thanks to desastre naturel for the photos

This Albany show was the longest Chris Cornell show yet - just shy of three hours, and thirty songs in all. Chris changed into a Soundgarden t-shirt, played Yogi's guitar (with Yogi still attached) and the acoustic set included The Beatles' You've Got To Hide Your Love Away.

Let me Drown - Outshined - Show me how to live - Out of Exile - No Such Thing - Billie Jean - Say Hello to Heaven - What You Are - Rusty Cage - Can't Change Me - All Night Thing - Wide Awake - I am the Highway - Scar on the Sky - You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - Like A Stone - Doesn't Remind Me - Cochise - Ty Cobb - Arms Around Your Love - Pushing Forward Back - Be Yourself - Spoonman - Black Hole Sun - Jesus Christ Pose - You Know My Name - Sunshower - Slaves & Bulldozers/4th of July/Overfloater/Whole Lotta Love

thanks to johnny5 for the setlist photo

by bean829

There was no sign of any rasp whatsoever in his voice, even in Let Me Drown. It's freakin' amazing how good it has gotten, I don't know how it's possible. He had a few spot in Billie Jean where he went to that holy shits high, Cold Bitch seems like kinda high. The crowd was great too, other than the damn old drunk fat guys wanting to mosh just to the left of me. I sound like I'm bitching, but I'm not. I wanna do that every weekend, I only got about 2 hours of sleep this morning and had to work, but I was so fueled it didn't matter. I was just so excited to tell my co-workers what a kick ass time it was. Next time he comes to NY, PA or a close New England state I'm certainly making the trip again & again.

in a "Jesus Christ Pose" t-shirt...thanks to Kevin for the photo

by amanda

It was my 4th show this year (2 in Boston, 1 in NYC) and by far this was the most exciting, engaging concert I've ever been to. His has a commanding presence, and I just love watching the entire band truly enjoy playing these songs. There's no pretense, no "show", just pure enjoyment, and that beats any other band touring these days.

by sean

One of the top five shows I have seen! Who needs a band when you have Cornell's voice? How about mentioning the medley that consisted of "Slaves and Bulldozers," "4th of July," The Doors' "The End," Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." Now that's a highlight!

thanks to johnny5 for the photo

By nowherebutyou37

Just wanted to throw in my two cents about Saturday's show because it was fucking incredible! This was my second show of the tour, (I saw him in Boston in July), and his voice keeps sounding stronger and stronger as the tour goes on, it's amazing. The venue was pretty cool, too and the crowd was really into it, which obviously makes the show better anyways. Personal highlights of the night were: Say Hello 2 Heaven, What You Are, the entire acoustic set was great (You've Got To Hide Your Love Away--such a pleasant surprise), and I loved Pushin Forward Back. It was like a night of therapy, only cheaper and much more fun! I just love that feeling of, not only being in the same room as Chris Cornell himself and being consumed by the music, but being surrounded by people who get it, and are all there for the same reason. Thanks for another great show, Chris!

thanks to desastre naturel for the photos

By salscrew

Saturday's show was simply awesome. I haven’t seen Chris since with Soundgarden back in ’92 (Lollapalooza Saratoga, NY) in a crowd of over 15,000. To see him in a small venue at a mere 20ft away was unbelievable.

by joanne

This show was stellar for me. This was my NINTH show of this tour. We arrived early and were the first on line. We waited about four hours (in 30 degree temp) until the doors opened and we were front and center. We were probably six inches from him all night. I could have reached out and touched him several times, but didn't. . He actually sweated on me and a little went in my mouth. Normally I'd be grossed out - BUT it was CC sweat after all!

Now I'm not one to make signs for requests but I had made one in the car on the long drive up. I decided that since everyone usually asks for one of his songs I would ask for a Beatles song (You've Got to Hide Your Love Away-my favorite).

When he finally hit the stage the crowd went wild. The energy in the room was amazing - very different from the night before. Maybe it was because I was where I wanted to be, I don't know.

When his acoustic set started I held up my sign, he looked at it and launched into "Can't Change Me" - I was patient. When he was done, I opened up my sign again and he came over to me and reached out for the sign. When I handed it to him I said "I know that you love The Beatles, so you have to play this". He said something which I couldn't hear and held up the sign to the crowd. He handed the sign back to me and launched into the song. Needless to say, I just about died. I actually started to cry a little. My hand was shaking so much, that SweetU4IA had to hold onto my wrist to steady it. It is a moment that I will never forget. I have always loved that song but now it will always have an extra-special meaning to me. He sang it beautifully.

The whole show was wild and crazy and long and exhausting and exhilarating!!! He NEVER ceases to amaze me. His voice is a gift from GOD. He led 1000 of his disciples to worship at the church of CORNELL and we were saved!

thanks to joanne for the photo

by jami

Last Saturday night, Chris Cornell played at Northern Lights, which I must say was a pretty decent concert...at first, Cornell came out with a band who mimicked each of his pre-existing bands fairly well. It was just a bit strange to see these strangers covering such amazing bands like Soundgarden and Audioslave jamming alongside Cornell. Cornell put on an incredible show despite this awkwardness. After ending on "Rusty Cage," the room was completely amped from the fast-paced, energetic song. The band members left the stage, leaving Cornell alone to sit on a stool and play acoustic tracks. This was an amazing way to change the tempo...his voice is immaculate and sounds superb with just an acoustic accompaniment.

thanks to desastre naturel for the photo

Read the whole of Jami's blog here

by uncas711

Caught Chris and the fellas at the Beacon NYC this past summer and have seen Soundgarden over 20 times...First time was Soundgarden here in Albany back in the late eighties....This show was just magical! I can honestly say, after hundreds and hundreds of shows, I have never had a better time...Chris, thanks for an amazing show....don't be a stranger...we can't get enough here in Albany! My thanks & blessings to you and the band!

thanks to joanne for the photo

by steph

Just got back to Boston from my road trip to Clifton Park, NY. The show was ridiculous! Northern Lights is a pretty decent venue, I loved the size, (it's a bar located in a strip mall that seems like it holds about 1000 people), and the corner stage they have allows people to see pretty well even from the back of the bar.

The acoustics weren't great but it really didn't even affect Chris' voice; he sounded amazing. I saw him in Boston back in July and when he kept adding dates to this tour, I wondered if his voice would be a little worn by the time he came back up to the Northeast again--I think he sounded even better last night, it was incredible. Unfortunately, my memories are a little fuzzy as far as the end of the night goes. It was a great show, Chris and the band put on another stellar performance.

Chris plays electric again...with its owner still attached. thank to Kevin for the photo

by dave

It was truly an amazing show. As a long-time fan of the voice of Cornell, I wasn't disappointed in the least. For the two-hour-and-40-minute performance, he hadn't lost a thing by the time his 35-minute encore concluded.

Times Union

Cornell still nails the highs and lows

thanks desastre naturel for the photo

The soul power trio Earl Greyhound evoked Robert Plant and Jack Bruce during a too-short 30-minute opening set at Northern Lights. But Saturday night belonged to another of rock music’s seminal voices. “I can’t remember the last time we played Albany,” reflected a 43-year-old Chris Cornell. “I think it’s been 15 years.”

Chances are a good portion of the grown-up grunge rockers dominating the capacity crowd were also at that show circa the 1991 release of “Badmotorfinger,” the double-platinum that vaulted Cornell and his band Soundgarden to prominence and established them as pillars of Seattle’s emerging grunge scene.

The success of Soundgarden and Cornell’s subsequent supergroup, the recently disbanded Audioslave, was in no small part due to his complex songwriting, his legendary pipes and, perhaps most important, his ability to put one in the service of the other. More than a few fans were there Saturday to see if he could still wield the register-busting vocal chords that earned him a No. 12 ranking in MTV’s “22 Greatest Voices in Music.” They were not disappointed.

His model looking disarmingly disheveled, Cornell emerged onstage with the lethal patience of a caged wolf and proceeded to nail the soaring highs of “Let Me Drown,” from Soundgarden’s “Superunknown,” precipitating a collective sigh of relief. While Cornell’s singing ability endures, gone is the infamously brooding anti-hero who penned songs like “Let Me Drown” and the banshee-worthy “Outshined,” both of which he ably covered with his hired-gun quartet.

Cornell was clearly at ease and out to please, outpacing even the younger fans with a preternatural energy that didn’t ebb during the full tilt 150-minute show. A 28-song career retrospective included faithful readings of band classics (“Black Hole Sun,” “Spoon Man”), more recent hits (“Cochise,” “Be Yourself”) and rarities (the feverish mosh ditty “Ty Cobb”) as well as five titles from his second solo record, last summer’s “Carry On.”

In spite of it all, I couldn’t help the nagging feeling something was missing … namely, the other members of Soundgarden and, to a lesser degree, Audioslave. Perhaps the next time Chris Cornell comes ’round, he’ll bring more new solo material. Or maybe the answer was in the show’s high point, which was also its most intimate: Cornell alone for six songs with just an acoustic guitar and that voice.

- Jeffrey Mirel, Timesunion.com

a photo of Chris and a photo of a photo of Chris...thanks Kevin

Out of Exile - thanks bean829

Doesn't Remind Me Scat - thanks bean829

Spoonman Drum Solo - thanks bean829

Say Hello 2 Heaven - thanks bean829

Pushin' Forward Back - thanks bean829

You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - thanks lazerjock66

Black Hole Sun - thanks lazerjock66

thanks to joanne for the photo

Chris Cornell Fan Page © Clare O'Brien 2007