Billy Corgan will return to Montreal this week under a new banner: Billy Corgan and the Machines of God. The project, which reimagines some of The Smashing Pumpkins’ most ambitious work, is set to headline the Beanfield Theatre on June 13 as part of the A Return to Zero North American tour.
Rather than a nostalgia trip, the tour signals a reflective chapter in Corgan’s storied career, coinciding with two key anniversaries: 30 years since the release of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and 25 years since Machina/The Machines of God and its elusive companion album Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music. Both Machina records—long discussed but rarely unified—will be celebrated via a newly remixed and remastered 80-track box set available exclusively through Corgan’s Madame Zuzu’s tea shop in Highland Park, Illinois. The vinyl edition of the original Machina is also due on August 22.
The live show will feature music from Mellon Collie, Machina, and Corgan’s 2024 solo effort Aghori Mhori Mei, with a two-set format and a stripped-down four-piece lineup. Joining Corgan are guitarist Kiki Wong, drummer Jake Hayden, and bassist Kid Tigrrr (Jenna Fournier). While the band name echoes Machina’s original concept, this is not a Pumpkins tour—it’s an intentionally separate endeavour, albeit one deeply rooted in the same mythology.
Alongside music, Corgan’s creative output remains characteristically varied. Earlier this year, he launched The Magnificent Others, a podcast produced under Bill Maher’s Club Random Studios. He also continues as president of the National Wrestling Alliance and remains active in animal welfare causes, including long-standing support for no-kill shelters.
Tickets for the Beanfield Theatre show are on sale via Evenko.
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