Smashing Pumpkins Announce Intimate U.S. Club Tour

Ever since the Smashing Pumpkins reunited and started rolling out free tracks online, one at a time -- and then announced that there'd be 44 songs in all, that they would all be offered as free downloads, that they all form a sprawling album experiment called 'Teargarden By Kaleidyscope' and that, in fact, the album would be physically released as a series of 11 four-song EPs -- there's not much that they could do that would surprise us.

On Wednesday the band unveiled plans for a 14-show tour of intimate U.S. venues leading up to two headlining slots at festivals in Japan this summer. Surprised? You shouldn't be if you've been paying attention. Warming up for the high-profile festivals with a series of smaller-than-usual gigs is perfectly in line with the Pumpkins' "long standing tradition of trying to start up new tours at smaller venues," band leader Billy Corgan said in a statement. "It allows the band the opportunity to take some chances, musically."

Corgan also confessed that he hasn't felt this good about the band -- or any of his others, for that matter -- since 1995. "We seem to have wound our way back to a more kinetic, electric and psychedelic sound that reminds me of Smashing Pumpkins in [the] 'Gish,' 'Siamese' era," he said. If he really means that...we'll take it!

You can warm up for the warm-ups with the first of the 'Teargarden' EPs -- 'Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor' -- which was released to record stores last week. The tour kicks off in Cleveland on July 6 and wraps up on July 24 in Memphis. For the dozen dates in between, and all their deets, stop by the band's official website.