thanks to Tina for the photo

A lot of casual fans and curious concertgoers seem to have been won over by this show, which didn't sell out in advance but was packed on the night. Chris's solo spot drew especial praise from the southern crowd, many of whom had been drawn in by the swampy blues cover of Billie Jean.

Spoonman - Outshined - Original fire - Show me how to live - No Such Thing - You Know My Name - Hunger Strike - Say Hello to Heaven - Fell on Black Days - What You Are - Rusty Cage - Sunshower - Can't Change Me - I Am The Highway - Scar on the Sky - Wide Awake - Doesn't Remind Me - Cochise - Mission - Like a Stone - Billie Jean - Burden in my hand - Jesus Christ Pose - My Wave - Seasons - Black Hole Sun - She'll Never Be Your Man - Zero Chance - Slaves and Bulldozers

thanks to chris for the set list

by mommyrocker

"Initially I was worried. St Louis, as of before the concert, had not sold out. How badly I wanted everything to go well at this concert. For some reason St Louis doesn't get as many concerts in town these days and I couldn't figure out why. Having so much emotion wrapped up in this one..my hometown...I think I figured it out.

We are kind of a last minute town. You are either a die hard fan and you buy the tickets, or you enjoy music and you see what you are doing when the concert rolls around and you buy up tickets that day. As the crowd trickled in I watched. People wandering into the pit, around the floor and up in the balcony, the room slowly colored in by people whom just love music.

By 8pm the room was packed and there was buzzing conversation happening all around. I could hear people discussing all his past works, how they loved Soundgarden, Audioslave or Euphoria Morning. They wondered how his voice would be and I heard some of the naysayers with their comments of "his isn't what he used to be" and I just chuckled inside, knowing full well they were about to change their minds.

The concert wasn't starting on time, but no one seems to mind. That is another thing about St Louis. I don’t' think much riles us up. We replace frustration with anticipation and the energy even after no start for 50 minutes was still positive.

Suddenly with no pomp and circumstance shadows appear on the stage and cheers erupt from the crowd. The lights go up and there is Chris Cornell in all his glory smiling to and surveying the crowd that has come to hear what he is about. His band is gearing up and it just amazes me how calmly Chris is standing there and taking it all in. Suddenly the drummer counts off and the guitars rip into the opening notes of Spoonman. All at once Chris turns from the guy wandering on stage just looking around to the intense front man we are all most familiar with!

As Chris' energy ignites, it lights up the room and the crowd explodes! There is an audible pulse in the room as it comes to life! The crowd is crazy! The first song ends and Chris, as he does for the rest of the concert stops and smiles the most genuine of smiles out to the crowd. He says something about he is going to keep the songs going so we can get in plenty of songs.

At one point Chris looks around into the crowd and smiles and says, "You are the loudest fuckers I have heard” The amazing exchange between the crowd and Chris was there all night. If you listened, during every song you could hear everyone singing. Chris seems to enjoy that interaction during his songs and invited us to "keep singing"

Chris is an amazing front man and it seems effortless when you watch him. Each song seems to have energy of its own for him. Watching him sing Say Hello to Heaven was emotional. You could see his face twist with emotion and during parts he would just stare off into the ceiling as if speaking to the ones who have gone before him, looking tearful. Then songs like What You Are his face would get intense with what looked like hate or anger, and is seemed that if you would look into his eyes at just that moment you might implode. He is definitely a shape shifter that takes on a persona based on the energy of the music. I believe that is exactly what makes him so unique. He doesn't just stand up there and spew music out to the crowd...he is the music and it comes from every pore of his body.

I feel really blessed to have seen him twice now, once in Chicago and now in my hometown. Chicago was amazing. His voice was in top form and so were the musicians. The real blessing comes when I look at both concerts side by side. Now that they are well under way in their tour, it is very apparent everyone has gelled musically and it seems personally. The cameraderie on stage is evident! The smiles that pass and the teasing are great to see. Chris, Corey, Peter, Yogi and Jason just all look like they are thoroughly enjoying what they are doing up there and it comes thru in the sound and energy that is produced.

Peter is a joy to watch on stage. He looks to be lost in his playing and it is amazing! Corey was all over the stage goofing with the other guys and prompting the crowd to clap their hands...like a true bass player...along with the beat. Yogi definitely shines during his solos and Jason got his due at the end of the concert during encore where, full of animation, he soloed.

What a complete honor it was for them all to play my hometown. The Buzz about town is very positive! A radio DJ from K-SHE 95 (I am uncertain of his name) stated on the radio that he was at the concert and it was by far one of the best concerts he had ever been to…and he had been to many.

The thing I am most proud of though...my brother came to the concert and brought 3 friends. They are heavy into swing dance and the bluesy feel of Billie Jean was drawing some of the swing scene to Cornell. One of them knew Cornell well, the other two were the typical "Who? OH! Black Hole Sun!" crowd. I give them slack because they were young...early twenties. I spoke with my brother the next day and he said that was probably the best concert he had ever seen and the girls who went were now converted fans.

Slowly the tides are changing and I believe St Louis when from "who?" to "YOU KNOW MY NAME" over Memorial Day weekend!"

by jill

"It has been 2 days since the St. Louis concert and I am still saturated with the sensory overload that is Chris Cornell. Whenever this man opens his mouth to sing these days, he continues to raise the musical bar, not only for his colleagues, but for himself. I couldn’t imagine for a moment that there would be a noticeable improvement since I had seen him in Chicago, less than six weeks ago, because he exceeded my expectations in my hometown. But there it was. The bar is raised to heaven and his voice carries him on wings of fire.

If this all sounds exaggerated to you, I challenge you to come away from a Chris Cornell concert without singing his praises. If you are an old fan, you can appreciate the difference of his new-found consistency that hits the old familiar highs time after time. He plays with his past teasingly, provocatively and masterfully, weaving new magic around well loved songs from Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Euphoria Morning and Audioslave. There was a confidence in the timbre and delivery that diminished any doubt in my mind that he would falter or crack. The hallmark scream at the end of Wide Awake pierced with sharpness. The audience understood that this was Cornell at his best and that his best was here to stay.

This is not to say that everything was perfect. Sunshower, one of my favorite songs, was not played acoustically as a solo, therefore the drums were predominant and drowned out the sweetness of the song. But, they got the frenetic electricity of Rusty Cage and the menace of Outshined exactly right and have gelled into that cohesive unit that is a joy to behold. They punctuate and compliment Cornell’s voice, no longer overwhelming it. And they make learning an amazingly long repertoire and imprinting their own style to it look so damned simple. Jesus Christ Pose must be what it’s like to be caught in a hurricane. What You Are was dripping with disdain and rejection. Mission was seduction, pure and simple. Guitar solos by both guitarists brought nods of approval and applause. The new songs on his cd are testament to his diverse ability. She Will Never Be Your Man is funky and bluesy, with a musical simplicity that is in direct contrast to the slick You Know My Name. No Such Thing rocked the house and brings him back to his roots. The crowd loved it and already knew the words.

Of course, the best moments are when Cornell straps on the acoustic and the lights dim to a halo. Cornell, his voice and an acoustic guitar make you believe in god. I have read criticism that he tends to over-emote, and has even been called a ham. If this is what it is called, then I say, bring it on. He thoroughly owns whatever he sings, probing, opening, tearing it apart, and miraculously fashioning it back together. You can’t change him, he will do it all by himself. With a voice and an acoustic guitar. Or just his voice."

by chris

When I heard that Chris Cornell left one of my favorite rock groups, Audioslave, I was worried I'd never see one of my favorite singer/song writers live in concert. Then the announcement came that Chris was going solo, for good this time. A new door opened and I could only imagine the possibilities for a solo tour. When the tickets went on sale I jumped at the opportunity to have a once in a lifetime experience.

Then the day rolled around and I was just as excited as I'd been for my first concert five years ago. The only complaint I have about the show was the wait. Chris and the band were scheduled to take stage at 8 but didn't show their faces until around 8:45, but when the first notes of "Spoonman" echoed in the venue, I no longer cared about the long delay. Chris' voice was so powerful and better than what I imagined. I've heard that he sounded better this tour and he seemed to be having more fun on his own, and I must agree. Chris seemed to really be having fun and his voice never weakened through out the whole show.

I must say that one of the better things about this concert was the diversity of the crowd. Most of the shows I attend are populated by teenagers, and the oldest face in the crowd would be in his/her twenties. I'm happy to say that at 19 I was one of the youngest people that attended. And even though there were no mosh pits, the older and diverse crowd was just as full of energy as any crowd. Fans knew every word to every song and jumped & moved with more energy than I can explain. Chris made numerous comments throughout the show on how loud and lively the crowd was. When Chris' band left the stage and he strapped on an acoustic guitar I was excited to see what songs he'd chosen to play solo. "I am the Highway." At the end of the night, Chris added two extra songs to the already full set list that included almost every song each fan wished to hear that night.

After over 2 1/2 hours of music, two encores, and twenty-nine songs the show came to a close leaving everyone speechless and in constant chatter on what just took place. It's not a biased opinion, this show was every Cornell fan's dream. And if you love 90's rock you'd love watching Chris Cornell belting out unheard of vocals while dancing around the stage like he was in his twenties again and making jokes while doing it all. If you think you would enjoy going to this show or if you have the chance, you need to do yourself a favor by not missing this.

by dani

I witnessed one of the best concerts I have ever been on. Chris Cornell is just phenomenal, he never took a break, and that is absolutely out of this world. His voice was amazing in every single song he sang. He rocked the Pageant big time!!! The solo he did with his guitar was one of the best parts of the show. After this I can affirm that Chris has the best vocals of all times. I love him because he is a fantastic musician, poet and singer, and well he is the hottest male singer too!!! If you missed this concert you are just totally insane!!!

...and here's an amusing blog - not really about the show, but the silly things we all do at them.

Chris Cornell Blows The House Down On Memorial Day

by Nate Rustemayer, Nighttimes.com

Although no one in this crowd was going to risk breaking a bone and missing this performance, concertgoers were each handed a “no stage diving or body surfing” flyer.

This is what happens when a rock god with three successful bands and two solo CDs comes to town. Forget that half of the fans at this show were too heavy to lift, and that another half were buying drinks for two — the patrons wanted to protect their assets. Understandable.

With his signature bed-head hairstyle, the James Dean of grunge, Chris Cornell, took the stage. A sea of arms waved in the air all night. Chris and his four-piece band ripped through Soundgarden hits, “Spoonman,” “Jesus Christ Pose,” and “Outshined.” Somebody screamed “Rusty Cage,” and then it was played. Temple of the Dog songs, “Say Hello to Heaven” and “Hunger Strike” were pulverizing, except that one of the guitarist’s back-up vocals were off key in “Hunger Strike.” It was Chris’ voice we came for, however, and it was easy to hear why it’s considered one of the best in popular music. How many singers can scream a vibrato like Chris?

The four-piece band set the vibe for Chris to do his thing. Drummer Jason rocked the Pageant on its St. Louis foundations. The notes of Paul’s bass guitar were enough to shake the insides of audience members. The band roared through Audioslave hits also, entirely identifiable by the Tom Morello style solos that lead guitarist, Peter, played. The other guitarist, Yogi, showed his glee by poking the other musicians or playing in their face. Yogi played an electrifying solo on a Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” one of the few songs from Chris’s new solo CD, Carry On [Suretone/Interscope].

Most everybody recognized this soulful rock version of “Billie Jean” by the time Chris opened the second verse: “She said her name was Billie Jean/As she caused a scene.” Suddenly a middle-aged woman twisted her hand in the air above her head like Michael, and excited screams could be heard coming from men.

Chris and the band also played several other songs from Carry On, which were well received.

When the band took a break, Chris rocked acoustic versions of Audioslave’s “I Am the Highway,” and then the beautiful “Can’t Change Me” from his first solo CD, Euphoria Morning [Interscope]. His acoustic guitar sounded a bit scratchy plugged in, but again, the tone of Chris’ voice overshadowed any possibly unsavory sound.

Anyone could have known that an encore was eminent—“Black Hole Sun” hadn’t been played yet. Besides that, the crowd was not going anywhere. People when crazy for “Black Hole Sun” and Chris had no qualms about sharing the mic with the crowd, so he held it over them as they sang every word and tried to grab it. It is safe to say that regardless of the lack of stage diving and potential body and property damage that could have happened, Chris Cornell brought the house down several times with his voice alone.

From Nighttimes.com 3 June 2007

Show Me How To Live (video extract - thanks slash41185)

See the Chris Cornell Concerts site for an audio recording of this show

thanks to Tina for the photo

Chris Cornell Fan Page © Clare O'Brien 2007