Lancaster Photography | Walnut Creek Wedding and Event Photographer. San Francisco Bay Area.: Smashing Pumpkins - The Fox Theater

Last night was a fun shoot for me for a few reasons.

a) I hadn't shot a show in a while
b) I love the Fox Theater. Probably the nicest venue in the San Francisco Bay area
c) the shoot was Smashing Pumpkins
d) I finally had a chance to meet Billy Corgan

Smashing Pumpkins were my first concert ever. My parents weren't keen on me going to shows at a young age, so by the time I finally made it to one, it was January 4th 1997 in Reno, NV. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlain was on hiatus at the time, so the drummer from Filter was filling in. I remember it was super energetic, and LOUD. I was trying to talk to my friends after the show and I couldn't hear my own voice.

In my old band, we used to jam on Pumpkins tunes to warm up, and I practically wore out my copy of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness from so many repeated plays. I also remember getting upset when Disc 2 got a scratch that prevented one of my favorite tracks from playing properly.

Sure, the band isn't quite the same these days. Billy Corgan is the only original member left, and it's really noticeable not having James Iha or Jimmy Chamberlain on stage. The last show I shot was A Perfect Circle a couple of months ago, and Iha is a part of that group now... so at least I saw him this year!

Smashing Pumpkins producer Kerry Brown was a guest of ours on theFIVE10 Radio a while back, and was nice enough to hook us up last night with tickets, photo pass, and after-show passes. Thanks to him, I finally got to knock this band off my list and finally got a chance to meet Billy briefly, who has created some of the best music in rock throughout his career.

Oh, and a drunk Indian woman asked if I had a cigarette for her. When I said no, she started babbling about how no one would give her a cigarette and then called me a racist. Fun times.

Here are some photos!