WAVVES @ The Echoplex

Date: Thursday, April 25, 2013 @ 8:00 PM

Venue: The Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Red Bull Sound Selects presents WAVVES, Incan Abraham, HOTT MT & Hands at The Echoplex tonight! It’s only $3 at the door ($10 after 10p), so get there early!

Live Review: Smashing Pumpkins @ Red Bull Sound Select in Austin, TX

(Photo: CVU) 

The Smashing Pumpkins

Red Bull Sound Select: 120 Hours In Austin 

Saturday, March 16th

It’s become expected for unexpectedly large groups to perform secret or last minute shows at the SXSW, and this year was no exception. Names like Prince and Justin Timberlake made noise this month with impossibly exclusive SX performances, announced or confirmed late in the game. So too was the case with a surprise set from the Smashing Pumpkins, announced with just days left in the SXSW week.

The event was part of Red Bull Sound Select’s week-long residency in Austin, with the Pumpkins serving as headliners of the event’s final night. Though entry was highly exclusive, with hopeful attendees lining up since the morning to get into the evening event, hundreds of fans were able to listen in on the outdoor set from across the street. 

Taking the stage after midnight Saturday night, the Pumpkins moved through a crowd-pleasing set, largely marked by greatest hits and fan favorites. For turning 20 years old this summer, “Disarm” benefitted from a fresh coat of paint, while mid-’90s b-side “Starla” notably showcased the group’s guitar strengths. In fact, the band’s level of musicianship live is as strong as its ever been, with the level of stability in this current incarnation of the Pumpkins greatly benefitting their performances. Elsewhere, “Ava Adore” arrived with some added funk, while “Cherub Rock” proved spirited, with a sense of fun coming through in Billy Corgan’s trademark sneer.

The night’s set wasn’t just hits, however. Oceania offering “The Celestials” stood up alongside any of the evening’s classic cuts, while Mellon Collie deep cut “X.Y.U.” proved just as mean in 2013 as it was when it arrived, all taunting riffs and cracking drums. And a spacey cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and the Pumpkins’ own sprawling “Porcelina of the Vast Oceans” gave the evening a dreamlike quality under the outdoor Austin night sky. In a week filled with eager up-and-coming artists and certified superstars, the Pumpkins shut down SXSW with a set that certified their standing, while proving they’re still hungry.

Jaime Black previously contributed as a columnist at the official Smashing Pumpkins site.