The Smashing Pumpkins - Rats In A Cage arena tour celebrates Mellon Collie
Published on 08/21/2026 at 23:02 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Smashing Pumpkins are taking their classic rock drama back into big rooms. According to a tour announcement published on May 18, 2026, the band will spend fall 2026 on The Rats In A Cage Tour, a 27-date North American arena run built around the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
Fall 2026 arena tour and route
The Rats In A Cage Tour begins on September 30, 2026 at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio and runs through November 12, 2026 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, occupying roughly six weeks of prime arena calendar.
A detailed schedule shared by Vice and ticketing outlets lists major stops including Boston’s TD Garden on October 2, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on October 4, Chicago’s United Center on October 14 and Denver’s Ball Arena on October 27, plus Canadian dates in Hamilton, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.Vice tour breakdown
Lollapalooza and festival context for the tour
Before the arena run, The Smashing Pumpkins headline Lollapalooza in Chicago on July 31, 2026, tying the band’s hometown festival appearance directly into the Mellonn Collie anniversary narrative and serving as a live preview of the fall shows.AOL Lollapalooza report
Some festival listings also note a closing appearance at Darker Waves in Huntington Beach, California on November 14, 2026, extending the celebration beyond the indoor arenas into an outdoor, multi-artist context that keeps the Mellon Collie material in front of large crowds.
Tour, catalog and streaming overview for The Smashing Pumpkins
Fans who want to follow every move of The Smashing Pumpkins can find additional news, background pieces and chart updates in our archive and via the band’s official channels.
How the band plans to honor Mellon Collie
The tour branding explicitly references The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1995 third studio album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, which earned RIAA Diamond status in the United States and defined their mid-1990s breakthrough with songs like 1979, Tonight, Tonight and Bullet With Butterfly Wings.
Venue-level announcements describe two distinct sets each night: one focused on Mellon Collie material in full-band arrangements and another built as a career-spanning overview from early work like Gish and Siamese Dream through later albums such as Oceania, CYR and the recent Aghori Mhori Mei.Climate Pledge Arena tour announcement
Where the band stands now
The next confirmed live date for The Smashing Pumpkins is September 30, 2026 at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, marking the opening night of The Rats In A Cage Tour and the formal start of the Mellon Collie anniversary arena run.
The Smashing Pumpkins at a glance
- Act: The Smashing Pumpkins
- Genre: Alternative rock / art-driven guitar rock
- Origin: Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Active since: Late 1980s (first releases 1990–1991)
- Lineup: Billy Corgan (vocals, guitar), James Iha (guitar, vocals), Jimmy Chamberlin (drums), Kiki Wong (guitar, live), Jack Bates (bass, live)
- Label: Martha’s Music (recent releases), with catalog titles originally on Virgin and other majors
- Key works: Siamese Dream (1993), Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), Machina/The Machines of God (2000), Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts (2023)
- Current album/single: Aghori Mhori Mei, released August 2, 2024; collaboration single Zombie with Yungblud in 2026
- Charts / certifications: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness certified Diamond by the RIAA; recent collaboration Zombie reaching Silver certification from the BPI in the UK
- Next live date: September 30, 2026, Columbus, Ohio, Schottenstein Center (The Rats In A Cage Tour opening)
Frequently asked questions about The Smashing Pumpkins
When does The Rats In A Cage Tour start and end?
The tour is scheduled to start on September 30, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio and to conclude on November 12, 2026 in Inglewood, California, with additional festival activity around that window.
Is The Rats In A Cage Tour visiting any German cities?
Current listings describe a concentrated North American arena run in the United States and Canada; there are no publicly announced German dates for this specific tour leg at the time of writing.
Which classic songs are expected on the Mellon Collie anniversary shows?
Promotional material emphasizes key Mellon Collie tracks like 1979, Tonight, Tonight, Bullet With Butterfly Wings and deeper cuts, alongside songs from earlier albums and recent releases to form a career-spanning second set.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by editors. Sources are linked in the text. Dates, chart positions and certifications can change at short notice; we welcome correction notes via our editorial contact on the imprint/contact page.
