Chris Cornell's Songbook Acoustic

Author

By Gail Powell

Publish Date

May 9, 2011

The last show of Chris Cornell's five-week-long Songbook Acoustic tour was held under starry skies and a springtime crescent moon. Opener William Elliott Whitmore acquitted himself nicely singing blues and gospel tunes with a banjo and guitar. After a short delay, Cornell appeared to thunderous applause from the sold-out crowd.

Two hours of hits and no misses followed. Beautiful, acoustically soulful renditions of every well-known Soundgarden and Audioslave staple, with a perfect "Sunshower" — the stage bathed in golden light — which brought tears to my eyes.

Cornell covered Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, and solemn Bob Marley number "Redemption Song." The Grunge master chatted freely, with lots of political commentary, and played his 9/11 solo song "Ground Zero." Mid-concert, a male mallard duck came walking up the aisle and took off flying, as was the crowd, soaring on the music of Cornell's Songbook.