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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).
Were the band The Smashing Pumpkins popular in Chicago?
The Smashing Pumpkins released its first single, I Am One, on local Chicago label Limited Potential. The single sold out and they released a follow-up on Sub Pop.

Question: What was their big break?
Self-contained rewrite: What was the band The Smashing Pumpkins' big break?