Just when you think an Easter Bank Holiday weekend can’t get any better, The Hives decide to play a gig right at the end of it. Playing the Barrowlands on April 1, Easter Monday, the band savoured the holiday energy given by the crowd- and the crowd equally enjoyed the insane Swedish hyperactivity that The Hives are known for.
Opening the night were Essex indie-rockers Bad Nerves. High energy and high impact sum up their set; fans were forged and a mood suitable for a The Hives gig was set. The amount of energy used up moshing to Bad Nerves must’ve been high, as the crowd were engaged like Bad Nerves were headlining. However, both the crowd and The Hives had plenty of stamina to keep the rest of the night equally energetic.
Bogus Operandi from the new album The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons is what they opened with. Loud, punchy, and a crowd pleaser, the pits open and the fans piled in. Across the rest of the night, they barely closed for a minute.
The stillness came only when commanded by singer Pelle, a leading contender for most charismatic frontman in the game. Known for his wit and charm, Pelle can mute a crowd in a pinch and get them roaring again in the same breath.
And they roared plenty, for the setlist was full of well-known bangers. A fair amount of time was given to the new album, but this didn’t stop them from playing beloved tracks such as Tick Tick Boom, Hate to Say I Told You So and Come On! Besides, the new album has been out for a while, so fans had plenty of time to learn the lyrics and that they did.
Overall, The Hives clearly had a blast. The Barrowland’s legacy as a sick venue for rock bands is only continued with its latest show from The Hives, and those who attended the sold-out gig were lucky and delighted to be there.
