The pioneering grunge band Soundgarden has announced several concert dates in support of King Animal.
The first show will be at the Irving Plaza in New York City on November 13. This concert date coincides with the release of King Animal, their first new album in 16 years. Tickets for the New York show go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. ET. Those who pre-order Soundgarden’s new album before 11:59 p.m. PST on November 7 will be given a password that will allow access to the on-sale. Tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis, so there is no guarantee that a password will grant tickets.
The second stop for Soundgarden will be in Toronto, ON at the Phoenix Concert Theater on November 16. For the final show the band will heading to Los Angeles, CA at the Fonda Theatre on November 27.
On the eve of King Animal‘s release, Soundgarden will be appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman, November 12. The night before their Los Angeles show, November 26, the band will be performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Reviews for Soundgarden’s new album are positive so far. A Stereoboard.com review states, “Soundgarden remain a truly ‘alternative’ band as they embark on the next chapter of their journey, steadfast in their roots with 15 years of growth behind them. King Animal follows the musical evolution of one of the world’s most groundbreaking bands.” Musicfeeds.com shares similar feelings about the album. Their review states, “King Animal provides concrete proof that the band still has the musical chops and grit to cut it in the modern musical environment.”
Soundgarden was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by guitarist and lead singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Drummer Matt Cameron permanently joined the band in 1986. In fact, the only change to the band’s lineup is that original bassist Yamamoto was replaced by Ben Shepherd in 1990.
The band is best known for hits “Black Hole Sun” and “Spoonman.” In 1995 Soundgarden won two Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance for “Spoonman” and Best Hard Rock Performance for “Black Hole Sun.” Soundgarden has sold over 10.5 million records in the United States and over 22.5 million worldwide.
Despite early success, Soundgarden broke up in 1997 due to disagreements over the band’s creative direction. The band reunited in 2010 and has been playing a few shows each year since the reunion. In February 2011 it was announced that Soundgarden was working on their first new album since 1996’s Down on the Upside.
While the band was broken up, lead singer Cornell found moderate success as a solo act. Cornell has released three solo studio albums, Euphoria Morning (1999), Carry On (2007), and Scream (2009). From 2001-2007 he was the lead singer for the heavy metal band Audioslave. He also performed the theme song for the 2006 James Bond movie Casino Royale.
Fans of Soundgarden have had a long wait to hear new music from the band. The release of King Animal on November 13 and Soundgarden’s upcoming concert appearances provide the opportunity for fans to hear new music and listen to band perform live.
