The final day of Toronto's Virgin Festival closed with many still believing in the Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan and him in turn believing in them on this night.
Corgan, who brought the '90s alt-rock giants back to life with a new lineup and a new album Zeitgeist, was able to dust off the early gems for the band's headlining set at Toronto's Island Park Sunday evening. Yet the band took a rather odd route in getting to them, a path occasionally filled with lengthy and winding instrumental moments.
A good example was the set opener United States that had the group showing their musicianship for roughly ten minutes before teasing the crowd with a snippet of O Canada which most lapped up. The band wasted little time in placating fans with Bullet With Butterfly Wings which released the rage pent up in some people, including one nearby gentleman repeatedly punching the ground with his fist. Fortunately for him, the ground turned the other cheek.
Saying very little throughout but waving at the crowd and thumping his chest, Corgan and his band mates, including drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, managed to churn out Tonight, Tonight with relative ease but quickened the pace to give Zero a punk-ish flavor. However later on a cover of 1979 simply fell flat compared to the brooding material such as Tarantula and especially Superchrist.
Meanwhile, the Killers' gig was generally well received even if Sam's Town doesn't pack the same oomph as the band's debut Hot Fuss. Following an inane video intro and a curtain with Sam's Town inscribed on it, the Vegas band nailed the title track before hitting its stride with Somebody Told Me.
The band didn't exactly warm themselves to photographers either being the lone group demanding no photos be taken. However, considering lead singer Brandon Flowers' rhinestone-laden jacket would make Vegas lounge lizards cringe, one can see the rational behind the request. Nonetheless, the band misses the mark with Uncle Johnny but didn't fail with the surefire Mr. Brightside, Somebody Told Me and the Smile Like You Mean It.
Canadian bands also played their role with Metric and Stars making the most of the late afternoon and early evening. Metric's Emily Haines was at her headbanging-meets-aerobic dancing best during Poster Of A Girl and Dead Disco but continued performing the disco-saturated Rock Me Now until the crowd sang the refrain to her satisfaction before ending with the blazing Monster Hospital.
Stars, on the cusp of releasing a new album, tossed in a healthy batch of new songs which had singer Torquil Campbell sounding like Morrissey or The Beautiful South's Paul Heaton during Take Me To The Riot and Elevator Love Letter. Campbell, who sarcastically asked fans to pass the hat for Virgin founder Richard Branson, and company had the crowd onside with the lovely Reunion and pretty Your Ex-Lover Is Dead.
Elsewhere, Toronto band Tokyo Police Club had a huge audience for their set and the buzz band delivered short, choppy pop tunes that had some in sheer ecstasy and others wondering what the fuss was about. British act Jamie T. and his quirky but rousing tunes like Alicia Quays and Salvador gained new fans while main stage openers Earl Greyhound, looking like they stepped off a 1969 Greyhound departing Woodstock, appeared to injure one fan with an errant toss of a drumstick into the crowd.
And for those wise enough to head away from the main stage during set changes, you were well rewarded with the dramatic, bombastic rock oozing from British band Editors and the charming, guitar-fuelled instrumental gems from Austin foursome Explosions In The Sky.
