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“It absolutely blows my mind that you’re all here listening to ‘Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness’ some 30 years later,” the Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan told Sunday night’s crowd at the Kohl Center, dressed in a black tunic. “Most of you weren’t even born yet, and if you were, you were still a virgin.”
Maybe it’s the album’s swirling guitars, bittersweet melodies and gothic grandeur, but there’s something that just feels right about experiencing “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” in mid-October. Perhaps it’s the seasonal coincidence of the band’s name, but the Smashing Pumpkins’ music seems tailor-made for a crisp autumn evening.
As the opening notes of “1979” filled the Kohl Center with a potent sense of nostalgia, the crowd’s enthusiastic cheers offered a reminder that the album’s emotional pull hasn’t faded in the three decades since its release.
Across two sets and nearly three hours, the Smashing Pumpkins celebrated the 30th anniversary of its seminal album with a 30-song performance that balanced the album’s legacy with a career-spanning retrospective. The first set centered on songs from their landmark 1995 double album, while the second reached across the band’s four-decade catalog, revisiting hits and deep cuts alike.
Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin and Kiki Wong perform with The Smashing Pumpkins at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Madison has been part of the Smashing Pumpkins’ story since their earliest days. The Chicago band recorded its 1991 debut, “Gish”, with producer Butch Vig at the former Smart Studios, but its ties to the city go back even further. Corgan recalled the band’s early shows at the former downtown venues O’Cayz Corral and Club de Wash, as well as a performance at the Memorial Union Terrace that led to University of Wisconsin–Madison banning the band in 1990.
“I guess the powers that be didn’t like the mosh pit that was forming,” Corgan quipped.
Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin, founding members of The Smashing Pumpkins perform with the band at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Decades later, Madison remains a familiar stop for the Chicago band. “It’s been a pretty short trip for us,” drummer Jimmy Chamberlin said as the band began to wrap up the first set with “By Starlight” and closing with the album’s title track.
Billy Corgan sings lead vocals on The Smashing Pumpkins hit song, “1979” as the band performs at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
For many fans, Sunday’s show was a chance to relive the soundtrack of their youth. For Anna and Canard, longtime fans of “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” who asked that their last names not be used, it was an opportunity to experience the album live. Anna remembers falling asleep to the record and always wanted to learn the piano part to its title track.
The album’s enduring appeal was evident from the moment the band took the stage at 8 p.m. From the wistful nostalgia of “1979” to the explosive chorus of “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” the crowd embraced two of the album’s biggest hits, proving that “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” still packs an emotional punch. Corgan was joined by James Iha (guitar), Jimmy Chamberlin (drums), Jack Bates (bass) and Kiki Wong (guitar).
The Smashing Pumpkins perform at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
The Smashing Pumpkins perform at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
After a 15-minute intermission, the band returned for 13 songs from other popular albums like “Siamese Dream.” “Mayonaise” and “Cherub Rock” were standouts, showcasing the sheer volume and layered guitar work the three guitarists could summon, while “Disarm” offered a more restrained counterpoint.
UW–Madison students Cecilia Cornell and Tyler Weaver both discovered the Smashing Pumpkins through their parents. For Weaver, hearing the instantly recognizable riffs of songs like “Today” and “Cherub Rock” brought back memories of growing up with the band’s music.
“It brings back memories of hearing these songs when my dad would pick me up from school,” he said.
The band closed its nearly three-hour performance with “The Everlasting Gaze” and “Superchrist,” shifting from nostalgia to a heavier, more aggressive finish. Three decades after “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” first arrived, the Smashing Pumpkins showed that their music still resonates across generations.
Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin, founding members of The Smashing Pumpkins perform their 1995 hit song, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” with the band at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Kiki Wong and Jack Bates perform with The Smashing Pumpkins at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin, founding members of The Smashing Pumpkins perform with the band at Kohl Center in Madison, Oct. 11, 2026.
RUTHIE HAUGE
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