Anyway, on the stage are Billy ‘Yul Brynner’ Corgan (guitar, lead vocals and lider maximo), Jimmy Chamberlin (very excellent drummer I must say), Jeff Schroeder (in charge of the apocalyptic rhythm and solo guitars), Ginger Reyes (aka Ginger Sling, girl – and bass) and Lisa Harriton (keyboards – and girl). And there’s a sixth member, consisting in the hundreds of spotlights that sometimes make the whole set look like a fireworks show accompanied with music rather than the contrary. The good thing is that it’s easier to take notes as the hall is sometimes lit as if it was daylight, but the band is too goddam loud for me to even think of reading the tasting notes in the latest issue of Whisky Magazine I’ve brought in my pocket just in case.

So, they are all playing the five or six first songs extremely loud and heavy - I insist - except for the keyboards that are much less to the front than on the records (yes I’ve listened to some). Billy Corgan has a nice voice I must say, which he sometimes pushes to the limits. I’m thinking of Billy Idol, well.... Corgan is also a very good guitar player and likes to quote several other bands, including Pink Floyd in Umma Gumma if I’m not mistaken. He also does the Star-Spangled Banner thing, not ala Hendrix that is but now, it is to be wondered why so many American artistes seem to enjoy making their international audiences boo and hiss their national anthem. Is that some sort of self-mortification? Or does it simply sell? Corgan also likes to make his guitars sound like whales, which is always a hit. Not simply rock and roll postures, he’s really good at all that.

But sincerely and just between us, why the hell are the Pumpkins playing so loud? Now, good news, since the Chemical Brothers, I’ve got my set of earplugs in my pocket (yeah, next to Whisky Magazine) and believe me, they didn’t stay in my pocket for long, but our foolhardy neighbours had to leave it to simple cigarette filters, which proves that plain cigarettes can be really harmful to your health. On stage, after the apocalypse of St. Billy, that is to say the six first songs, the latter suddenly picks up an acoustic guitar and starts to sing a very nice ballad, with only Lisa Harriton’s keyboard in the background. I think it’s called ‘On my own (not worth asking)’. Really pretty! And then another excellent and slightly folkish ballad, only voice and guitar… And then another one, with the full band this time. A bit dark and sort of haunting, nice. But we’re soon back to much heavier businesses, all guitars handled like Tommy guns again, including the diminutive Ginger Reyes’ bass. Are they getting better or am I getting used to the Pumpkins’ elephantine sound? There are several other very loud songs, and then I ask Arthur how this genre is called. He answers ‘… ea… y … ar… o… ee…’. Bloody earplugs.

It’s already the encore (you say they have been playing for one hour and a half, really?). Just the piano, no guitars, no drums. Lisa Harriton starts to play… Too early for Billy Corgan, who orders her to start it all again. Gosh, I hope he won’t fire his brand new keyboardist right after the show! It’s another ballad, she plays it very well, but leaves her keyboards when the second song from the encore starts, while the rest of the band is back. Wait, there’s kind of a heavy (of course) larsen somewhere… What is it? Billy Corgan jumps onto the podium where the keyboards are located. Dammit, she forgot to shut them down when she left! Please, Billy, don’t fire her, she’s been great tonight!

The band starts the very last song of the gig, it’s called ‘Muzzle’.