europe destroyed everything on the band's bus.

Lead singer Mat Devine says, "We're devastated and speechless. We've been touring so hard around the world for the past seven years and this is the most evil thing we've witnessed. Special Crimes say this was a coordinated heist."

The band regretfully has to cancel their remaining tour dates, scheduled for the Electric Factory in Philadelphia [Wednesday] and the Nokia Theatre in New York City [tonight]. Their seventh annual "New Heart For Xmas" weekend of shows and events are still scheduled in Chicago on December 18 at Reggie's Rock House and December 19 at Metro.

Continue reading "another band's van was stolen in Philly (same spot as Mae) (band cancels dates on best tour ever)"