Smashing Pumpkins invite Melissa Auf der Maur

Melissa Auf der Maur said Billy Corgan asked her to join the Smashing Pumpkins onstage at Lollapalooza, reviving a lineup connection that dates to the band’s late-1990s and early-2000s period. Auf der Maur disclosed the invitation in an interview published by Guitar World on Aug. 6, saying the idea came together after the band’s headlining appearance at the Chicago festival was set. Guitar World said the guest spot played as a surprise reunion moment tied to the group’s earlier era. Lollapalooza’s official site lists the 2026 festival at Grant Park from July 30 through Aug. 2. ### How did the reunion come about? Melissa Auf der Maur told Guitar World that Billy Corgan reached out after the Smashing Pumpkins had confirmed their Lollapalooza slot, inviting her to take part in the show. Guitar World framed the appearance as a direct callback to the band’s 1990s history and said Auf der Maur “ascended to the Lollapalooza stage with her former band.” Billy Corgan and Auf der Maur have remained linked in recent coverage by Guitar World, which in March published separate features on their history together and on what Auf der Maur said she learned from her time in the band. (guitarworld.com) That made the Lollapalooza appearance a reunion with a documented backstory, rather than a one-off festival cameo. ### Why did this stand out at Lollapalooza? (guitarworld.com) Guitar World said the Smashing Pumpkins’ festival set was their first Lollapalooza appearance since 1994. That detail gave the guest appearance added weight, because it placed the reunion inside the band’s return to a festival strongly associated with its 1990s rise. Lollapalooza’s official website lists the 2026 event as running in Grant Park in Chicago from July 30 to Aug. 2. (guitarworld.com) The festival site also shows the Smashing Pumpkins on the 2026 lineup and schedule pages, confirming the band’s place in the closing stretch of the event. ### When did the performance happen? Setlist.fm lists the Smashing Pumpkins at Lollapalooza 2026 in Grant Park, Chicago, on July 31, with a scheduled 8:30 p.m. start on the Bud Light Stage. (guitarworld.com) The same listing identifies the appearance as part of the festival and records a full set from the show. Guitar World’s coverage described the reunion as taking place at Lollapalooza this week, and one of its related reports said the band balanced nostalgia with more recent material during the performance. (lollapalooza.com) Taken together, the available accounts place the Auf der Maur guest spot within the band’s 2026 Lollapalooza set in Chicago. ### What was Melissa Auf der Maur’s role in the band’s history? (setlist.fm) Melissa Auf der Maur joined the Smashing Pumpkins in October 1999, according to Guitar World’s March 2026 coverage. Her tenure connected her to the post-1990s phase of the band, making her return on a Lollapalooza stage a reunion with a specific lineup chapter rather than the original founding lineup. Guitar World’s recent coverage centered that shared history, including Corgan’s recollection of first meeting Auf der Maur and Auf der Maur’s own reflections on her time with the group. (guitarworld.com) Those earlier interviews provided the context for why her appearance at the festival was presented as a reunion moment. ### What comes next after the festival appearance? The Smashing Pumpkins’ public setlist page shows additional tour dates scheduled for late September and October 2026, including arena stops in Columbus, Boston and Baltimore. (guitarworld.com) Lollapalooza’s official site has already rolled over to updates and sign-ups for the 2027 festival cycle. (setlist.fm)