Operetta Varietes Uniondale Theatre reviews
The Scratching Pumpkins
The promise of maturity from Billy Corgan's first words dwindled into thin air with each song, an absolute bait and switch. The covers of Bowie and The Rolling Stones didn't help answer any cries for "HELP!" from the audience. Being primed for the band's 'rock' moments at first felt electrifying, but 'Today' and '1979' were as close as the night got to being electrified. The merchandise table hawked a hoodie with 'ZERO' emblazoned in large caps, but they didn't perform the song. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlain sat out at least two songs while a drum machine took the stage. Despite JC's proficiency, Corgan felt he could get the song across without his longtime bandmate. A shame indeed. The audience was ready when the house lights first went down. Throughout the set, there was a lack of bones to throw them, and before we knew it, the house lights were up. The seats were at least Operetta Varietes.