ANN ARBOR - The chilly air and the torrential downpours that plagued most of Ann Arbor for the majority of Thursday afternoon were no match for the warmth inside some 500 Smashing Pumpkins fans' hearts as they bared the elements for the chance to meet and greet their heroes, one-on-one, at a special Tower Records in-store appearance.
The latest stop on their promotional tour that has seen them popping up in record stores and small clubs nationwide for the better half of the last month in an effort to drum up publicity for their latest album, "MACHINA/ the machines of god" (released tomorrow on Virgin Records), reaffirm their fanbase and generally restore the roar that is The Smashing Pumpkins found frontman Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, new again drummer Jimmy Chamberlain and bassist (and D'arcy replacement) Melissa Auf De Maur signing autographs and chatting with fans, making those fans sugarplum dreams of hanging with the Pumpkins come true.
The line outside the Tower Records snaked around the block, rounding two corners, and had hopefuls joining in as late as 5 p.m. Some anxious fans began camping out as early as 5 a.m., for what would be the Pumpkins' slated 6 p.m. arrival.
Fans were handed color-coded wristbands to mark their place in line. They were also handed rain-retardant ponchos, free of charge, by the good people at Detroit's 101.1 FM, known to most as the WRIF but known to even more as the home of the dude who says "BAY-BAY!" The ponchos came in handy, as heavy rains bellowed down for a good part of the afternoon.
A few other radio stations were on hand, as they blared promotional copies of "MACHINA." Some fans brought out their own boomboxes as well (covered, of course, by WRIF ponchos), as they played old Pumpkins discs as the time grew nearer.
The line was kept in a relatively orderly fashion until a white van containing a certain four rock stars pulled into an alley behind Tower. When a tall figure donning a black ski cap emerged from the van and gave a quick wave to the fans before heading on inside, all semblance of order gave way to mass hysteria, as in the blink of an eye the line went from drawn out and single file to squished together and octouple file.
But that was as close to an *NSYNC-type scene as it would get, for upon entering the Tower Records, the mood was more one of calm and cool, as fans were humbled to be in the presence of greatness. And to see that they were indeed human - marked, most notably, by their gobbling of slices of pizza from a local establishment.
As a mix of Pumpkins tunes, all eras, played over the store speakers (from random shuffling, I'm guessing), Pumpkinheads waited patiently to make their way to the front of the line. And upon their turn, fans abstained from girlish screaming and passing out, instead opting for a kind handshake and the occasional hug.
Fans were able to have one item of their choice autographed by the band members, including promotional "MACHINA" posters offered free of charge by the store. But most brought along their own items, including album covers, box set booklets, the occasional Rolling Stone spread or, for the truly blessed, vinyl copies of "Siamese" or "Mellon Collie."
But most walked away with more than an autograph and/or a handshake, and I'm not talking about the smily faces and stick figure drawings that Billy and Jimmy felt compelled to doodle. Rather, it was the memory that would last a lifetime, that of sharing a moment, however brief, of personal interaction with an idol, a hero, a God.
"This is the kind of thing that I will look back on in two years - hell, two days - and I simply won't believe," said Dan Houck, Michigan State University senior. "I've been listening to the Pumpkins since (1993's) 'Siamese Dream,' and I never thought I'd get the opportunity to actually meet them. I'm at a loss for words. This is amazing"