Just found this, remembering the Times I had seen Smashing Pumpkins, this show at Gabe's Oasis and once before at the University of Iowa Wheelroom, The audio of this recording does not do the actual show justice--it was loud and very present, the band had just released Siamese Dream, can't remember if I had already herd the new songs yet. Gabe"s was a small upstairs venue, and at one point you can hear the crowd asking for the door behind the stage (which was just a fire escape access) because sometimes they did allow bands to open the door, for ventilation--It was hot even in the winter for Gabe's shows, and this was July in the humidity of corn country...Remember this show fondly, took place a few weeks before I saw an incredible show by Pavement at College Street, a bar a few blocks away, wonder if that recording might be floating around somewhere?

This was the first show after the secret Metro show where the band had performed as "The Turnips". To make the review here easy, this show is essentially the twin sister performance to that 7/28 Metro show. The setlist features most of the same songs, just in slightly different order, performed mostly in the same manner. The difference being that whereas the Metro show featured a hometown crowd, to which the band played with enthusiasm and lots of banter, this show in Iowa City almost totally lacks any kind of that high energy rapport or connection with the audience, and as a result none of the performances here really jump out as exceptional. The band play well overall, and there are none of the technical or equipment mistakes that they made at the Metro show. In fact, the band seemed to have ironed out the kinks so well that they pretty much go from one song to the next in the set with barely any pause between any of the songs.

The show is well played, the recording features good sound, and the college audience is certainly into it. But it seems that the band aren't particularly into the show beyond playing the set and saying a few words here and there between songs. Billy also seems to take it easy on some of the vocal melodies in a few of the songs. Perhaps he had the same cold that D'Arcy was complaining about? It is nice to hear Starla transition into Snail, just as it did at the Metro show, and although they don't play Hummer at this gig (this show, along with the following show in Pontiac on 8/7 and a few of the festival shows in Europe, would be among the only shows during the entire SD tour where the song wasn't played), the setlist has good variety to it. However, besides Billy stopping the intro to Disarm to chastise the crowd for fighting, and then telling a story about a band they used to open for before Siva, there isn't much else to set this gig apart significance wise. It's a good performance, just a little lacklustre.