On Friday evening, June 13, 2025, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan reunited onstage with former bandmate Melissa Auf der Maur in a shock encore throughout his live performance at Théâtre Beanfield in Montreal. It was the primary time the 2 had carried out collectively publicly because the unique Smashing Pumpkins’ farewell present in December 2000.
The present was a part of Corgan’s A Return to Zero tour along with his solo-backed band, Billy Corgan and the Machines of God. The Montreal cease shortly bought out and featured a deep, career-spanning setlist that included classics like “Tonight, Tonight,” “Porcelina of the Huge Oceans,” and “Heavy Steel Machine.”
As the ultimate encore started, Auf der Maur emerged to a thunderous hometown welcome. Born and raised in Montreal, Auf der Maur joined Corgan for a efficiency of “The Eternal Gaze,” reclaiming her place on bass for one of many standout tracks from the Machina/The Machines of God album, which she toured behind in 2000.
The second was particularly poignant given Auf der Maur’s native roots and the lengthy historical past she shares with Corgan. Their final public efficiency collectively occurred almost a quarter-century in the past, marking this reunion as each a musical and emotional spotlight of the evening.
Followers erupted on social media inside minutes, sharing video clips and celebrating the second as a strong return to a pivotal period of the band’s historical past. Whereas neither artist has confirmed plans for future collaborations, the reunion fueled hypothesis about Auf der Maur’s potential involvement in upcoming reveals tied to the long-anticipated Machina reissue challenge.
For one evening in Montreal, the previous and current collided in dramatic vogue—reminding followers that the Smashing Pumpkins’ legacy continues to evolve in surprising and heartfelt methods.
Merci to Melissa Auf der Maur for becoming a member of The Machines of God in Montréal tonight! pic.twitter.com/dsLeyhV2ih
— The Smashing Pumpkins (@SmashingPumpkin) June 14, 2025
