Remembering Chris Cornell: Performing Solo In Peoria In 2016

Watch the singer-songwriter perform originals as well as covers of The Beatles, Prince and more.

By Nate Todd May 18, 2022 6:00 am PDT

Legendary Soundgarden frontman, singer-songwriter and guitarist Chris Cornell tragically died by suicide five years ago today. The Seattle native and his band Soundgarden were pioneers in the grunge movement. Cornell’s powerful, nearly four-ocatve vocal range defined rock singing in the 1990s and was often emulated. But later in the hard rocker’s career, his fans got to see a more stripped down side of the singer-songwriter.

In September 2006, Cornell performed a solo acoustic concert in Stockholm, Sweden which became available as a download under the title Chris Cornell: Unplugged in Sweden. Following a series of critically acclaimed acoustic concerts in Los Angeles in 2009 and ‘10, Chris embarked on his landmark Songbook solo acoustic tour in 2011 which saw the troubadour performing throughout North America, New Zealand, Australia and South America.

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At the end of 2011, Cornell released Songbook, his first live solo album, captured from North American stops on the Songbook tour. The album includes tunes from Chris’s solo career and Soundgarden as well as material from his other projects, the supergroups Temple Of The Dog and Audioslave, along with covers including John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You.”

Chris would bring a similar set of songs to a July 11, 2016 solo acoustic concert at the Peoria Civic Center Theatre in Peoria, Illinois. Cornell kicks off the 26-song set with “Before We Disappear” from his 2015 solo album, Higher Truth (for which he was supporting), followed by “Can’t Change Me” from his 1999 debit solo LP, Euphoria Mourning. The performance also contains Soundgarden’s “Fell On Black Days,” “Blow Up The Outside World” and “Black Hole Sun.” Audioslave entries include “I Am The Highway” and “Doesn’t Remind Me” and Chris also offers up Temple of The Dog’s “Hunger Strike” and “Wooden Jesus.”

Additionally, the set features a number of choice covers including the aforementioned “Thank You,” Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin.” Before the latter, Chris tells a humorous story about first hearing Bob Dylan performed by a nun in school. He then performs an updated version of the song he dubberd “The Times Are A-Changin’ Back.” For the final cover of the evening and encore opener, instead of “Imagine,” Chris plays the largely John Lennon-penned masterpiece, “A Day In The Life.”

To remember Chris Cornell, watch the singer-songwriter perform solo acoustic in 2016 below via the JamBase Live Video Archive:

First 18 Songs


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Chris Cornell (See 30 videos)

Hunger Strike


00:00:00
shinepigeon (See 1,473 videos)
Chris Cornell (See 30 videos)

Wooden Jesus


00:00:00
shinepigeon (See 1,473 videos)
Chris Cornell (See 30 videos)
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A Day In The Life


00:00:00
shinepigeon (See 1,473 videos)
Chris Cornell (See 30 videos)

Setlist

Chris Cornell
  • Before We Disappear
  • Can't Change Me
  • 'Til the Sun Comes Back Around
  • Nothing Compares 2 U
  • Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart
  • The Times They Are A-Changin'
  • Josephine
  • Fell on Black Days
  • 4th of July
  • Say Hello 2 Heaven
  • Doesn't Remind Me
  • Getaway Car
  • Blow Up the Outside World
  • Let Your Eyes Wander
  • Thank You
  • I Am the Highway
  • When I'm Down
  • Rusty Cage
  • Black Hole Sun
  • Hunger Strike
  • Wooden Jesus
  • One
  • A Day in the Life
  • Seasons
  • Sweet Euphoria
  • Higher Truth
Setlist data setlist.fm.

[Originally Published: May 18, 2021]

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