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♾️ May 17, 2017: Chris Cornell took the stage for the very last time

That Wednesday afternoon, Chris had a phone call with his manager, Ron Lafitte. They talked about Soundgarden's plans to perform at the Global Citizens Music Festival in New York that September, as well as the new album the band was scheduled to release in the fall. According to Lafitte, Chris sounded remarkably optimistic, happy, and excited about everything that lay ahead.

Hours later, before taking the stage at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, he posted a high-energy message on Twitter: "Finally back to Rock City," alongside a photo of the venue's marquee.

That night, Soundgarden took the stage. However, during the concert, Chris appeared visibly different: he was stumbling, looked somewhat weak, forgot entire lyrics, and seemed agitated and irritable at various moments. In one of the strangest moments of the night, he walked off stage for several minutes, leaving the band to improvise instrumentally. On the other hand, Chris showed genuine enthusiasm for the city of Detroit, expressing his admiration for the crowd more than once on that final night.

The show wrapped up around 11:15 PM with "Slaves & Bulldozers." After coming off stage, Chris took a moment to sign autographs for some fans outside the theater, acting seemingly normal according to witnesses present. Minutes later, he got into a vehicle and headed to the MGM Grand hotel, which was just a short walk from the Fox Theatre.

It would be the last time Chris Cornell ever stepped onto a stage.

🖤 That night, the founder of projects like Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog and one of the most powerful and unique voices in rock history said goodbye without knowing it, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate every year, every month, and every single day to this day.

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credits from the original post for grunge paradise and reels.grungearg on instagram