Smashing Pumpkins to Kick Off Mellon Collie 30th Anniversary Tour

The Smashing Pumpkins are embarking on their "Rats in a Cage Tour" this week, kicking off with 28 shows spanning North America through mid-November. The tour marks the 30th anniversary of their 1995 double album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and features a unique two-part format for each performance. The initial part of every show will consist solely of tracks from the iconic album, presented in a theatrical setting.

The second part of the concert will showcase the band's extensive discography, spanning nearly four decades. Opening night takes place in Columbus, Ohio, with subsequent stops in Boston, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Pittsburgh, Montréal, Chicago, Charlotte, Austin, Denver, Las Vegas, Seattle, and additional cities before wrapping up at the Kia Forum in Inglewood on November 12th.

Following the arena tour, Smashing Pumpkins will co-headline the Darker Waves festival with Morrissey in Huntington Beach on November 14th. The tour's name draws from the chorus of the hit single "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," a popular track from Mellon Collie. Although the tour was first announced over a decade ago, the band has allowed for some flexibility in the setlist, with plans to adjust songs each night if necessary.

The anniversary celebration has taken various forms, including a collaboration with the Lyric Opera of Chicago to create an operatic version of Mellon Collie, and the release of a 30th anniversary reissue of the landmark album. Smashing Pumpkins recently reunited with producer Butch Vig, who was instrumental in shaping their earlier hits, Gish and Siamese Dream, to record a new song expected to be released this year.