Chris Cornell, past to present, at Factory

When grunge-god-turned-metal-howler Chris Cornell announced that he was touring solo and doing hits from all his bands, it conjured up the notion of something akin to lounge music, smooth Muzak versions of Soundgarden and Audioslave songs.

Perhaps even something you'd call "The Chris Cornell Experience" in which a 43-year-old once in possession of a fine pencil mustache would croon Temple of the Dog tunes from upon a stool rather than bark at the moon.

Cornell just pulled off the theme song to James Bond's Casino Royale. How far off could that impression be?

That Cornell and his taut young band sold out Electric Factory on Sunday, tearing through that past-to-present catalog with mangy aplomb, was a relief. Even when Cornell brought out that stool to noodle nostalgically through his tender coming-of-ager "Seasons" (from the '92 Singles soundtrack, the very height of grunge) and during a few acoustic Audioslave moments.

"Let's just sit by the fire," he joked, moments before turning a yearning acoustic "Doesn't Remind Me" into a mad rocker, much as he did with the following tune, the crunching "Cochise."

That Cornell found just the right Audioslave tunes from the band's occasionally lame catalog was amazing. That he didn't do more Soundgarden songs was sad. But he proved he was still a rightful heir to Robert Plant's sensuality, ragged rage and merciful romanticism by pulling off a sweet-and-sour salaciousness throughout Soundgarden's best.

The vicious "Let Me Drown," a frenetic "Rusty Cage" with its groove-centric coda, even a funereal "Black Hole Sun" - all beat sexily.

And Cornell & Co. kicked out the jams on his solo-era tracks like "No Such Thing," and made the halting James Bond number, "You Know My Name," funky and dramatic. As he did with what he called a "chick song," "Arms Around Your Love."

"It's really a guy song," he said, before making the mellow song musky.

At a time when Billy Corgan doesn't have the guts to give up the name of Smashing Pumpkins - though he's touring with only one other original band member - Cornell gets kudos for owning the moment, even in solo form.