Smashing Pumpkins Step Up Tonight

Time was when musicians were at the vanguard of "doing the right thing," whether that was supporting the Civil Rights movement, opposing the Vietnam War, or promoting an anti-nuclear future. Sometimes those days seem far away but Billy Corgan's Smashing Pumpkins step up tonight with a benefit performance at Metro to support a musician who just tried to do the right thing.

Last month Matthew Leone, bass player for Madina Lake, stepped in to try to protect a woman who was being beaten by her husband. He managed to separate the two but while waiting for police to arrive the husband, Justin Pivec, allegedly began beating on Leone. Leone suffered severe brain injury, underwent emergency brain surgery, and is currently in stable condition in the hospital awaiting another surgery. Pivec has been charged.

Many musicians don't have health insurance, and Leone had let his lapse two months before the attack. So the Pumpkins (and other Chicago musicians) are doing what they can to help him pay his medical bills.

Tickets for the Metro event are sold out, but Corgan & Company did a nice job trying to raise as much money as possible. Most tickets were raffled off for $10 (for one pair) and fans could buy as many raffle tickets as they wanted. Additional balcony seating sold for $100 a ticket and a special limited sound-check ticket cost $500. No word yet on how much the Pumpkins raised, but here's hoping fans get to see one of the best Pumpkin shows in a long time. (And if you're lucky enough to attend drop us a note to let us know how it good it was.)

All proceeds from the concert will go to the Matthew Leone Fund at Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to musicians for a variety of needs. Visit their site at http://www.sweetrelief.org/.