The Smashing Pumpkins are marking the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness with one of the most ambitious tours of their career.

Announced Monday, the band’s new Rats In A Cage Tour will launch Sept. 30 in Columbus, Ohio, and run through November with arena dates across the U.S. and Canada. The show is built around two distinct sets: a theatrical performance dedicated entirely to Mellon Collie, followed by a second career-spanning set pulling from nearly four decades of material, from Gish to 2024’s Aghori Mhori Mei.

The announcement arrives as the band prepares for its first Lollapalooza appearance since 1994, returning to headline the Chicago festival more than 30 years after its original touring-era run.

Billy Corgan said the concept for a full Mellon Collie-themed production had been in discussion for more than a decade.

“With set 1 of the Rats In A Cage tour exclusively featuring Mellon Collie songs in a highly theatrical setting, and set 2 drawing from the rest of our canon, there’s a decent amount of variance as to what songs we’ll play from night to night,” Corgan said.

The band previewed the tour over the weekend with a surprise event at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Legion Theater called “A Requiem For ZERO,” where 300 guests attended a symbolic funeral for ZERO, the character Corgan first introduced during the Mellon Collie era.

The tour continues a larger anniversary campaign around the landmark 1995 album, which recently included a deluxe vinyl reissue, previously unreleased live recordings, and a Lyric Opera of Chicago collaboration reimagining songs from the record.

Tickets go on sale May 21, with presales beginning May 19. VIP packages will include an acoustic performance, Q&A session with the band, lounge access, and exclusive merchandise.

FULL TOUR ROUTING 

Wed, Sep 30 — Columbus, OH — Schottenstein Center

Fri, Oct 2 — Boston, MA — TD Garden

Sat, Oct 3 — Baltimore, MD — CFG Bank Arena

Sun, Oct 4 — Brooklyn, NY — Barclays Center

Tue, Oct 6 — Pittsburgh, PA — PPG Paints Arena

Wed, Oct 7 — Hamilton, ON — TD Coliseum

Fri, Oct 9 — Montreal, QC — Bell Centre

Sun, Oct 11 — Madison, WI — Kohl Center

Tue, Oct 13 — St. Paul, MN — Grand Casino Arena

Wed, Oct 14 — Chicago, IL — United Center

Fri, Oct 16 — Charlotte, NC — Spectrum Center

Sat, Oct 17 — Jacksonville, FL — VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

Sun, Oct 18 — Tampa, FL — Benchmark International Arena

Tue, Oct 20 — Indianapolis, IN — Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Wed, Oct 22 — Nashville, TN — The Truth

Sat, Oct 24 — Oklahoma City, OK — Paycom Center

Sun, Oct 25 — Austin, TX — Moody Center

Tue, Oct 27 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena

Thu, Oct 29 — Salt Lake City, UT — Delta Center

Fri, Oct 30 — Las Vegas, NV — MGM Grand Garden Arena

Sun, Nov 1 — Portland, OR — Moda Center

Tue, Nov 3 — Calgary, AB — Scotiabank Saddledome

Thu, Nov 5 — Vancouver, BC — Rogers Arena

Fri, Nov 6 — Seattle, WA — Climate Pledge Arena

Sun, Nov 8 — San Jose, CA — SAP Center

Wed, Nov 11 — Phoenix, AZ — Mortgage Matchup Center

Thu, Nov 12 — Los Angeles, CA — Kia Forum

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.