thanks to Frida for the photo - see more here
Expectations were high for Chris's latest appearance in Stockholm after the much-circulated and much-admired boot of his acoustic radio session at O Baren last year. the crowd indeed got something special - for the first time, Chris and the band finished off Slaves & Bulldozers with a jam on Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love. Seems to have been a great show, although there were some complaints about the sound mix.
Let Me Drown - Outshined - Show Me How to Live - No Such Thing - You Know My Name - Say Hello to Heaven - What You Are - Rusty Cage - Billie Jean - Fell On Black Days - Like a Stone - Doesn't Remind Me - Cochise - Spoonman - Arms Around Your Love - Black Hole Sun - Jesus Christ Pose - Seasons - Be Yourself - Burden in My Hand - Slaves and Bulldozers/Whole Lotta Love
by Nossur
I have waited exactly 3.5 years to see Chris and I must say ... his voice is insane... absolutely insane... he ended with the first part of Whole Lotta Love which made me get goosebumps... also the version of "Jesus Christ Pose" was wicked... I walked out of that concert wanting so much more, but still I walked out with the biggest smile I've ever had.
thanks to Frida for the photos - see more here
by rocktea
What can I say? How do you put an experience into words?
I guess I have to try though I’m doubting I’ll make it justice. Short version: This was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, it’s right up there with Pearl Jam – and I must see Chris live again soon! Great songs, great venue, great band, and the greatest of them all: Chris Cornell. I cried, laughed, danced, rocked and loved it all!!!!
Long version: After being stuck in a 45 minute traffic jam, running forth and back to different restaurants in search for something fast too eat and a misconception regarding venues (my mind played tricks on me!) we were finally there. Originally thinking the concert were set in a venue used as for hockey games I was pleasantly surprised to find the venue very club-like, big but yet intimate. My already high expectations rose even more by this as I figure it must be more fun to play in front of a smaller but more connected audience. I also think this type of venue suits Chris’s music.
The band entered stage and played their own version of ‘Roxanne’, a small way of honoring The Police which will be playing Stockholm this week I guess. Then HE finally appeared, singing the chorus to the song before they went in to ‘Let Me Drown’, a great way to warm up a crowd! Before the next song Chris took the opportunity to compliment his band saying they were way better than The Police.
The set continued with ‘Outshined’, ‘Show Me How To Live’, ‘No Such Thing’ and ‘You Know My Name’ guaranteeing the place to heat up and even Chris had to take his jacket off. Then they took it down a notch with ‘Say Hello To Heaven’ which Chris presented as a song he wrote for his fallen friend Andy. I’ve always loved that song but seeing him sing it with so much emotion gave it a whole new level. Do I have to say it was beautiful?
Chris dedicated the next couple of songs to Peter, the guitarist (forgot his last name!) and said they were about breaking free. ‘What You Are’ and ‘Rusty Cage’ were two of the songs I prayed they would play and I guess someone must have heard me because here they were, right after each other! I rocked out, hard, as did the band!
Then Chris got his acoustic guitar out and spoke about the show he did at O-baren last year and how the response to the first time he played ‘Billie Jean’ got him to put it on the album. He followed up ‘Billie Jean’ with ‘Fell on Black Days’ and ‘Like A Stone’. He did the first part of ‘Doesn’t remind me’ by himself and then the band got back and they finished it off together.
‘Cochise’ made us rock out again and then it was time for ‘Spoonman’, the whole audience were in ecstasy and the band was in a great, funloving mood. During the drum solo in ‘Spoonman’ Chris and Yogi started to throw picks at the drummer (forgot his name too…), so many it almost looked like a crowd throwing rice at a newlywed couple. Later on Yogi continued to throw picks out to the audience and soon it was a full-on pick war, hilarious! Chris got one thrown at him which he picked up and said he would cherish it for the rest of his life.
Another one of my favorites followed that, ‘Arms Around Your Love’ and I love how it sounds live! ‘Black Hole Sun’ became an anthem with the whole audience singing along and if anyone who didn’t know who Chris Cornell are entered the room at that point must have thought Chris was some sort of reverent. Appropriately to that they played ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ as their last song before they left the stage.
Once they were back on stage again Yogi took a seat and started to play a song I didn’t recognize (truth be told I haven’t heard all of Chris’s songs and it could even have been a cover, I don’t know) and Chris started to sing but broke of and said he didn’t want to do that song. By now Chris was wearing Peter’s vest which he also had a lot a fun with, trying to decide if he should button it or not. Chris decided on singing ‘Seasons’, an amazing song on album but incredible live. The band then dedicated ‘Be Yourself’ to a group of guys in front of the stage who apparently was screaming for Audioslave.
‘Burden in My Hand’ was absolutely fantastic and you can see how much Chris likes to sing it. As their last song they played ‘Slaves and Bulldozers’, which Chris told us was named by a kid called Tristan. Chris and the band made a phenomenal, long version of this song, mixing in Led Zeppelins ‘Whole lotta love’ making it an awesome ending to an awesome show.
thanks to Frida for the photo - see more here
by the druminator
The concert was great, it should have been amazing if the sound engineer had put some effort to the sound. I mean, Annexet is a great venue for good sound, the first 3 songs was disaster then it got better, after the acoustic part it was downhill again. Fire that dude and get a guy that can give CC justice. The babysitter that supplied the PA system would have done a better job. But still.. a great show!!
Spoonman - thanks metallslave
Billie Jean (acoustic) - thanks kundtjenst
Chris Cornell Fan Page © Clare O'Brien 2007
