Chris Cornell was honored Wednesday night with an all-star tribute concert at The Forum in Los Angeles featuring members of his bands Soundgardenand Temple Of The Dog. The “I Am the Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell” event also saw performances by Foo Fighters, Metallica, Ryan Adams, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton and several others.
The Melvins began the concert, which was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, with a set that featured a cover of Soundgarden’s “Spoonman.” Rita Wilson led a performance of Cornell’s “The Promise,” Nikka Costa and Alain Johannes teamed for “Disappearing One” and Stapleton performed “The Keeper.” Foo Fighters’ set included Soundgarden’s “No Attention” followed by songs covered by Soundgarden: “Girl U Want” by DEVO and “Earache My Eye” by Cheech And Chong. Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl closed the set by dedicating a solo acoustic performance of “Everlong.”
Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme played Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage” in a similar arrangement to Johnny Cash’s version. Maroon 5’s Adam Levine and Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard came together for Cornell’s contribution to the Singles soundtrack, “Seasons.” Miley Cyrus performed Cornell’s “Two Drink Minimum.”
Cornell’s two surviving Audioslave band mates, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk, played a set while joined by a variety of guests throughout. Geezer Butler, Perry Farrell, Juliette Lewis, Chris Chaney, Brandi Carlile, Robert Trujillo and Dave Grohl helped out on Audioslave tracks such as “Cochise,” “Like A Stone” and “Show Me How To Live.”
An emotional moment came when Cornell’s 14-year-old daughter Toni Cornell (who was introduced by Brad Pitt) sang Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” with Marley’s son Ziggy Marley on guitar. Vicky Cornell, Chirs’ widow, also took the stage during the concert to pay tribute to her late husband.
Metallica’s four-song set began and ended with Soundgarden covers – “All Your Lies” and “Head Injury” – which surround takes on “For Whom The Bell Tolls” and “Master Of Puppets.” Guitarist Ryan Adams was backed by a string section and Don Was on upright bass for Cornell’s “Dead Wishes” and “Fell On Black Days.”
Temple Of The Dog welcomed many of the evening’s performers to the stage during their set. Among the participants were Fiona Apple on “All Night Thing,” Miguel on “Reach Down,” William DuVall and Jerry Cantrell on “Hunted Down” and Carlile and Stapleton on “Hunger Strike.”
The surviving members of Soundgarden closed out the concert with a final guest-filled set. Fronting the band at various points were Taylor Momsen, Taylor Hawkins, Buzz Osborne, Wayne Kramer and others, with Morello, Carlile, Peter Frampton, Tim Hanseroth, Phil Hanseroth and more also sitting-in. Watch audience-shot video footage from last night at The Forum below:
Foo Fighters – Full Set Captured by Mikolaj Jaroszyk
Ryan Adams – Dead Wishes mano1971music
Ryan Adams – Fell On Black Days mano1971music
Toni Cornell & Ziggy Marley – Redemption Song Captured by Mikolaj Jaroszyk
Fiona Apple – All Night Thing Captured by Mikolaj Jaroszyk
Metallica – Full Set Captured by Mikolaj Jaroszyk
Josh Homme – Rusty Cage Captured by Mikolaj Jaroszyk
Temple Of The Dog – Hunger Strike Captured by 333rel
[Hat Tip – Louder]
