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Where did the band The Smashing Pumpkins form?
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Did the band The Smashing Pumpkins play at any Chicago clubs?
On October 5, 1988, the complete Smashing Pumpkins band took the stage for the first time at the Cabaret Metro (now The Metro).

Question: Were they popular in Chicago?
Self-contained rewrite: Were the band The Smashing Pumpkins popular in Chicago?