Smashing Pumpkins enlisted Willow Smith for a ripping performance of the band’s 1993 single “Cherub Rock” during their headlining set at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Saturday (November 19th). The concert marked the end of Pumpkins’ joint “Spirits on Fire Tour” with Jane’s Addiction.
Smith, who performs as “WILLOW,” took the stage toward the end of the band’s set after a brief introduction by guitarist James Iha. Despite the fledgling rockstar’s well established powerhouse vocals, she ceded the mic completely to Billy Corgan and instead opted to showcase her guitar-playing abilities. Joining Corgan, Iha, and Jeff Schroeder, WILLOW brought the band’s headcount of guitarists to four, which surely delighted the frontman’s insatiable desire for dense, distortion layering.
WILLOW later posted a series of photos from the concert along with a caption featuring the “Who wants that honey” line from the song’s chorus. In a subsequent post, she shared snaps of her with Corgan and Iha during the performance. See the posts and watch fan-captured footage of their take on “Cherub Rock” below.
Though the surprise guest spot marked the first collaboration between Smashing Pumpkins and Willow Smith, it’s not the first time their universes have intersected. In August 2021, Smith shared a video of her shredding the “Cherub Rock” riff, and she joined Corgan for an episode of his Thirty-Three podcast in October 2022.
Smashing Pumpkins’ Hollywood Bowl show coincided with the release of Act 1 of the band’s three-part rock opera, ATUM. The second installment of the 33-track project will arrive on January 31st, followed by Act 3 on April 21st.
Meanwhile, WILLOW unleashed her latest solo LP, COPINGMECHANISM, in October via Roc Nation.