Smashing Pumpkins founding member and former guitarist James Iha joined Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin onstage Saturday night in Los Angeles for the first time in 16 years.
“Yes, it’s James Iha,” Corgan announced to the crowd at the Ace Hotel. It was a fitting birthday present as Iha turned 48 on Saturday, Rolling Stone reports, reuniting the band’s original lineup (minus bassist D’arcy Wretzky) to perform a number of songs off the Smashing Pumpkins’ seminal 1993 album, Siamese Dream, including “Mayonaise,” “Soma,” “Rocket,” “Today,” “Disarm,” “Spaceboy” and Pisces Iscariot‘s “Whir.”
Jeff + Billy + James + Jimmy 3/26/2016 @SmashingPumpkin pic.twitter.com/gC7v6I1VHr
— Smashing Pumpkins (@SmashingPumpkin) March 27, 2016
Iha left the Pumpkins in 2000 when the band broke up and has not rejoined during any of Corgan’s various lineups that have followed.
Watch some fan shot videos of the performances, as well as the crowd singing Iha “Happy Birthday to You” here:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=sSYTpbLtaVo%3Frel%3D0
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vQEYax_mWhQ%3Frel%3D0
https://youtube.com/watch?v=jFAbVF66xRU%3Frel%3D0
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ypGrh_sHgdk%3Frel%3D0
