By Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
The Smashing Pumpkins will return to the U.K. and Europe in 2008 for a major arena headlining tour, starting Jan. 27 in Belgrade, Serbia. The tour will also feature shows in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Ireland, Scotland, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, where the trek wraps March 3.
The tour will mark the band’s third round of overseas dates in connection with their critically acclaimed album “Zeitgeist” (Martha’s Music/Reprise), which entered the album charts in July in the Top Five in the U.S., Canada (#1), New Zealand (#1), the U.K. (#4), Italy (#5) and Switzerland (#5), with more Top Ten debuts in Germany (#7), Holland (#7) and Australia (#8).
The Pumpkins’ extensive 2007 tour schedule started in Europe with an intimate sold-out show at the historic Grand Rex in Paris on May 22 and concluded with another sold-out small hall gig at Sheperds Bush Empire in London on June 19. In addition, the band also played several dates in the U.S., including Live Earth on July 7 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ and residencies at the Orange Peel in Asheville, NC and the historic Fillmore in San Francisco, CA. The band wound down its North American tour Nov. 18 in Dallas, TX.
The Smashing Pumpkins 2008 European tour dates:
1/27 Belgrade, Serbia Arena
1/29 Budapest, Hungary Arena
1/30 Prague, Czech Republic T-Mobile
1/31 Vienna, Austria Stadthalle
2/2 Milan, Italy Forum
2/3 Bologna, Italy PalaMalaguti
2/5 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion
2/6 Paris, France Bercy
2/9 Dublin, Ireland Royal Dublin Society (RDS)
2/10 Belfast, N. Ireland Kings Hall
2/12 Glasgow, Scotland SECC Hall
2/14 Nottingham, England Nottingham Arena
2/15 Manchester, England MEN Arena
2/16 London, England O2 Arena
2/18 Den Bosch, Netherlands Brabenthalle
2/19 Brussels, Belgium Forest National
2/21 Munich, Germany Olympiahalle
2/22 Frankfurt, Germany Jahrhunderthalle
2/23 Berlin, Germany Arena
2/24 Oberhausen, Germany Koenig-Pilsener Arena
2/26 Hamburg, Germany Colorline Arena
2/27 Copenhagen, Denmark Valbyhallen
2/29 Oslo, Norway Spektrum
3/1 Stockholm , Sweden Hovet
3/3 Helsinki, Finland Ice Hall
