Smashing Pumpkins embarked on a European tour in 2019, performing 17 shows across Europe at arenas and popular summer festivals. After having worked with the band on their previous 2018 tour, our team was looking forward to collaborating with frontman Billy Corgan and Creative Director Linda Strawberry once again.
Drawing inspiration from artist Oskar Schlemmer and his Bauhaus movement, three enormous figures were designed to share the stage with Smashing Pumpkins and “wow” the audiences. The 30-feet-tall figures, dubbed “Zero,” “Mother,” and “Glass,” were constructed as inflatable puppets and were brought to life by Airworks Inflatables. The inflatable sculptures were designed with duality in mind, featuring a black and white surface on one side and a colorful, patchwork surface on the other. The figures were also internally lit with LED. This execution allowed for an endless combination of incredible looks throughout each show. Given the large figures as the centerpiece of the stage visual, our team, including Nimblist principal designer Spike Brant, partnered with Kille Knobel to create a lighting design that captured and amplified the smart simplicity of the stage design.
Balancing bold and bright color palettes with mono-chromatic themes, a dramatic chemistry was highlighted between the band and the puppets. Whether presented in an arena or at an outdoor festival, the Smashing Pumpkins European tour design was created to be as inspiring and provocative as the much-loved songs it accompanied.
Client
Smashing Pumpkins Machine Inc
Key Collaborators
Linda Strawberry, Kille Knobel
Location
Europe
Date
2019
