The Coolest Song Ever! … Right Now – Pumpkins Live From The Tabenacle, Hotlanta 5.9.2000

Although radio singles like “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” are not my favorite live Pumpkins songs, this is a thundering version from the 2000 Sacred and Profane Tour. It’s angry and fast and the tension within the band is palpable. The Atlanta stop was near the end of what was to be their final tour. “BWBW” is a crowd pleaser, but delivered in such an aggressive manner that it alienates strict radio fans. On this leg of the tour, the song was melded with The Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime.”¬† This wasn’t so much a cover as a launching pad for improvisational shredding and Billy’s maniacal free-form poetry. In Orlando at The Hard Rock Live, he stopped the show and ended a meandering 10 minute conversation with fans by making the crowd chant, “What the fuck is going on! What the fuck is going on!”

At The Tabernacle, there was a crazy vibe. I think a good portion of the audience was on ecstasy, making James Iha comment at one point, “I see a lot of people have their eyes closed.” The crowd was surging with misguided energy. In this version of “BWBW” in Atlanta, the music stopped at the same point, then Billy begins the poetic ramblings then James Iha revs up the crowd in a sarcastic arena chant. Billy brings the music back around by screaming “YES” until the walls shook and the hair on my arm stood up.

[media id=29]

Set:

Encore 1:

Encore 2: