Live Review: The Smashing Pumpkins, Wolfmother

When one of the greatest bands of our generation is being supported by one of the biggest Aussie bands of the last decade, you know it's going to be a great show, and that was exactly the case when Wolfmother warmed up for The Smashing Pumpkins at the Sydney Entertainment Centre last night. Despite the venue being only half full when they took to the stage, Wolfmother rocked it like any serious rock band should with big hair, bigger guitars and music that raised the roof. From first track, California Queen, heavy guitar riffs and noodling filled the venue. Hits New Moon Rising and Woman packed a punch as singer Andrew Stockdale writhed against his guitar and multi-instrumentalist and former Delta Riggs singer, Elliott Hammond, danced like a crazy man behind his bongos.

Stripping back to a leather waistcoat and skinny jeans, Stockdale turned his attention to triple j, who were apparently recording the performance, to frankly voice his opinion on their choice of music and lack of support for the band, before getting back to it, finishing with new track, Keep Moving, and epic single, Joker & The Thief.

In contrast, after a short interval Billy Corgan tentatively walked onto the dimly lit stage, taking a stand behind the keyboard to play a simple melody before synths and volume gradually built into a smashing instrumental as a huge illuminated globe was revealed above their heads. The Smashing Pumpkins had arrived. In a somewhat unusual choice, the band chose to play their new album, Oceania, in its entirety for the first hour of the set, notably first single off the album, The Celestials; One Diamond, One Heart and The Chimera. The crowd seemed less than impressed with the set choice and the lack of real presence from the band was disappointing.

Then there was a switch, as definitive as if a new band had taken to the stage. A rocked-out version of David Bowie's Space Oddity began and the crowd went wild, small pockets of mosh pits forming amongst the standing crowd and murmurs of “Thank God… here are The Smashing Pumpkins!” echoing around the centre. Corgan, visibly excited to be playing some of their biggest and best tracks, really emerged from his cocoon as they played hits Disarm; Tonight, Tonight and the powerful Bullet With Butterfly Wings, which sent everyone into a frenzy of head-banging and crowd-surfing. This was what everyone had come here for.

Today finished the set before the band came back on stage for a spine-tingling encore of Cherub Rock, Ava Adore and Zero. Corgan seemed so happy with the performance that he was reluctant to leave the stage, instead walking up and down and thanking everyone in the crowd for coming out. Great finish.