Spirits in the Sky at Muddy Waters – Santa Barbara, CA

Billy Corgan.

Just the name alone can drum up some kind of feeling in a music fan. It is hard not to like the bald headed man responsible for “Siamese Dreams” or “Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness”, two of the most important albums of 90’s. But it’s hard not to shake your head at that rumored affair with Courtney Love, that bomb that was Zwan, that solo album, and that every original member in The Pumpkins not being him has been replaced.

I try to overlook most of his new ventures and remain in the past because I like the guy. One thing I couldn’t overlook was the announcement of an intimate six-date Californian tour of a group now known as Billy Corgan and Spirits in the Sky. I had the pleasure of seeing the first incarnate of the group doing a four song set at the Sky Saxon tribute show and was able to secure a ticket to the second night of the tour, at a little coffee house, in Santa Barbara known as Muddy Waters. I haven’t been to a show in Santa Barbara since 2000 when I caught Oasis and The Black Crows so I wasn’t sure how traffic was going to be. I got in the car from Los Angeles at 3:30 and was exiting for the venue a few minutes before 5. Obviously arriving at a show 3 hours before doors is just a little too early. So early that there was still no line and a couple people inside getting their java on.

Hunger called and it was a short walk up the street for authentic Mexican street tacos for $1 each. It was a total score and totally recommended if you are ever by this venue. Just walk north up the street 3 blocks. While munching on my carne asada I heard some guitars and decided it was time to walk back over to Muddy Waters. The door was open and no one was outside or by the door so I just walked in. There was about a hand full of people standing by the counter as the group of 9 members ranging from Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction) to Mark Tulin (Electric Prunes) started to warm up some songs for the show.

Yeah the jerk that is Billy Corgan let anyone who wanted to walk in and hear a few songs pre show. The band was even nice enough to let those of us there to snap off pics to shoot the sound check. It also allowed everyone to get a look at what the lineup had become, as Navarro, Ysanne Spevack (violin) and Linda Strawberry were all not in the first performance of the group.

After the quick sound check the members all made their way outside and took the time to chat and just hang out in the warm afternoon sun. The few girls all gathered around Dave which left Billy, wearing an old man fisherman hat, alone to answer my question.

I only had one question for Billy, and a simple one at that, “Why the small tour?”

“Everyone in the music world has said I lost it, that I don’t have it anymore, that I will never be on top. I am doing this to prove them wrong.

”After about an hour I had sweat dripping down my face and into my eyes. I am sure a 9 piece band had never played at this makeshift venue and I am sure that there had never been that many people packed inside (and those that couldn’t get a ticket that were pressed into the windows outside) all added to the heat.

“So who wants to go outside for a break? We are all family here, everyone remember where you were and let everyone go back to their same spots.”

There was a roar from the group as Billy gave everyone this option. People wanted to go but no one wanted the band to stop playing.

“Alright, break time, come outside.”

And with that the band all made their way outside with around half of the audience.

The ten minute break was much needed and allowed everyone to cool off before another set with only a handful of the members came back to play another round of songs.


This second part of the set was stripped down, with no keyboard or second drummer, even the extra guitar was gone, just Corgan, Navarro, Byrne and Spevack. This section of songs would all be Billy acoustic songs and included the new songs “A Song for a Son” and “Caroline, Yes”.

“Caroline, Yes” is quite simply a hidden gem that needs to be released. And really the whole acoustic section made me want a solo Corgan tour even more.

With the whole first part of the evening being new Pumpkin’s songs mixed in with a few covers (including a Seeds and Grateful Dead cover) it never offered a true sing-a-long until the last songs of the set.

Two cover songs in a row were played, with the first being the classic Velvet Underground with Nico song “Femme Fatale”. By this point it was no longer acoustic and the whole group came back to add to the sound and back up the Lou Reed parts of the song while Billy took over for the part of Nico.

It actually was downright classic to hear Dave singing the “She’s a femme fatale” part.

I really didn’t think it was going to get much better than that, but again, Billy wanted to show everyone he was back and concluded with a cover by Pink Floyd, “Lucifer Sam”.

Sure most of the new songs had a rather pop sound to it, there wasn’t the dirty guitar solos layered over more solos that is synonomous with a Pumpkins song. Well this cover was a reminder of how good Billy.

Back and forth through the cover Billy and Dave would trade solo for solo, looking and laughing at eachother the whole time.

You could see how much fun everyone was having and could understand when Billy said “This is my family up here”.

Billy’s family of musicians would have one more cover before the evening would end. A final encore, which was a cover by a band I am unfamiliar with, Quicksilver Message Service, entitled “Long Haired Lady”.

This would be the ending of the 18 song set that would send everyone out of the still blistering coffee house and into the breezy evening. The nighttime ocean air in Santa Barbara was refreshing but not as refreshing as seeing Billy already outside chatting away with fans and posing for pictures.

So did Billy prove he could be on top again? I know he did but for those of you still on the fence here is the audio of the show http://www.archive.org/details/bc2009-08-26.dab.flac16


 

Carl Pocket
Big Wheel Music Scene Reporter

 

More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 
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