NEW YORK CITY
JULY 26-30

SPIN celebrated its 25th anniversary in grand style—with five nights of concerts from the artists integral to the magazine's history: Smashing Pumpkins, Flaming Lips, the National, Black Keys, and Spiritualized. The Pumpkins, touring for the first time with their new lineup, kicked off the party with a 135-minute set that delivered on Billy Corgan's promise to "kick your ass harder than anybody else." The Lips provided a confetti-filled reminder of why they remain "one of rock's most thrilling, most inventive—most euphoric—live acts." Black Keys gave a sinister "lesson on the enduring power of the blues." The National's shaman-like leader Matt Berninger entranced with crowd with his "breathtaking confidence." Spiritualized closed the week with an orchestra, horns, and choir performance of their landmark release, 1997's Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space, which SPIN music editor Charles Aaron described as bordering on an "extended meditation."

SEE ALSO

EDITORS PICKS

FEATURED

SPIN LISTS

SEE ALSO

SEE ALSO