Billy Corgan - Now (And Then) – Live in San Francisco

Billy Corgan - Now (And Then) – San Francisco, Live, 11-2-17, front rows, Herbst Theater. WPC: So I got up this morning, wrote this song and I'm going to play it for you. lol Second night of 2 SF shows.



Other Tidbits:

William Patrick Corgan (WPC) embarked on a month-long acoustic tour to perform his newest solo album, Ogilala (produced by Rick Rubin), as well as a second set spanning works from Smashing Pumpkins and beyond. With only an acoustic guitar, piano and harmonica, Corgan performed Ogilala in its entirety, followed by a ~20min intermission, then the 2nd set.


WPC: Someone once asked me 'Why don't you like to play your old songs?' I said no, I do like to play my old songs, I just don't like to play the old songs you want me to play. lol


There was no VIP experience this time, but there were pre-sale packages that included lithographs and front row tickets. Many of the fans there recognized each other from previous VIPs and SP concerts. After the show, several of us got to go backstage to talk with William after the show. Many different topics were discussed over food and drinks.

For example, He talked about how the newly released 2D/3D/VR music video for Aeronaut was produced, the technology involved, and how it may be used in the future by him or by artists and people in general. How the ‘Wrecking Ball’ cover by Miley Cyrus came to be, was also discussed, and how when he first performed it, the audience reaction was so positive with cheers and applause that he almost lost his place in the song. When asked how he remembers all the lyrics, William joked that he cheats a lot by looking at the song sheets and we just don’t see it. He then elaborated that over the past 2 shows, he played about 47 different songs, and that he has a good memory but beyond that number, it would probably start to get more difficult. When asked about the humorous reference to California Governor Jerry Brown, he said he was going to elaborate on it, but then stopped himself in order to avoid any politics. He mentioned that he once made a passing joking comment in Portland, Oregon, and it didn’t go over well, lol.


Fan: Archer!!
WPC: I just played it… :P
Fan: Wooo!! (audience laughs and cheers)

Fan: Shiloh!!
WPC (smiling): I may be kinder, older, gentler... but I'm still a bastard. Don't push me lol


Perhaps encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response to the new album during the show, William revealed at the end of the Ogilala set that he’s about to go record another solo acoustic album.

The Herbst Theatre is a seated venue with a capacity of ~900 people.



Setlist:
Ogilala
1. Zowie
2. Processional
3. The Spaniards
4. Aeronaut
5. The Long Goodbye
6. Half-Life of an Autodidact
7. Amarinthe
8. Antietam
9. Mandarynne
10. Shiloh
11. Archer
12. If I Were a Carpenter (Tim Hardin cover)

Career-spanning set
13. Oceania (Smashing Pumpkins song)
14. Thirty-Three (Smashing Pumpkins song)
15. La Dolly Vita (Smashing Pumpkins song)
16. Try, Try, Try (Smashing Pumpkins song)
17. Now (And Then)
18. Disarm (Smashing Pumpkins song)
19. To Sheila (Smashing Pumpkins song)
20. After the Gold Rush (Neil Young cover)
21. Stellar (Smashing Pumpkins song)
22. Friends as Lovers, Lovers as Friends (Zwan song)
23. Chicago
24. Eye (Smashing Pumpkins song)
25. 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins song)
26. Soot and Stars (Smashing Pumpkins song)

Encore:
27. Lyric (Zwan song)
28. Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus cover)
29. Today (Smashing Pumpkins song)


Lineup:
WPC (Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins)