Chris Cornell brought his Songbook tour back to Boston Friday night at the Shubert Theatre, delivering an acoustic set that spanned his entire career. Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave tracks were performed, along with compositions from his solo career. There were also a smattering of covers including Cat Stevens’ “Trouble” and Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You.” The relaxed setting is where Cornell really shines, stripped of the instrumental might that backed studio versions of songs like “The Day I Tried to Live” (Soundgarden), allowing them to take on an entirely different feel.
Checking in at almost three hours, the set was peppered with stories behind the 30 plus songs. At one point, there was the requisite but never witty call for “Free Bird,” to which Cornell responded, “Finally — it took half the show for someone to yell out “Free Bird.” Upending the unfunny heckle, he played the song right up until the solo kicks in, whereupon he said he wishes he could just make “three bearded, drunk, redneck guitar players magically appear behind me.”
RELATED: Listen to Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell sing Metallica’s ‘One’ in the style of ‘One’ by U2, October 20, 2013
Engaging from the outset, Cornell joked with fans and late in the show looking up at one increasingly vocal and a bit… “husky” we’ll say, female screamed and leaned over the edge of the balcony, the singer cautioned her to be careful, adding to a fan down below, “It’s not going to be good for you if she falls off of there.”
Bhi Bhiman was a capable opener, professing his idolization of the headliner and coming out later to lend backing vocals to Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike” and Audioslave’s “Like a Stone.”
Copyright: Michael Christopher for Vanyaland
Chris Cornell Setlist — Boston
Bend in the Road
Can’t Change Me
I Am the Highway (Audioslave)
Silence the Voices
You Know My Name
Wide Awake (Audioslave)
Original Fire (Audioslave)
#1 Zero (Audioslave)
Sunshower
Trouble (Cat Stevens)
Halfway There (Soundgarden)
Free Bird (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Fell on Black Days [Soundgarden)
Time Flies
Seasons
The Day I Tried to Live (Soundgarden)
All Night Thing (Temple of the Dog)
One (Metallica v. U2 mashup)
When I’m Down
Wooden Jesus (Temple of the Dog)
Call Me a Dog (Temple of the Dog)
Hunger Strike (w/Bhi Bhiman) [Temple of the Dog)
Like a Stone (w/Bhi Bhiman) [Audioslave)
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
Blow Up the Outside World (Soundgarden)
Encore
Thank You (Led Zeppelin)
Misery Chain
Burden in My Hand (Soundgarden)
Zero Chance (Soundgarden)
The Keeper
Outshined (Soundgarden)
Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden)
To Love Somebody (Bee Gees)