Smashing Pumpkins will revisit the spirit of ’93 this spring when they embark on their Rock Invasion 2 tour. The trek, which will find the group playing more rock-centric setlists that span its discography, kicks off in Louisville on April 23rd and runs through May 8th, when it ends in Greensboro, North Carolina. The group went out on its first Rock Invasion run in support of its breakthrough LP, Siamese Dream.
“It’s been a good while since we’ve played a straight-up, bare-knuckle rock and roll show — one that avoids little in the way of raw power,” Billy Corgan said in a statement. “So note: this tour won’t be for those faint of heart and will certainly echo the dynamic modes in which we built our live reputation.”
Tickets for most of the dates will go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m. local time via Live Nation and the group’s website. The band’s gig in East Moline, Illinois, and its appearances at the Beale Street Music Festival and Shaky Knees Music Festival are not part of the Live Nation on sale.
After the tour, the band will open a run of dates for Guns N’ Roses.
Rolling Stone wrote about Smashing Pumpkins’ original Rock Invasion tour in 1994, pointing out how its name was similar to the tour titles that Judas Priest or Boston would use — artists the band seemed at odds with as poster children for the alternative nation.
Corgan said at the time that that was the point. “All these alternative bands today are so high up on their punk rock horse that they’re in denial about being huge and playing big shows,” he said. “Not only do we respect the clichés, we see the truth in them. So we simultaneously make fun of them and embrace them.”
Smashing Pumpkins Tour Dates
April 23 – Louisville, KY @ The Louisville Palace presented by Cricket Wireless
April 25 – Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe Live
April 26 – Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
April 28 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
April 29 – East Moline, IL @ The Rust Belt*
May 1 – Memphis, TN @ Beale Street Music Festival*
May 2 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Music Festival*
May 3 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
May 5 – North Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Performing Arts Center
May 6 – Columbia, SC @ Township Auditorium
May 8 – Greensboro, NC @ Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
* Non-Live Nation shows
