Soundgarden Live at Hammerstein Ballroom, New York

January 27th, 2013

How many voices ring out high and clear above the audience, textured by rough edges and thirty years of performance? There are a handful, and even fewer whose pipes have held up as well as Chris Cornell’s. The famed frontman was back with the recently reunited Soundgarden for three nights at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. For the final night, fans were treated to a two-and-a-half-hour performance, with Cornell quipping, “We’re pretty much playing songs from every record we know.” Not quite, but they did include songs spanning their entire career, from 1987’s Screaming Life EP to their 2012 album King Animal, with the most emphasis on the latter, and their 1994 mainstream mega-hit Superunknown. Amazingly, new tracks and old, deep cuts and number 1 hits, all fit together seamlessly. Soundgarden next take their tour out west across America, before ending in Seattle on February 8.

Chris Cornell

Kim Thayil

Ben Shepherd

Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell

Chris Cornell

Matt Cameron

Matt Cameron and Chris Cornell

Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell, and Ben Shepherd

Chris Cornell

Setlist:
Searching With My Good Eye Closed
Spoonman
Gun
Rhinosaur
Flower
Loud Love
Drawing Flies
Hunted Down
Live to Rise
Non-State Actor
My Wave
Been Away Too Long
Worse Dreams
Blow Up the Outside World
Zero Chance
Eyelid’s Mouth
Like Suicide
By Crooked Steps
Outshined
Blood on the Valley Floor
Fresh Tendrils
Mailman
Black Hole Sun
Rowing