6 Reasons Why You Should Be Excited For The Smashing Pumpkins’ 2025 Manila Concert

The Smashing Pumpkins are finally coming back to Manila in a few days.

This September 29, 2025 (Monday), the American alternative rock icons are making their long-awaited return to Manila, as they bring their ongoing 2025 ‘Rock Invasion’ tour to Asia. With this, it’s time to get ready to sing and move along to the band’s nearly four decades worth of hits.

To commemorate the Smashing Pumpkins return to Manila, Billboard Philippines has compiled a list of reasons why their comeback to the Philippines is one that is, undeniably, highly anticipated.

It will be the Smashing Pumpkins’ first concert in the Philippines in over 13 years

Indeed, it’s been more than a decade since the band first (and previously) performed in the Philippines, back when they held the Manila stop of their ‘Oceania’ world tour 13 years ago on August 8, 2012. Since it’s been a while since they were last here, fans of the band, both old and new, definitely have a lot to look forward to, especially for those who are seeing them for the very first time.

It will be the band’s first time performing in Manila with their current lineup

If there’s one thing that makes the Smashing Pumpkins’ return to Manila extra special, it’s their current member lineup. Why? Because it’s the first time that drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and guitarist James Iha — both founding members of the band — will be performing in the Philippines with the band. Iha had previously departed from the band back in 2000 before returning 18 years later in 2018, while Chamberlin previously exited in 2009 and returned in 2015, making them both absent from the Smashing Pumpkins’ inaugural Manila show back in 2012.

It will be the first time they will be performing songs from their five latest studio albums

In the past 13 years since the Smashing Pumpkins were last in Manila, the band has released a total of five studio albums: Monuments To An Elegy, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun., Cyr, Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts, and Aghori Mhori Mei. With this, their return to the Philippines this month will be the perfect chance for Filipino fans to witness the fan-favorite tracks from these records, such as “Edin,” “Sighommi,” “CYR,” “The Colour of Love,” and more.

Their return to Manila coincides with the 30th anniversary of their biggest album of all time

What makes the Smashing Pumpkins’ upcoming Manila concert even more special is that it concurs with the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness — the band’s best-selling album of all time. Released in 1995, the album and the hits it spawned, such as “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” “1979,” “Zero,” and “Tonight, Tonight,” have become staples for every Smashing Pumpkins fan, making the performances of these songs something to look forward to even more this year.

The band’s set list will be composed of hits and fan-favorites spanning their entire discography

Of course, the band’s hits don’t stop at the tracks from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Throughout their rich discography of 13 albums and multiple EPs, the band has crafted hit after hit that has resonated with many generations of fans, especially the songs from universally beloved full-length records like Gish, Siamese Dream, Adore, and more. With this, Filipino fans can expect the band to take the very best of their best and deliver performances that do justice to these timeless tracks.

It will be the chance to witness the Smashing Pumpkins showcase their top-notch artistry in action

More than being masters of conjuring up hits, the Smashing Pumpkins are seasoned performers through and through, shaped by decades-worth of experience under their belt. Just ask any fan that has seen them multiple times. So, whether they’re taking on small space or music festivals and large-scale venues like the Smart Araneta Coliseum, expect a world-class showcase of talent from the band — one that cements their status as the one of the greatest bands in alternative music.

Listen to the Smashing Pumpkins’ hits below: