Soundgarden to Reunite for Seahawks Season Opener Halftime Show With Mike McCready and Taylor Momsen

Soundgarden’s remaining members, guitarist Kim Thayil, drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd, are set to reunite for a halftime performance at the Seattle Seahawks’ NFL season opener against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field in Seattle. They will be joined onstage by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and The Pretty Reckless frontwoman Taylor Momsen, who is filling in on vocals in place of the late Chris Cornell.

• Reports differ on the exact game date: some outlets list the matchup as taking place Wednesday, September 9, while Guitar World reports the show is scheduled for September 10.
• The Seahawks-Patriots game is being framed as a rematch of Super Bowl LX.
• McCready is also set to sing the National Anthem before kickoff.
• A Soundgarden representative has said the halftime performance will not air as part of NBC’s broadcast of the game.

Mike McCready on Sharing the Stage With Soundgarden

McCready, a Seattle native and longtime friend of the band, described himself as one of Soundgarden’s biggest admirers, recalling that he once showed up to the band’s local rehearsals with pizza just to spend time with them. He said fans should expect something memorable from the halftime slot, calling the moment “incredibly special” and “incredibly poignant” given the hometown stakes.

“We want to play as well as we can for Seattle, because we’re from here, this is our home,” McCready said, adding that the band has been over-rehearsing to make sure the performance lands. He also spoke about the pressure of opening the game with the National Anthem, saying he wants to “do it right” given how many times he’s performed it before.

McCready noted he will also appear in a video played during the game promoting the Washington Innocence Project, a nonprofit supported by the Seahawks organization for which his wife, Ashley O’Connor McCready, serves as board president.

Taylor Momsen and Mike McCready’s Past Performances With Soundgarden

This is not the first time Momsen and McCready have stepped in for Cornell’s vocal and guitar parts. Both joined Soundgarden’s surviving members last November for the band’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a ceremony that also brought out original bassist Hiro Yamamoto, Brandi Carlile, Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell, Heart’s Anne Wilson and Cornell’s daughter Toni for a rendition of “Rusty Cage.”

Following that induction performance, Momsen told reporters, “The reality is I’m here for anything they want or need. If they call me, I’m there. It’s that simple.”

Soundgarden’s Final Album With Chris Cornell’s Vocals

Soundgarden is expected to release a last studio album built around vocal recordings Cornell made before his death by suicide in 2017, with a release currently anticipated sometime next year. Drummer Matt Cameron told the Let There Be Talk podcast that the record is now in the mixing stage and that Cornell’s voice appears on eight tracks.

“I think that that’s pretty much all there is with vocals,” Cameron said. “We had some instrumentals left over that Kim wants to work on. So maybe we’ll do some new stuff together, which would be fine by me.” The album’s completion was held up for years by a legal dispute with Cornell’s widow, Vicky, which was ultimately settled in 2023.

How Many Times Has Soundgarden Performed Since Chris Cornell’s Death?

Accounts of Soundgarden’s post-Cornell live history vary slightly between outlets. One count places the Seahawks halftime show as the band’s fifth appearance since 2017, following a 2019 tribute concert, a Taylor Hawkins tribute show, a 2024 charity performance with Duff McKagan, and the 2025 Hall of Fame induction.

Another tally lists four prior performances: the 2019 tribute show, a 2022 Taylor Hawkins tribute, a 2024 six-song set billed as “Nudedragons” at Seattle’s Showbox with singer Shaina Shepherd, and last year’s Hall of Fame induction.

More Info

• Soundgarden To Reunite For NFL Season Opener With The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen & Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready | iheartradio.ca
• Soundgarden announce live return with Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready and The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen | guitarworld.com
• Soundgarden announce return to the stage with The Pretty Reckless’s Taylor Momsen and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready | loudersound.com
• Taylor Momsen, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Soundgarden to perform at Seattle Seahawks home opener | themusicuniverse.com
• “I’m Kind of Like Soundgarden’s Biggest Fan”: Mike McCready Used to Bring the Band Pizza Just to Hang Out—Now He’s Sharing the Stage With Them | American Songwriter