Review by HUGH WELSH
Chris Cornell's latest album, Scream, is as infuriating as its title for fans of Cornell's past excursions behind the mic for such goliaths of rock as Soundgarden and Audioslave. It's a shameless pitter-patter of techno studio effects and a voice that's lost its tenacity, its supernatural ability to bring about a mosh pit wherever a radio may be heard -- a bar, a sporting event, an office cubicle.
As merchandise for Cornell's Timbaland-produced turd lined the entry to Harrah's VooDoo Lounge Wednesday night, where Cornell was to perform, I was reassured by a gray goateed, pony-tailed throwback to Cornell's glory days.
"I'm told this will be a fan's show," said Doug Robinson, who was wearing an olive green Soundgarden T-shirt featuring a bicycle looking like it ate asphalt beneath a tractor trailer. "Better damn well be at 40 bucks a shot."
For their $37, concertgoers were first welcomed by an opening act called Crash Kings, best known for their cover of the Black Sabbath hit "War Pigs." With Tony Beliveau (who bears a shaggy resemblance to Bernard in the Tim Allen flick The Santa Clause) on vocals and keyboard, Mike Beliveau on guitar and Jason Morris on drums, Crash Kings was about as hardcore as head-banging Care Bears. Before Crash Kings was ushered off-stage, Tony Beliveau said something about how they're from Los Angeles and, therefore, know a party town when they see one.
It would be 45 minutes before Cornell took the stage, crew members continually shuffling and reshuffling instruments and working hard to install two light boards for the guitarists to stand on. During the intermission, as a teaser, Cornell's rocked-out version of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" aired over the loudspeakers.
Then Cornell appeared, only to dash behind the curtain again.
He had forgotten his leather jacket (that he would later shed after three songs). Upon his return, Cornell was greeted with deafening applause and whistles. The crowd by the stage was growing hungry with some preliminary bumping. Cornell opened with "Part of Me" from his latest album, and the bumping stopped. The only pulse from the opening song came from a recorded effect similar to the glug-glug of pumping gas.
On stage, Cornell looked like a wannabe pirate, his mustache and beard too tidied, his hair permed. His body language -- even when slapping his chest -- resembled that of someone who's guzzled caffeine for a week straight and now can't keep awake.
But, by far the most startling aspect was Cornell's voice -- or lack therof.
Even when he erupted into a tirade of yells, the ear drums were merely tickled. In terms of length, Cornell gave the 600 or so who attended their buck's due, clocking in at the two-hour mark.
Cornell went numerically track-by-track off Scream, then ventured into his hits from yesteryear, including "Black Hole Sun," "Spoonman" and "Hunger Strike," before revisiting his version of "Billie Jean," which cast one gal wearing a T-shirt exclaiming "Vote David Cook" into a frenzied dance.
But even Cornell's tried-and-true set list felt like it was coming more from a hack tribute than its originator. At the show's mid-point, Cornell asked the audience if he was above the Missouri River, and how cool it would be if there were fishes swimming beneath him.
Robinson, the color bleached from his face, looked like he was ready for Cornell to sleep with the fishes.
"I came here for badassness," he said. "What I got was shit. I'm out of here."
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The author Hugh is right...Cornell is a washed up ass clown who doesn't deserve to charge $40.00 a ticket...
Oh my! My impression is that this blogger had a some sort of horrible experience at the show, or maybe just a bad day, and vented with his review! I wonder if he even saw Soundgarden back in the day (I did!), because anyone who refers to Chris Cornell's hair as "permed" probably was still in diapers back then and doesn't remember the long, wavy locks getting tossed around with all of that wondrous head-banging! But, no matter. I attended a Cornell concert a couple of weeks ago and was thrilled with the voice, the setlist, the crowd! He still has it man, and I would pay $40 again tomorrow to see another show like it! Rock on!
Good one Tom!
You know, I'm a long time fan...since '91 when I saw Soundgarden open for Guns. Cornell was amazing then and to me he's grown vocally. He can still hit those notes like in Jesus Christ Pose, but his lower range is much more developed. In Scream...the more I listen the more I hear. There are layers upon layers of vocals. The beats have even grown on me. As for the shows, most fans have given stellar reviews. Some grumblers who still want it to be 1991 complain, but that's their problem. I'm loving Scream and it ROCKS live.
Anybody who's willing to defend Cornell's show at the Voodoo is a fan of shit; they're gauge of quality is the recent winner of American Idol. I saw the show and felt like puking it was so fucking bad. And, yes, I went to at least a dozen Soundgarden concerts back in the day. Cornell without Kim Thayil is like an over-processed roast beef sandwich without horseradish.
To Tom K - I picked up the "his hair's permed" comment in the review to show that this reviewer doesn't know much about the Soundgarden days he pretends to be so nostalgic about - the long curls were nearly as famous back then as the voice, lol! And you should know that people defend this guy because he's great - that voice is in far better shape than either Vedder's or Plant's. Now you tell me why you want to diss him and imply he's gay. You fuckin' wish!!!
OMG! ur sooo dead wrong about CC. I was at his SLC show on 4-25 & he kicked ass! His voice was phenomenal & he delivered well more than the $35 i paid for my ticket. Compared to other bands who charge $100+ for tickets, CC is hella worth every cent & then some! But then maybe you write these bad reviews so ppl can leave comments for you, make u feel important. I suggest you find another line of work!
NEEK, you're a rare advocate for restraint in Web commenting. Gotta respect that. Anytime you feel like e-mailing me or Jason Harper directly with a technical observation, we're all ears.
S.
God, why is everyone so frickin' bent on defending EVERYTHING about the guy ("his hair was permed, was it?" - jesus!!)? He took a wrong turn, and I'm just glad as hell he didn't come to Florida this tour...it would have been the first time I wouldn't have paid to see the guy. (I cringe when I see those promo shots for Scream - talk about slick and airbrushed; no wonder there were always gay rumors!).
Everyone who talks about Cornell "reinventing himself" as an artist is nuts. He's making a desperate attempt to stay relevant in his middle-age, but he should either hang it up or face facts: He's no different than someone like Jagger. He's definitely NOT Robert Plant, or even Eddie Vedder, though what they've done are totally different things - but at least they never became ridiculous caricatures of themselves.
Scott,
Poor engineering around town is always a problem for me. I've no shit list and no desire to start one. I don't wanna be a wanna be.
As far as venue and engineer, been to Voodoo once, and never met the engineer. Just making an observation.
N
NEEK, how often is poor engineering that makes itself so obviously felt a problem around town? Who's on your shit list? Or was this a mismatch of touring engineer and venue?
Hey,
unfortunately, the reviewer is right. Incidentally it was NOT Cornell that sucked. It was the production (aka sound). Horribly inadequate compression on the vocals, and an engineer that seemed happy to let the automation do its worst. I was at CCs last show at the Uptown and it was phenomenal. Been a sound engineer for 20 years and all you civilians need to know is that it was loud.
I would venture to guess that any seasoned professional engineer would agree with the reviewer, only for different reasons.
CCs voice is still as strong as it was when he was 20, he just lacked the talent behind the mixing board to show it off.
Correction ....
Haven't read Jason Harper's review. My comments are directed to Hugh Welsh.
I wasn't at the KC show. But I WAS at the three preceding shows (Indy, Chicago, and Sauget, IL) The man played two, 2 1/2 shows but was cut short due to curfew in Chicago (of all places for a curfew.)
His voice was spot on in the first two shows. At Sauget, it sounded a bit strained early on but he quickly seemed to recover. By the way, he played GUN at that show. (I understand that Chris is under voice-rest orders prior to the Denver show. Perhaps that's why this reviewer felt his voice didn't shake the rafters and had lost it's "tenacity".) Chris has, afterall, done 20 shows since 03/25. A majority of these averaging over two hours. (Closer to 2 1/2.) Quite an accomplishment I would think.
My friends and I roadtripped over 1,100 miles for these three shows. I was NOT disappointed in the least and would cheerfully do it again and plan to this Fall if he tours in the US again.
Jason, I think your criticisms for this concert stem from the fact you don't like Scream. Not a fair review, in my opinion if your basing it on that. Personally, I don't listen to critics anyway. I don't need someone telling me what I should or shouldn't like.
And who the hell cares what Robinson thinks. Who is Robinson?
hey hugh, you dont know what you are talkin about... cornell and his band kicked *** last night.. you're just a critic, not a fan, and that why you simply dont get it... his new stuff was better live then on his new album. which im honestly not sure i like as far as its mixed dance sound, but all of the covers, his originals from soundgarden, audioslave, and euphoria morning were tight... and yeah go check out how he looked during the louder then love and badmotorfinger era and tell me thats a perm.. so bascially you know nothing but youre the idiot writing the review... every fan i talked to last night thought they were AWESOME!!!!! hey pitch, find a new rook review guy! and hugh, how do you like having your review reviewed by none fans of you and cuttin you down for your best performance!
Dude, you have no ear for talent. I would have to say that was one of the best shows I've ever seen, and I'm a 39 year old "ponytail throwback". Cornell is not as crisp as he was when he was 20, to be sure. But he made the freakin rafters shake on more than one occasion. To be able to see such a prolific talent for $45 (which is what I paid) was worth every penny, and then some. You don't like Soundgarden, and you never did or you would have recognized what I did. Chris Cornell has not let this fan down. He was absolutely fantastic, as was his band, and I hope you go ahead and skip him the next time he hits town. You won't miss much.
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