DUBAI: Alternative rock icons The Smashing Pumpkins are set to perform in the UAE for the first time, with a one-night-only concert at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on Thursday Oct. 9, 2025. The show is part of the band’s global “Rock Invasion 2025” tour and marks their Middle East debut.
Led by founding member Billy Corgan, with longtime bandmates James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin, the Chicago-born group will deliver a setlist spanning their three-decade career. Fans can expect to hear beloved classics such as “1979,” “Tonight, Tonight,” and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” alongside newer tracks like “Beguiled” and “Empires.”
The Abu Dhabi stop is the final leg of their regional tour, which also includes performances in Tokyo, Seoul, Manila, Bangkok, Singapore, and Bahrain. The tour follows the release of their ambitious rock opera “ATUM” and their latest album “Aghori Mhori Mei,” released in late 2024.
Tickets for the Etihad Arena show go on sale through Live Nation Middle East, with artist and presale tickets available starting May 21, and general public sales opening on May 23 at 12 pm.










