Review: Chris Cornell at the Uptown

He is a man of constant motion: Chris Cornell electrifies a big crowd at the Uptown. Photo by Bill Brownlee.

The hammer of the gods pummeled the Uptown Theater on Saturday.

The ballyhooed Led Zeppelin reunion won't touch down in Kansas City, but Chris Cornell offered a deeply rewarding alternative.

Vocalist for Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave, Cornell has a distinctive howl that's a staple on metal and modern-rock radio stations. His body of work is largely based on  intriguing updates of Zeppelin's mighty sound.

"This is my 20th anniversary of making records," Cornell, 43, reminded approximately 1,200 fans.

They heard him revive 31 songs in two-and-a-half hours of fist-pumping, head-banging melodic crunch.

The four young musicians backing Cornell provided sturdy, if somewhat anonymous, support.  Only a few songs featured guitar solos lasting more than 30 seconds. It was a refreshing break from the traditional and often tedious pyrotechnics of most heavy rock shows.

The absence of a star guitarist shifted the emphasis to Cornell's songs. They easily withstood the scrutiny. Raging renditions of Soundgarden's "Superunknown," "4th of July" and "Rusty Cage" were vital.

The theater's balcony was closed, and the tight quarters downstairs transformed the audience into an unlikely choir during hits like "Black Hole Sun" and Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike."

"I like this place," Cornell said.  "It reminds me of church."

An extended solo acoustic segment provided a pocket of calm in the storm.

"This is how a lot of these songs were written," Cornell said.

The night's sole disappointment was that Cornell's voice did not seem to be at full power. Even so, his hoarseness added urgency and anguish to his shrieking.

The night ended, appropriately enough, with a brutal version of Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love."

Much like Cornell, opening act Earl Greyhound reveres the unholy trinity of Cream, Hendrix and Zeppelin.  But instead of modernizing the classic rock foundation with bitter grunge, the Brooklyn-based trio sweetened the mix with tasty pop dynamics in their likable 40-minute set.

| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star

Comments

[chas]

This was the best show to hit KC in ages! This review does not do it justice... And I am not a raving chris cornell fan, yet it was an incredible show... Thanks Chris!

[S2000]

Cornell brought the house down! I still can't believe I actually saw him perform live.....

31 songs? Are you kidding me? What a treat! And I didn't notice for a second his voice not being 1st class.

My only dissappointment was the show being advertised as accoustic. I thought we would here 15-18 accoustic songs. I think there were only about 3-4.

Come back Chris! And shame on KC for not selling out the Uptown. It's Chris motherfucking Cornell people!

[Rian]

That was the best concert ever. I loved it and I am only a 12 year old girl!What are you talking about his voice being bad?It sounded better live than it does on a CD.The only dissapointment was that there were't more pictures and when the concert was over.I could have stayed there listening to Chris all night.He is my favorite singer,EVER!You rock Chris!!!