Soundgarden @ Festival Hall Review

Festival Hall in Melbourne was full to the brim last night (24 February) with people from all over the Garden State.

There were representatives from the outer suburbs, inner-west and the eastern suburbs; even a few ladies and gentlemen from Toorak. Predominantly 30-something-year-olds from the ‘90s – they all came out of the woodwork to see one of the biggest grunge bands of their time: Soundgarden.

Chris Cornell - Image © Carl Neumann

After a long hiatus from touring it was obvious they hadn't lost any fans over the time. And, as you can see from the setlist below they swooned their way deeper into every, beating heart in the Hall by using all the "best of songs" from ‘Superunknown’ and ‘Down On The Upside’.

Click here for more photos from the show.

And it wasn’t just the big, single releases getting all the most attention. Songs like ‘Pretty Noose’, ‘My Wave' and ‘The Singles’ movie soundtrack song, ‘Birth Ritual’, were all appreciated avidly. The biggest cheers and roars came after the old stuff from ‘Louder Than Love’ and ‘Badmotorfinger’. Unquestionably ‘Spoonman’ and ‘Fell On Black Days’ were well-appreciated, equally was the couple of songs from ‘King Animal’.

Chris Cornell still has the voice that cuts through any wondering thought. Just when he seems to ease back on the accelerator, he bellows out another ripping trademark scream.

Kim Thayil - Image © Carl Neumann

Guitarist Kim Thayil sifted through his grungy, smooth riffs and bassist Ben Shepherd looked relaxed while holding down the low end.

Matt Cameron - Image © Carl Neumann

Matt Cameron kept the time entirely, holding it all together to make an enjoyable and memory provoking night that left me wanting more.

Besides the Brisbane and Sydney Soundwave shows this coming weekend, Sydney-siders can catch Soundgarden more close and intimately on Thursday 26 February at the Big Top Luna Park.

Chris Cornell - Image © Carl Neumann

Soundgarden’s setlist at Festival Hall, Melbourne:

Flower
Kickstand
Outshined
Attrition
Room A Thousand Years Wide
Jesus Christ Pose
Like Suicide
Superunknown
Mailman
Black Hole Sun
Spoonman
Hunted Down
Ty Cobb
Fell On Black Days
My Wave
The Day I Tried To Live
Been Away Too Long
Pretty Noose
Birth Ritual
A Thousand Days Before
Rusty Cage

Image © Carl Neumann

Encore:

Limo Wreck
Slaves & Bulldozers
(Long, heavily-distorted guitar solo)