The Smashing Pumpkins at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Smashing Pumpkins are bringing their North American tour to Indianapolis on Tuesday, October 20, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and the show is built around a specific anniversary. The tour, called The Rats In A Cage Tour, runs from September through November and commemorates the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the double album released in 1995 that went RIAA Diamond and earned seven Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

The setlist is split into two distinct halves. The first set is devoted entirely to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, played on a highly theatrical stage. The second set opens up to nearly four decades of the band's catalog, running from their first single, Gish, all the way to their latest album, Aghori Mhori Mei, released in 2024. Between the two, you get both the anniversary deep dive and the broader hits.

On stage, the lineup brings back a lot of the original sound. Billy Corgan, who has been the only constant member since the band formed in Chicago in 1988, is joined by James Iha on guitar, bass and backing vocals, and Jimmy Chamberlin on drums, with touring members Jack Bates on bass and Kiki Wong on guitar. Corgan handles vocals, guitar, keyboards and bass. The band's history is long and rotating: D'arcy Wretzky was an original member, and the lineup has since cycled through Melissa Auf der Maur, Mike Byrne, Nicole Fiorentino and Jeff Schroeder. Before this tour, they headlined Lollapalooza in their hometown on July 31, their first time doing so in more than 30 years. The band has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, more than 19.75 million in the U.S., and has picked up two Grammys, seven MTV Video Music Awards and an American Music Award. In July, the Hollywood Walk of Fame announced they will receive a star in the Class of 2027.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers, has a few things worth knowing before you go. There are Premium Experiences available, including KeyBank and Krieg DeVault Level Suites that hold 20 tickets and Lexus Loft Loge Boxes that hold four, both with a refundable $500 deposit. For families, there's a Nursing Mothers Room in Section 2 and Section 119, a Sensory Room in Section 119, and sensory bags and weighted lap pads available at Guest Services in Sections 2, 119 and 206/207. Strollers are accommodated and stored near the ticket holder's seat. The venue asks fans to arrive early, travel light and have mobile tickets ready.

If you want to get into the record before the show, the 30th Anniversary Edition of Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness comes as a four-CD deluxe edition with 93 tracks and a six-LP super deluxe limited edition. The anniversary celebration also includes a deluxe vinyl reissue with previously unheard live recordings from the world tour, a reimagining of Mellon Collie hits on stage with the Lyric Opera Of Chicago, and culinary collaborations with Vosges Haut-Chocolat and Erewhon. The show itself starts at 8:00 PM, so plan your evening around that.