'We want to reclaim this space:' Billy Corgan hopes to help Highland Park heal with benefit concert
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan took to the stage Wednesday evening in Highland Park – his home for 20 years – to benefit the victims of the July 4th parade massacre.
In addition to Corgan himself – who both performed and hosted the concert – Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell were also on the bill. The night also featured performances by jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano; harpist Janelle Lake; electronic duo Bob Moses; and country musician Billy Swan and his daughter Sierra.
The concert was held at Madame ZuZu's – the tea shop Corgan owns at 1876 1st St. in Highland Park – and was broadcast on YouTube. It was a fundraiser for the victims of the parade massacre – which left seven people dead and dozens more injured.
All proceeds went to the Highland Park Community Foundation's July 4th Victims Response Fund. But the goal was not only to raise funds, but also to try to help his community heal.
CBS 2's Charlie De Mar spoke to Corgan ahead of the intimate performance at Madame ZuZu's, which Corgan owns with his wife, Chloe Mendel.
Madame ZuZu's was not open at the time of the massacre, and Corgan was not present. He said wife and their daughter were flying back from Europe at the time – and otherwise would have been in the parade.
Corgan described the range of emotions so many in Highland Park have experienced since the massacre – focusing on the swell of support the community has seen.
"At first you start off like, 'Oh my God,' you can't believe it's happened. Then you go to: 'What's going to happen to Highland Park. Is anybody ever going to come back to Highland Park?' And then, the fact that the local Chicago community has rallied around Highland Park. There's been such incredible energy here. It's like you've gone from the lowest low to the highest high, and then tonight, something like this – it really makes your heart feel full," he said. "It doesn't remove what's happened. It just sort of makes you realize that tragedy prevents an opportunity – how ever awful it is – and what we've seen has inspired us in ways that we couldn't even have imagined to be inspired by a couple weeks ago."
Corgan also emphasized the importance of something positive and uplifting like a concert in Highland Park.
"I think it says a lot. We want to reclaim this space; make it about positive unity, togetherness, and moving forward – and that's it," Corgan said. "Whatever happens here tonight – how ever glorious how ever wonderful – there are going to be people dealing with this tragedy for years to come."
One of those people is 8-year-old Cooper Roberts. He was shot during the parade, and was left paralyzed from the waist down. Cooper's mother, Keely Roberts, was also shot – and she spoke publicly about the shooting for the first time in a video supplied to the news media.
"It's horrible. There's no other way to say it – it's horrible," Roberts said. "I'm heartbroken and I'm sad, but it is a losing question to ask why. There is no good answer, and that is not productive."
But even for those who were outside Madame ZuZu's peeking in Wednesday night, the harmony felt on the stage in some way helped an entire community heal from the inside out.
Madame ZuZu's was closed for six days, along with so many others located in the main downtown Highland Park area. He said he handed over his surveillance video to the FBI in the hopes it might help with the investigation.