Smashing Pumpkins - Peony Park Ballroom Omaha, NE 1994
My Sophomore year of college. It ruled. None of the nervousness of Freshman year. I had a f'n cool roommate and a few close but cool friends.
The Smashing Pumpkins were coming to town and I had tickets. I drove to the show with some guy who lived on my floor and met up with my buddy Rob at the show. Rob has to be one of the craziest, smartest and hardest partying people I ever met. Had he decided to he could have 4 pointed Creighton. Sadly, that wasn't his choice but at last report he is happy with his life so it's not all bad.
Anyway, Peony Park Ballroom was literally that a ballroom in the middle of an old style amusement park. Both of which are now closed. It seemed odd to me when I walked in and saw a hardwood dance floor and a chandelier as the roadies were tuning the instruments for the opening band, Shudder to Think.
We took our posts in front of the stage for Shudder's set. I'd never heard them live and they were pretty good. Craig Wedron has an odd voice for a punk rock singer, almost falsetto. We held our ground as the crowd packed in for the Pumpkins. Eventually, the house lights went backed down and they took the stage. I was maybe 15 feet or less from the stage when they launched into "Geek USA". I started jumping up and down and jostling, not really moshing, along with everyone else. By the time the song ended I had somehow ended up about 30 feet back of where I started and, no, I didn't crowd surf.
I fought my way back to the front and enjoyed the rest of the show. It was in a word unreal. That was probably one of the last shows Smashing Pumpkins played in a venue of that size as "Siamese Dream" launched them into stardom and 2,000 person ballrooms just couldn't hold them anymore.
Here' the song that set the night on fire along with a cool track from Shudder to Think.
The Smashing Pumpkins were coming to town and I had tickets. I drove to the show with some guy who lived on my floor and met up with my buddy Rob at the show. Rob has to be one of the craziest, smartest and hardest partying people I ever met. Had he decided to he could have 4 pointed Creighton. Sadly, that wasn't his choice but at last report he is happy with his life so it's not all bad.
Anyway, Peony Park Ballroom was literally that a ballroom in the middle of an old style amusement park. Both of which are now closed. It seemed odd to me when I walked in and saw a hardwood dance floor and a chandelier as the roadies were tuning the instruments for the opening band, Shudder to Think.
We took our posts in front of the stage for Shudder's set. I'd never heard them live and they were pretty good. Craig Wedron has an odd voice for a punk rock singer, almost falsetto. We held our ground as the crowd packed in for the Pumpkins. Eventually, the house lights went backed down and they took the stage. I was maybe 15 feet or less from the stage when they launched into "Geek USA". I started jumping up and down and jostling, not really moshing, along with everyone else. By the time the song ended I had somehow ended up about 30 feet back of where I started and, no, I didn't crowd surf.
I fought my way back to the front and enjoyed the rest of the show. It was in a word unreal. That was probably one of the last shows Smashing Pumpkins played in a venue of that size as "Siamese Dream" launched them into stardom and 2,000 person ballrooms just couldn't hold them anymore.
Here' the song that set the night on fire along with a cool track from Shudder to Think.
posted by Sean H. at 18:56
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