News 990325-3

All-star concert, modeled on the Band's 'Last Waltz,' will benefit homeless youth.

by Staff Writer Chris Nelson

Billy Corgan (pictured) has only rarely performed without the Smashing Pumpkins.

Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan is scheduled to perform with his father, guitarist William Corgan, for the first time during a March 25 all-star benefit for homeless youth in Chicago.

"When [Billy Corgan] was approached, he really liked the idea of it," said Nick Tremulis, 39, leader of the Nicholas Tremulis Band and organizer of the show at the Metro club. "He got into it so much that he wanted this performance to really mean something to him."

Corgan's father was a top-rated blues session-guitarist in Chicago during the late 1960s, according to Tremulis, himself a longtime staple on the local scene.

"It's the first time ever that they've performed [together], besides at their house, and in fact even that hasn't been that often," said Zach Paradis, spokesperson for the 1,100-capacity Metro.

"They're not the kind of people who just go home and play together and hang out," Paradis said. "But they're going to be playing some blues tunes. It's not like they have to sit down and rehearse; they're just gonna rip up some blues."

Corgan has performed apart from the Smashing Pumpkins before, but only on rare occasions. Before the release of the band's Adore album last year, he played acoustic versions of songs such as "Daphne Descends" (RealAudio excerpt of studio version) during a solo club show in Los Angeles.

The March 25 benefit has been dubbed "The First Waltz," and it will loosely follow the format of the 1976 farewell concert by roots-rockers the Band, which was captured in Martin Scorsese's film "The Last Waltz." Such famous friends as Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell performed at that show as guests of the band.

At "The First Waltz," Band bassist Rick Danko will perform along with Tremulis' group. Also on the bill will be soul-gospel singer Mavis Staples (who sang at "The Last Waltz"), alternative-country musicians Jon Langford (Mekons, Waco Brothers), Alejandro Escovedo and Robbie Fulks, Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen, the BoDeans' Sammy Llanas, "Mustang Sally" songwriter Sir Mack Rice and others.

"Everybody's taken the spirit of 'The Last Waltz' ... some are doing their own tunes, and Jon Langford and Robbie Fulks wanted to do Band tunes," Tremulis said.

The whole ensemble will take the stage for the Band's signature song, "The Weight," with Billy Corgan, Staples and Danko slated to sing solo verses.

The show, which Tremulis said he hopes to make an annual event, will be filmed for a home-video release to come out in the summer.

Tremulis said he was inspired to organize the show by the story of Cory, a 12-year-old Chicago boy who spent time at the Neon Street center for homeless children last year. Cory was later gunned down near his old home in the notorious Cabrini Green housing project.

All proceeds from the concert will benefit Neon Street, which offers shelter, meals and counseling to homeless youth. The video of the First Waltz will be a documentary about both the concert and Neon Street.

"[Tremulis] had a troubled youth of his own," First Waltz producer Sharyl Holtzman said. "He said, 'I'm lucky that I had a family to pull me through it. I had the support. These kids don't.' "