How much can you really expect from a rock band whose members are all in their 50s? A hell of a lot, as it turns out.
Soundgarden, with its (almost) original line-up of Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Ben Shepherd and Matt Cameron, hit the stage at Luna Park’s Big Top on Thursday night (26 February) to a packed and rapturous crowd.
Image © Kim RudnerSaid crowd was mostly comprised of dudes wearing their original ‘90s Soundgarden t-shirts, however there were also some of the next generation being inducted into the world of rock and live music, tagging along with their parents and often looking slightly dumbstruck about everything happening around them.
Click here for more photos from the show.
Having seen Chris Cornell play solo before, I was looking forward to his showmanship and endearing banter. What I wasn’t prepared for was the chemistry these four men exuded together. Cornell spent much of the set jamming out with Kim Thayil, posturing, throwing his arms up in the air, and tossing his head back as he screamed. And that voice.
One of the most astounding things about Cornell is that his voice is still as captivating as it was 30 years ago. In a world of pop stars who cancel tours because of vocal nodules, Cornell stands out as a true rock star and performer. His voice is inseparable from Soundgarden and regardless of the passage of time, there’s no sign of it waning.
Image © Kim RudnerThe set list was expansive, including rarities like ‘Birth Ritual’ from the ‘Singles’ soundtrack (which, until this Soundwave tour, they had not played live since 1992) and hardcore fans were rewarded with the first ever live performance of B-side ‘Kyle Petty, Son Of Richard’. Cornell dedicated ‘Blind Dogs’ from ‘The Basketball Diaries’ soundtrack to their tour photographer, along with a withering insult (and hopefully inside joke) about how annoying he was.
That’s not to say that the set list only contained obscurities. During the two-hour set many of their biggest hits made an appearance including ‘Spoonman’, ‘Fell On Black Days’, ‘Black Hole Sun’, and ‘Burden In My Hand’.
Cornell was on form with his banter, tearing the music industry a new one while explaining that they created their new album without the aid of record labels. Speaking of music industry executives he smirked: “None of them have any jobs anymore, and I’m happy about that”. There is clearly no love lost between him and the record industry.
Image © Kim RudnerThe gruelling set wound up with the a triple threat of ‘Outshined’, ‘Kickstand’ and ‘Slaves And Bulldozers’. This disintegrated into an epic jam of chest-rattling bass and guitar feedback. Matt Cameron capped off the night by throwing his bass backwards over his head, into the equipment behind him and sauntering nonchalantly off stage in a way that only rock stars can.
The take out from the night is that Soundgarden are on top form, and you got the feeling that they were genuinely enjoying themselves. At one time they asked what time it was, not to find out how much longer they had to play for, but how much longer they could play for.
Click here for more photos from the show.
