The Smashing Pumpkins Light up Lollapalooza With Olivia Rodrigo, Yungblud and Melissa Auf Der Maur in Chicago Homecoming Set
CHICAGO, IL — The Smashing Pumpkins turned their return to Lollapalooza into a full-scale hometown event, headlining the Chicago festival 32 years after their last appearance there. The set leaned on the band’s biggest songs, but the real jolt came from a trio of guests who helped turn nostalgia into something freshly alive.
Opening with “1979,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” and “Today,” the band immediately locked in longtime fans while drawing in a younger crowd. By the time the guests started arriving, the audience had already been pulled into what felt like a celebration of the group’s past and present at once.
Yungblud and Olivia Rodrigo bring new energy to Pumpkins favorites
Yungblud was first, joining the band for a reverent take on “Luna.” The U.K. rocker has already worked with the Pumpkins on his song “Zombie,” but this collaboration gave the older track a softer, more polished edge.
Olivia Rodrigo’s appearance felt even more expected once eagle-eyed fans spotted her at O’Hare earlier in the week. The pop star has made her affection for 1990s alt-rock part of her identity, from touring with the Breeders to inviting Weezer onstage at her own Lollapalooza set last year. With Billy Corgan, she sang a slowed-down acoustic “Thirty-Three” that made the song feel intimate and emotionally charged.
Melissa Auf der Maur’s return gave the night extra weight
The final surprise was former bassist Melissa Auf der Maur, whose recent memoir has put her back in the spotlight. She tore through “The Everlasting Gaze” and blended so naturally with the current lineup — including James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin — that the moment hinted at how strong a fuller reunion could sound.
Jack Bates and Kiki Wong also held their own across the 17-song set, with Wong drawing attention for a sharp solo on “Ava Adore.” The performance made room for both old chemistry and the band’s newer touring muscle.
Pumpkinpalooza capped a Chicago week built around the band
The Lollapalooza set capped several days of Pumpkin-themed events across Chicago, including a warm-up show at the Riviera and a pop-up merch store on Wabash Avenue that blended Smashing Pumpkins and Chicago Cubs designs. Corgan and his children stopped by before the shop closed, while his family also helped run a Madame Zuzu’s Celestial Lounge pop-up in the festival’s Vibe Village.
The night’s most iconic moment came during “Tonight, Tonight,” when fans sang the “city by the lake” lyric while standing near Lake Michigan. A sudden rain burst added to the drama, and Corgan jokingly called it a “rain disco party” before shifting into the gloomier “Pentagrams.” Even then, the mood stayed celebratory, with the band sounding entirely at home in its hometown.
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