thanks dylanpemberton

that was an awesome gig! i really enjoyed it, was singing along aswell...i think the guy next to me was getting pissed off because he was video-ing and i was singing and...and....it was awesome!

I already wrote a review of the fabulous concert but since someone asked; here's the set list (which I have managed to replicate both a live and studio version of from my collection bar one song - My Blue Heaven!). An image of the set-list should be available by now on this site in images - set lists.

Anyway, the gleaming set was...

Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Behold! The Night Mare
Bring the Light
Tonight, Tonight
Mayonaise
Try, Try, Try
Superchrist
Come On (Let's Go)
Stellar
Perfect
Lily (My One and Only)
The Rose March
Today
Tarantula
Stand Inside Your Love
Ava Adore
Drown
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
1979
That's the Way (My Love Is)
My Blue Heaven [George Whiting and Roger Donaldson]
The Everlasting Gaze
Cash Car Star
Daydream
Wound
United States

And I was in the seated section (unfortunately), we had a couple of idiots behind whine about us standing and dancing as they wanted to sit still quietly (why?) but that was soon resolved with a few choice words and finger pointing! It did say on the MEN website that standing in the seated area is to be expected. Ultimately, we were there to watch the Pumpkins rawk and not The Tweenies so why would you want to sit still and not get into it? Was also suprised at the amount of time people spent wandering off to get drinks etc. I didn't want to miss a second. As I said earlier, fantastic performance, awful crowd in the main.

It would be interesting if each reviewer stated if they where sitting down in the Arena or standing. I was standing pretty close, and this was a perfect show, I couldn't have wished for more.

The sound quality on the guitars was incredible throughout, and Billy's vocals hit a level of excellence I would never expect to hear in a live show. He lived up to his own self-hype last night, he was just unbelievable. If you experienced a muddy sound or it was excruciatingly loud at point, then that is a fault from the sound engineers at the M.E.N Arena.

'Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans' was an outstanding opening track; in-fact, the whole set-list worked surprisingly well, considering the range of the material. The reworking of several hit songs where also a great treat, and in all cases I believe that they topped the original recordings. The entire band was incredibly tight, and for moments they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I'm sorry to hear others didn't have the same experience as I did, and I hope that the Smashing Pumpkins where not disheartened when it was over - because many people where incredibly grateful.

It was well worth £30; great value for money, I would pay treble that amount if I had to. It is just a shame that touts quickly bought out a large portion of the tickets - in fact, tickets where sold out on many sites, yet (I was told) that the Arena was only half-full.

Really wished for a really rocking encore. Show seemed to progress backwards, despite brilliant playing. Does anyone have the official setlist? Dave from USA

Jesus Christ!

Some people just don't get it do they? THEY PLAYED FOR 2 1/2 HOURS... More than many, many headline acts these days... They played well and played an excellent set...

Machinauk says the rest for me...

What a night!

Might I start by saying that I was one of the supposedly "disappointing" seated audience, but I thought it was one of the great events of my life so far.

Despite only being 24 years old, I have many problems with my legs, and find standing at concerts very difficult. I went to see Muse at Wembley last June, stood the whole way through, but then struggled to get down the stairs at the end and the pain was excruciating - not very rock and roll, I know.

So, before judging, please think first. It did seem a bit subdued on the night, but I came to listen to the music, and I got what I paid for, and more to boot. In fact, probably the best bargain ever!

I stayed in my seat throughout, despite being in great need for a wee at the end, I was never going to risk missing even a second!

The set was superb, opening with Porcelina caught me by surprise, but it blew me away. I loved the version of Daydream they played, and again that surprised me, what with the album version being sung by D'arcy, it just never crossed my mind that they would play it.

As for the end, I absolutely loved it. There's nowt wrong with a bit of feedback, distortion and the odd wanky guitar solo here and there. Hendrix did it, Led Zepelin did/do it, Van Halen did it, Alice In Chains did it, Muse do it. Billy is one of the guitar greats, so I'm not arguing. After all, he's about 6 ft 3", and I'm only 5ft 8".

The only disappointment for me was the booing. If you chose to join in, and went home feeling negative about the show, then it's your loss. I had a great night.

Fantastic gig! Saw them in Glasgow back in August and this set was completely different! Some songs I wished they'd played back then they played tonight, and vice versa. Can't please everyone all of the time, not with so many great songs anyway!

Loved the 'overindulgent' last 20 mins. Pumpkins have always done this sort of thing, so it's nothing new. Guess there was no encore because they should have been off stage by 10:30 (local regs). And hence the 08:30 start. Pumpkins always cram more songs into their sets than most bands as there is usually very little gaps between the songs.

Was sitting in the side stand and the crowd was a little subdued, but it didn't stop me enjoying the gig. Wish I'd gone moshing down the front instead now - next time!! And soon please!!!

The Pumpkins were amazing simple as that!!

But, what the hell was wrong with the crowd!?? I have never been to a concert where the crowd were so...... well....uninterested!! What was all that about!? Song after song after song all blended together with real seamless class and power and all they get after 2hrs 30mins brilliance was booing!! I was stunned! I was surprised there was no encore too, but hey, it was 11pm after all (which I think the MEN stipulate is their cut off time) and they had played none stop for ages, but why the boo's!? They can't play every song from their back catalogue to please everyone or they'd be there for days!!

I just hope that after putting on such a good night that the band don't think we all felt the same and refuse to ever come back! I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would be gutted if that was the case! I have been into this band for around 15 years and have waited a lot of years for that night...... the pumpkins did not disappoint!!! Simply brilliant! Long may you continue!

Was my fourth time seeing the Pumpkins (twice in 2000 and last year at the Leeds Festival), and I thought they were pretty good. I went with a Bo, who was the first Bo to ever see the Pumpkins, and they thought it was really good too! So congratulations Pumpkins - you made a Bo happy and now have a friend for life!

It must take some brave soul to drag themselves half way across the world to play in a dive like my home town - Manchester. I mean really. The people here are a real bunch of negative, whining, good for nothing morons. No offence to the odd few people who really wanted to be at a Smashing Pumpkins gig to see the...uhm..what's that band...the Smashin Pumpkins...oh yeah that's them.

If I was Billy, I wouldn't have provided such an entertaining 2 and a 1/2 amazing hours of super music to the crowd in Manchester, let alone an encore.

In Manchester, we were entertained by a great band, with an amazing mix of 'classics', new material, and rare songs. For a band with such a huge volume of material...do you expect them to play everything to please every single person. Come on.

Id rather thank Billy and co for such an amazing life experience and just hope to God, the band decide to come back again in the future and entertain us some more.

My wife and I have already decided that if Billy and co don't want to return to this damn unapprecaitive hole, that we will travel far and wide to see the Smashing Pumpkins again.

Long live the Pumpkin King.

if there is some unwritten rule about not playing classics, well, smashing pumpkins obviously haven't heard about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tonight, today, bullet, everlasting gaze, 1979, porcelina, mayonaise!!! i just think the pumpkins cater for the real fans who wanna hear and see something more then just the singles. thats what makes em the best band in the world.
just for the record; no encore = curfew, nothing to do with the pumpkins!

in great britain dont gives a shit about THIS GREAT BAND, THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD, why they wonder if the pumpkins gives a shit about an encore?!

tztz

When the Smashing Pumpkins split up in 2000 I thought I'd never see them live...so it really was a dream come true for me last night! The performance was simply fantastic with Billy being the great charismatic leader that he has always been to the Pumpkins! But what was wrong with the audience?? Not even asking for an encore, no cheering or anything...THAT was the disappointment of the evening, the guy sitting next to me fell asleep!? I wasn't lucky enough to get standing tickets and had to suffer a constant flow of people getting up and down...but despite this ungrateful bunch, last night's show was well worth the wait, and really hope I'll have the chance to see them play live again!

Been a fan since 92 and never seen them so really looking forward to this and worried after Nottingham

Thought it was all brilliant till that last 20 minutes which was stupid with occaisonal moments of good sound. I haven't seen anything that indulgent since the Grateful Dead, which the feedback reminded me of and as for doing the star spangled banner....

I was regretfully sitting and the adenece was bludgeoned into silence by that last 20 minutes which is why the clapping and cheering stopped so soon and I assume why we didn't get an encore.

Still up to then, absolutely great

Chris