Who other than The Hives to fully claim to the beautiful Alexandra Palace because of its nickname? No one, of course. Live Report.
It is with a straight face that Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist hypnotises, schemes and charms, as he strings together the tongue twister Ally Pally Pally Pelle Ally Pelle and poof, the building belongs to the Swedes. Right. No one in the room is going to argue with them tonight. It’s their biggest show in the UK yet and the audience is in a trance.
CASCADING ENERGY
Makes sense as the opening acts warmed us up nicely. First, Spiritual Cramp with their Californian punk rock tinged with Ramones-esque flair give everything they’ve got and manage to convince with a slightly vintage style. In terms of attitude, the kinship with The Hives is quite clear and their presence is both logical and welcome tonight. Then comes Yard Act. If Shakespeare were a millennial from Leeds, he’d either be this band or he’d be a fan of the band. The flow of the lyrics is legendary and their setlist gains depth in the bass and in the riffs. The result is more rock than some of their studio tracks, including Dream Job and the glorious We Make Hits. Top-notch lighting, phenomenal presence, no doubt about it, the show is well on track.
Then The Hives jump on stage. And at the risk of repeating myself after more than thirteen years of their gigs: they handle things like no one else. The lighting is impeccable, the energy legendary, and the setlist perfectly cooked. And, of course, their outfits add that little extra touch that makes an impression. Their eternal black-and-white gimmick is marked here by white LED strips for more light on stage. Cherry on top: these are also controlled by the lighting crew. Dynamic, fun, understated and frankly stylish, we love and approve wholeheartedly. Touches of red light up the three kick drums forming the word THE, and at times, the white balloons suspended in front of a white backdrop forming the word HIVES.
The energy is also driven by the setlist, which rolls out hits such as Hate to Say I Told You So, Walk Idiot Walk, Tick Tick Boom, Come On!, Bigger Hole to Fill, and Here We Go Again. But this tour is also about the new tracks, as proven by the cathartic opener Enough Is Enough, Rigor Mortis Radio, Bogus Operandi, Born a Rebel, Paint a Picture, and, for the encore, Legalize Living and The Hives Forever Forever The Hives. The mosh pits go wild and warm up the room, which is relatively cold. Not my observation, but that of the Scandinavian on the mic under the blazing spotlights. Says it all. Does it stop us from enjoying ourselves and sweating? Not in the slightest!
NEVER TOO MUCH
The best part remains seeing how well they know how to put on a show and handle their tracks with passion and skill. Granted, Countdown to Shutdown has had better performances, but the band also know how to stray from the beaten and prepared paths by jumping on an audience request with Smoke & Mirrors during the encore. One more song is always a bit more Hives, and we’ll never complain about that. Ending with The Hives Forever Forever The Hives leaves it in our heads forever, fand again, it’s a masterstroke.
Majesties!
