Smashing Pumpkins Performed a Benefit Concert for Matthew Leone at Chicago’s Metro
mindy

words and photo by Nate Azark

Last nights benefit concert starring The Smashing Pumpkins at Chicago’s Metro was nothing short of amazing. There was an outpouring of support for Matthew Leone who, on June 29th, was a brutal victim of violence that left him with severe brain trauma two months after his health insurance lapsed. Matthew intervened to stop a woman he passed on the street from being beaten by her husband when the man turned on Matthew leaving him unconscious on the street. He was taken to UIC Hospital for emergency brain surgery and is now in stable condition awaiting an additional surgery.

Click through for an amazing photo gallery, plus a full review and set list from the show.

Smashing Pumpkins – Live At The Metroview gallery

Tickets for the benefit were won by purchasing $10 raffle tickets and VIP tickets were purchased for $100 and $500 (if you wanted to see the sound check and meet the band) and all proceeds went to the Matthew Leone Fund at Sweet Relief.

Kill Hannah started the evening off with a seven-song set that definitely got people in the mood for the evening. Once Kill Hannah was done Joe Shanahan and Nathan Leone, Matthew’s twin brother, took the stage to raffle off a few items to raise more money. The first auction item was a bag of Pumpkins goodies that fetched $1600. It was full of vinyl and cds among other things. The second item was a limited edition show poster from the evening signed by Bill Corgan that went for $2,500. The last item that was auctioned off was a meet and greet with Billy himself after the show where he would sign an autograph. The winner of this item spent $4,000 for the opportunity.

Once the raffle was done Illinois Governor Pat Quinn joined the guys on stage to present Nathan with a plaque that proclaimed Tuesday as Matthew Leone Day. Nathan and Joe were visibly moved and accepted the honors with teary eyes and big smiles.

Once the presentation was over Shanahan got the crowd ready for the Pumpkins to take the stage, which they did to an enormous applause on the same stage the band launched their careers 1988. Corgan didn’t say a word and jumped right into his first song, “Astral Planes.” The newly formed members of The Smashing Pumpkins proceeded to play a seventeen-song set and came back out on stage for an additional two-song encore. They played a lot of their classic hits and some songs off of their latest album as well.

The band wasn’t playing on their own instruments as those were already shipped overseas for their tour, which kicks off in Singapore on August 5th, but they did an amazing job and had an extra long sound check to make sure that everything sounded perfect. The newest drummer, Mike Byrne, who is only 20 years old, was mesmerizing. He didn’t miss a beat all night and was truly a phenomenal drummer. His confidence exuded from him and you could tell he wasn’t afraid to lead the band into a number of songs.

The band came out for a 2-song encore after their first 17 songs and played, “1979”, and “Gossamer”. The show ended with as much energy that it started with. The band was definitely on point and you could tell they were really happy while playing the show. After the show was over, about 10 or so people joined the band on stage as Corgan proceeded to auction off the guitar he had been playing throughout the evening. The guitar went for $10,000 and was a great way to end a terrific fund-raising event. Donations for Matthew Leone are still being accepted at sweetrelief.org

Smashing Pumpkins raise funds for Madina Lakeview gallery

Astral Planes
Ava Adore
Hummer
As Rome Burns
A Song for a Son
Today
Eye
Bullet
United States
Blessed Mother
Perfect
Cherub Rock
That’s the Way my Love Is
Owata
Stand Inside Your Love
Tarantula
Tonight, Tonight

[ENCORE]
1979
Gossamer