The Smashing Pumpkins will launch the Rats in a Cage Tour, a full celebration of their 1995 masterpiece "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness." Billy Corgan announced the project after discussing the concept for over a decade, saying the timing finally felt right.
The band plans to perform the double album in its entirety across multiple nights. "Mellon Collie" stands as one of alternative rock's most consequential releases, cementing the Pumpkins' status as grunge-era giants and spawning hits like "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," "1979," and "Tonight, Tonight." The album's ambitious scope and emotional depth made it a landmark moment in 1990s rock, influencing countless bands that followed.
This tour represents a significant undertaking for the Chicago outfit, which has spent recent years delivering a successful reunion that proved the Pumpkins' material retains its power decades later. The commitment to performing a double album across multiple cities demands substantial production values and stamina from both the band and audience.
Corgan's quote reflects the careful deliberation behind such a project. Anniversary tours have become standard practice in modern rock, but few bands attempt to recreate a double album as comprehensively as the Pumpkins now plan. The decision also speaks to the album's continued cultural relevance among longtime fans and newer listeners discovering the record through streaming platforms.
The Rats in a Cage Tour builds on the Pumpkins' successful reunion arc that began in 2018. With founding members Corgan, Jeff Schroeder, and James Iha performing alongside drummer Jeff Statite, the band has proved its legacy material translates effectively to contemporary audiences. "Mellon Collie" remains their commercial and artistic peak, making it the logical centerpiece for an extended tour.