Billy Corgan Doesn't Actually Play Fan's Dream Setlist At Ravinia Festival

It's probably fair to say that Billy Corgan's latest vanity project — a contest in which approximately 1,000 fans carefully selected a Corgan-centric setlist — was a tad misleading.

The following prompt preceded the contest rules posted Aug. 7:

Have an 'ideal' Billy Corgan setlist in mind for his upcoming show at RAVINIA, August 30? Are there those obscure favorites you've always wanted to hear in person, but have never gotten the chance? Or perhaps there's a song that's never been played live?

From that prompt and the ensuing rules, one might believe that Corgan was actually going to play the fan-selected setlist on Saturday at Ravinia.

But that was not the case.

Corgan's actual setlist differed mightily from the one that contest winner Gustaf Bjorlin selected, a fact that Corgan acknowledged in a "congratulations" post on Aug. 27:

Congratulations to our winner, Gustaf Bjorlin, who impressed me mightily with a set that although quite different than the one I plan to play, captures the spirit of what a live set needs to be; and is not unlike one I'd draw up myself.

But first, thanks go to the nearly 1000 entrants who took part. Overall, I was quite impressed with the sheer diversity of songs chosen. And as I said to a friend looking over my shoulder, "did I really write all these?"

For his efforts, Mr. Gustaf receives a private meet and greet at this Saturday's show.

So here is the winning set, with my comments below...

THE CELESTIALS/OF A BROKEN HEART/THE ROSE MARCH/PERFECT/WHIR/STUMBLEINE/THAT'S THE WAY MY LOVE IS/VIOLET RAYS/MINA LOY/THINK YOU KNOW/LET ME GIVE THE WORLD TO YOU/RHINOCEROS/FOR MARTHA/PINWHEELS/ROCKET/UNTITLED/WITH EVERY LIGHT/MEDELLIA OF THE GREY SKIES/DROWN/1979

You can read Corgan's full analysis here. This was the actual setlist played on Saturday (via Stereogum):

• Chicago
• Today
• Disarm
• As Time Draws Near
• For Your Love
• The Rose March
• Perfect
• Let Me Give The World To You
• Prairie Song
• Melon Collie And The Infinite Sadness
• To Forgive
• Muzzle
• Tonight, Tonight
• Galapagos
• Methusela
• Thirty-three
• 1979
• Now (And Then)
• The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning
• The Crying Tree
• Ava Adore
• Pinwheels
• Stand Inside Your Love
• Which Way You Goin' Billy (The Poppy Family cover)
• Burnt Orange-Black
• The World's Fair
• Of A Broken Heart

Tags

Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins