Soundgarden is full of surprises these days, and they all lean heavily to the pleasant side.
First, the grunge-rooted foursome that shared the Seattle music scene spotlight with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Screaming Trees two decades ago recently released “King Animal,” their sixth studio album and first since 1996.
All the original members are back – lead singer Chris Cornell, guitarist Kim Thayil, drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Sheperd – and Father Time has done little to diminish Soundgarden’s killer sound.
From the fitting “Been Away Too Long” to “Non-State Actor” to the haunting “Worse Dreams,” King Animal has been a king hit for the band’s fans and critics alike.
No. 2 on the Soundgarden surprise list was the choice of intimate venues on the opening leg of their first extended live tour in over 15 years.
Soundgarden kicked off the tour on Jan. 18 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., and later played two nights at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.
Had a chance to catch the first of two shows at the Riviera in Chicago on Jan. 29, and Soundgarden delivered.
Cornell grumbled a bit about his age (48), but his vocals are still distinct and the wavy-haired frontman remains one of the greatest singers in rock.
The crowd at the Riv was predominantly middle-aged as well, but everyone in the jam-packed club grooved along to classic cuts like “Jesus Christ Pose,” “Spoonman,” “Black Hole Sun,” “Blow Up the Outside World,” and “Fell on Black Days.”
Even the new stuff – which also featured “Taree,” “A Thousand Days Before” and “Bones of Birds” – highlighted Cornell’s remarkable vocal range, Thayil’s no-nonsense shredding and Cameron’s controlled, and at times chaotic, pounding.
Cornell didn’t move around as much as he used to behind the microphone, and Thayil and Sheperd were also more stoic than back in the day.
That didn’t prevent a mosh pit or three from forming in front of the Riv stage, but this show was much more about the stripped-down rock that has always been Soundgarden’s staple.
And that leads to surprise No. 3.
Obviously amped up by the first leg of the new tour, Soundgarden recently announced a second round of concerts at intimate clubs.
They’ll kick it off on May 3 at Borgata Event Center in Atlantic City, N.J., and cram in 19 shows before wrapping on May 28 in Broomfield, Col.
Catch them if you can because Soundgarden’s next tour is likely to land in bigger arenas.
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