The Minneapolis show was special because it saw the first performance of Soundgarden song Zero Chance, which never once saw its way into a Soundgarden setlist.

Do you have any photos of this show? Contact me...!!!

Spoonman - Outshined - Hunger Strike - Like A Stone - No Such Thing - Zero Chance - Burden In My Hand - Pretty Noose - Seasons - Call Me A Dog - Doesn't Remind Me - What You Are - Poison Eye - Billie Jean - Rusty Cage - Wide Awake - Black Hole Sun - Arms Around Your Love - Jesus Christ Pose

by Travis R.

"Fucking awesome show. He sounded really good. Much to my surprise, the band did sound pretty tight too. Absolutely no Euphoria Morning...as for new songs...Poison Eye is sorta riff-rock, not much like No Such Thing, but kind of AC/DC-esque. And although they didn't play it at the show, the band did rehearse Safe and Sound during their soundcheck and from what I could hear outside, it sounded very very good, kind of bluesy, in the same vein as When I'm Down. The full band version of Billie Jean was righteous, I liked it a lot more than the acoustic version we've heard from Sweden. However, I think some of the people had mistaken it for a joke or something...hmm. Overall, pretty sweet show....to tell the truth I think he sounded better tonight than he did with Audioslave the two times I've seen them." (thanks travisr)

by Holtz

"I thought the band was decent but nothing special, especially not when compared to his last two bands. The crowd seemed to know Chris more from his Audioslave stuff than Soundgarden to me, I don't think many knew Seasons. Chris' voice sounded great, way better than he did for most of Audioslave live. Chris really seemed to be enjoying himself onstage, signed stuff for people in the front of the crowd and had a smile all night long." (thanks Holtz)

by Bookmuse

"The First Avenue show was insane. Whoever is lucky enough to be going to these shows is in for a treat. Just unimaginable to see Chris in such a small venue and so close. This is one girl who will be having some sweet dreams tonight. The show lasted close to two hours including the encore. They played many Soundgarden songs (one never played live), 3 new songs from the solo album, some Audioslave, Hunger Strike (Chris said this guy (the rythym guitar player) will be filling in on someone else's part and that he hopes he can sing it with the original guy real soon (Eddie), Billie Jean and Seasons (Oh yea!!!!!!!). The band was excellent and Chris palyed a few acoustic solo songs. Jesus Christ Pose ended the evening. Maybe someone else will provide the set list - I can not remember the exact order but WOW - awesome show!!! And to those who say Cornell can't sing or hit those notes any longer well, you are very wrong!!!!! (thanks bookmuse)

by TannerCKG

"That concert was insane. When this tour was announced I was expecting Cornell to get more laid back, not to rock harder than ever and somehow regain a range he hasn't had in any EM/Audioslave era bootleg i've heard. Was some sort of easter miracle, lol. Remember that KROQ performance, right? That sounded like some highschooler trying to sing a Cornell song compared to last night's show...and I don't know how they even got the audio recorded on those videos either with the crowd as loud as it was. They definitely don't sound near how the show was. Wish he could have played more older Soundgarden songs while he's in this groove."

by Bull On Parade

"Fuckin' awesome. I was about 5 feet away from Cornell the entire show. He was a badass. People were talking about him getting softer solo, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It was basically a Soundgarden/Audioslave concert. Poison Eye was sweet. It has a funky bottom to it. I also looooved hearing What You Are. One of my favorite songs, was surprised to hear it live. Jesus Christ Pose was incredible. Wow, just wow."

by Matt Peiken, Pioneer Press, St. Paul (MN)

Twenty years ago, Chris Cornell wore his hair like Samson and sung like Plant. He was the Ginsberg of grunge, a power-throated poet who wrapped himself in dark lyrics and often-difficult music and kept a cool distance from his audience.

Now well into his 40s, Cornell is making his second stab as a solo artist – the first coming a decade ago after the breakup of his breakout band, Soundgarden, and today on the heels of Audioslave, the band he formed with the musicians of the now-reunited Rage Against the Machine. With new musicians behind him and a new album on the way, Cornell was all smiles and full of daring Sunday at First Avenue, where his mix of old and new and rare and familiar met rousing response in the kickoff to his national tour.

Dressed in a cocoa T-shirt, jeans and pointed black boots that were all probably more expensive than they appeared to be, Cornell opened like a jukebox, rolling through some of Soundgarden’s better-known material and working up to his more recent work with Audioslave, signing autographs between songs and making the sort of personal contact and conversation that had never before fit into his comfort zone.

Cornell doesn’t show off his voice simply for the sake of showing off, content as much to croon as he is to belt one out, but when reached for the long scream Sunday, he nailed it, holding onto the kind of notes that stamped him — with all due respect to Eddie Vedder — as the most influential vocalist to emerge from Seattle’s rock renaissance.Cornell had ample accompaniment from an audience, including one man’s out-of-tune yet relentless falsetto harmonies, well versed in Cornell’s lyrics.

Cornell unfolded some obscurities — his first true solo song (“Seasons” from the soundtrack to the 1992 movie “Singles”) and two tunes from “Temple of the Dog,” the one-album project he made with the guys who would go on to form Pearl Jam. Of the three new songs he performed (Cornell’s record comes out in June), the best is “No Such Thing,” which moves from rollicking rock to a soft canvas that highlights Cornell’s dynamic range.

The evening’s highlight came out of nowhere — a gorgeous and haunting arrangement of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Cornell’s version has the mark of slow blues, but it’s contemporary, sexy and powerful. It isn’t known whether he has included this song on his new record, but if it ever reaches radio, Cornell has an instant hit on his hands. Perhaps as a cynical tribute to Easter Sunday, Cornell closed Sunday with a blistering “Jesus Christ Pose” from Soundgarden’s “Badmotorfinger.”

The evening’s lone omission — all the more glaring given the context of this tour — was material from Cornell’s first solo record, 1999’s “Euphoria Morning.” Filled with beautiful songs, the disc at the time strayed too far from how people viewed him through Soundgarden and never sold well. Cornell seems to want to forget he ever made that record — and for fans to forget it, too.

Some things haven’t changed for Cornell. Just as when he made his first stab under his own name, there’s still no contemporary pallet for the hard-rocking solo artist. Cornell might cringe at this, but perhaps the closest comparison today would be Chris Daughtry, the platinum-selling singer who emerged last year from “American Idol.”

Other than powerful voices, the comparisons end there. Sunday’s show was a reminder that, regardless of his new record’s success at retail, Cornell is one of rock’s true artists, with 10 albums, 20 years of experience and a pallette of moods at his disposal.

Reprinted with permission (thanks Matt) from Pioneer Press © April 9, 2007.

(links may not be permanent)

Burden In My Hand (thanks reneecski)

Hunger Strike (thanks reneecski)

Jesus Christ Pose (thanks reneecski)

Zero Chance just the intro.. (thanks twins31)

A good-quality audio recording is also circulating of the entire show.

Chris Cornell Fan Page © Clare O'Brien 2007