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TORONTO - Seeing Audioslave brings out the brat in me. The alt.rock supergroup, made from members of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden, makes me feel like the child of divorced parents who've remarried.
Of course, I remember how they used to fight all the time with their old partners, and how those last days were no fun. I realize they're much happier now. But to be honest, I'd rather they just got back together with their first loves so it could be like old times. And, really, they haven't helped: The two albums they've made together have sold well but are kind of like grunge-lite for grownups.
But three years into this new arrangement and it's clear: Audioslave is here to stay.
Time to grow up, suck it up and appreciate it for what it is. As long as Chris Cornell can still sing and guitar god Tom Morello still brings the soul power and his RATM rhythm machine, how bad can it be?
The band's show last night at the Air Canada Centre was their biggest yet in this town, although the massive venue was only half full and was reconfigured into a more intimate set-up.
Things got off to a shaky start with heavy rockers Your Time Has Come, from their latest disc, Out of Exile, and Set It Off, from their self-titled debut.
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Cornell's voice was strained and gravelly and no matter how many times he raised his fist up high, he hardly projected a true rock star air.
But it felt bad to compare his performance to his Soundgarden heyday after he earnestly explained that "these three people back there helped save my life."
Cornell was much better at the slower paced singalongs like Doesn't Remind Me and Be Yourself.
And Morello's solos were as searing as ever, even the wanky ones inspiring spirited air guitar from the many players in attendance.
And then, it happened. Audioslave "covered" Rusty Cage and Spoonman, two Soundgarden classics. And they were good.
Somehow, Cornell found his stadium voice and even some physical energy and his bandmates delivered the complicated rhythms deftly and with gusto.
From then on, things seemed to lift off. They played Audioslave's heaviest, grooviest tune, The Worm.
Then a brand new track (possibly called Sleight of Hand but the guy behind me was hooting so loud at the thought of a new song he drowned out the intro), a driving, fast-paced number with a garage rock feel.
There was genuine concern that they'd play some Rage songs, too -- nobody wants to hear Cornell rapping -- but the blazing version of RATM's Bulls on Parade, sans vocals, was the show's highlight.
It proved that the three musicians would make one hell of an instrumental trio.
With the divorce rate as high as it is, there's still hope.