REVIEW, PHOTOS: Soundgarden's Triumphant Return, Sydney Entertainment Centre Post by: Milan Blazevic & Dave-O 26 January, 2012 - 8:25 AM

(Photo: Triple M)

"Total F***ing Godhead!". That is what legendary Sub Pop records co-founder Jonathan Poneman said when he first saw Soundgarden set fire to the Seattle stage in 1986.

Now, 26 years later, and at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, the godfathers of Grunge returned to play their first Sydney show since the 1997 Big Day Out. And boy were the crowd pumped!

Despite battling sound problems, which resulted in an untimely delay during the iconic "Black Hole Sun", the Seattle legends rallied to deliver a performance that totally captivated the audience.

Chris Cornell still amazes with his powerful vocals, while the shredding guitars, pounding bass and thundering drums of Kim Thayil (guitar), Ben Shepherd (bass) and Matt Cameron (drums) remain as mesmerising as ever, showing that vintage is still best.

Highlights included "Outshined" and "Blow Up The Outside World", both of which created a crowd frenzy you'd normally see at a Metallica concert!

Then Chris further excited the crowed when he announced: “Tonight was just the start, we will be back soon with our new album”. Bring it on boys! (Watch an in-depth video interview we did with Chris before the show talking about the new album and tour).

With the debate raging today about the state of rock music, Soundgarden’s return was like the second coming of Christ.

Speaking to fans after the show, Chris from Rooty Hill said “It’s been years of waiting, with no B-sides, no shirts, only silence, and now they’re back and everyone is saying 'that is rock and roll'."

Ben from Canberra added, “I saw them at the Gold Coast Big Day Out during the Kanye West soundcheck incident. Cornell turned to the crowd and said 'you need to cheer louder, so I don’t hear that shit over there'. And we did."

Many bands have tried to reunite in today’s music era, relying on the nostalgia of years past to surge them back to where they were. Most of them have failed.

However, Soundgarden seems to be doing everything right, and the groundswell keeps on growing.

With a new album due out later this year, we can expect Soundgarden to once again be Total F***ing Godhead.

(Photo: Milan Blazevic)

Setlist:
Searching With My Good Eye Closed
Spoonman
Jesus Christ Pose
Gun
Let Me Drown
Blow Up The Outside World
Fell On Black Days
Ugly Truth
Hunted Down
Drawing Flies
Outshined
Rusty Cage
Black Hole Sun
Burdon In My Hand
My Wave
The Day I Tried To Live
Superunknown
4th Of July

Encore:
Room A Thousand Years Wide
I Awake
Slaves And Bulldozers

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