As it more and more feels like someone pressed repeat on the 1990s, from “Scream” sequels to an almost shutdown of the government, one must not overlook the musicians that came from that decade. The good ones, at least.
Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell performed a sold-out show at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue on Sunday night, hitting high notes from throughout his career.
The 27-song nostalgic-yet-varied set included Soundgarden and Audioslave favorites, solo cuts, a number of covers and even a heaping of offerings from the 1991 self-titled Temple of the Dog project.
During the nearly two-and-a-hour performance, Cornell was almost exclusively alone on stage with a rotating selection of amplified acoustic guitars. He deviated from that setup only sparingly. The result turned into a haunting, beautiful, creative night of music perfectly suited for the venue.
Highlights included Soundgarden hits such as “Fell on Black Days,” after which Cornell asked the audience if “that was from” the 1994 mega-hit album “Superunknown, right?” The audience assured him he was correct, before easing into “Burden in My Hand” from 1996’s Down on the Upside.
Audioslave tracks in many ways sounded better than the album versions. The band that Cornell formed with members of Rage Against the Machine never equaled the sum of its parts, but Cornell gave songs such as “Like a Stone” an added richness.
Cornell played a selection of solo songs as well, from the moving “Ground Zero” and the well-received “Sweet Euphoria.” And the Temple of the Dog tracks, such as “Say Hello 2 Heaven,” enjoyed a special level of sublimity in the solo acoustic setting.
It might have been Cornell’s choices of covers that intrigued the most, including Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You,” the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride,” and the musician’s well-known take on Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean.” An electrified and surprising rendition on Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper” was well done, and admittedly self-indulgent.
The audience behaved itself for the first half of the concert, until fans began shouting out requests, including the required “Freebird” jokester. But Cornell seemed to roll with it, saying “It’s like a spelling contest and I’m the only contestant, and it’s music.”
Something that became evident during the performance was just how overlooked Cornell’s talents might be. The 46-year-old carried the show ably, and his strong, distinctive voice gave no signs of wear.
But during an evening that featured such a creative, eclectic array of music spanning two decades of rock, the showstoppers came during the encore. Cornell played a moving version of the Temple of the Dog classic “Hunger Strike,” and followed that up with Soundgarden’s best known song, “Black Hole Sun.”
In the never-ending battle between moving forward and looking back, nostalgia once again won out in the end.
