Soundgarden Unleash Their Inner ‘Animal’ at Massachusetts Show

Just a few years ago, the idea of seeing the almighty Soundgarden return to the stage seemed like nothing more than a work of fan fiction. However, after a 16-year stretch between discs and a decade apart, the collective members of Soundgarden launched a comeback releasing their latest offering ‘King Animal’ in November of 2012.

Following in the king-size footsteps of their new disc, Soundgarden are currently out on the road on a special intimate club tour, allowing fans the rare opportunity to get relatively up close and personal with the legendary band and their deep catalog of music. With set lists changing from night to night and a band with a renewed sense of purpose, the shows sold out fast and furiously.

Simply billed as “An Evening With Soundgarden,” the show proves to be just that. There is no opening act and Soundgarden own the stage for over two hours every evening, each night promising a unique set list and a completely new experience from the show before.

Last night at The Palladium in Worcester, Mass., the band hit the stage a little bit late looking relatively laid back with frontman Chris Cornell sporting a sweater and his guitar slung low. However, as soon as the band ripped into the first riff of ‘Searching With My Good Eye Closed’ from 1991’s 'Badmotorfinger,' it was clear that Soundgarden were not only back but that they meant business.

With the seemingly symbiotic relationship between Cornell’s signature vocal chops and guitarist Kim Thayil’s raucous riffs combined with the underlying pulse of the rhythm section provided by the all-star combo of Matt Cameron on drums and Ben Shepherd on bass, the band came out swinging and didn’t let up all night.

Rather than putting the primary focus on their latest release, the 24-song set was an amalgamation of tunes spanning throughout their career with a handful of tunes from ‘King Animal' complementing the set. While hits like ‘Pretty Noose,’ ‘Spoonman’ and ‘Outshined’ made it into the monster lineup for the night, surprisingly ‘Black Hole Sun’ didn’t make the cut.

These are the everlasting kind of shows that lead to lifelong memories for fans so if Soundgarden is your jam, check them out in this limited capacity run. The remaining tour dates can be found here.

Check Out Photos from Soundgarden's Show at The Palladium in Worcester, Mass.