The Hives are, and have always been, a glorious anomaly. Since their garage rock revival days in the late ’90s, the Swedish five-piece has built a reputation not just on razor-sharp riffs and perfectly tailored black-and-white suits, but on a relentless, self-proclaimed status as “The Best Live Band on the Planet.”
Their music is a masterclass in controlled chaos: punchy, infectious, and packed with more hooks than a fishing boat. With their first full-length album in years, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives (doesn’t it roll off the tongue) on the horizon and our city in the midst of winter blues and needing a shakeup, their super high-energy Melbourne show couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
Melbourne’s Forum Theatre, with its unique Spanish Baroque architecture, marble statues and stunning faux-starry sky, was the perfect theatrical backdrop for their brand of rock ‘n’ roll. The venue itself is a showpiece, but last night, it was merely a container for the unbridled energy that was exploded from the stage. The sold-out venue was filled to the brim with a mix of long-time fans (myself included) and new converts.
From the moment they hit the stage, it was pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll theatre. The five guys in matching suits tore through classics like “Main Offender” and “Hate to Say I Told You So” with a ferocity that made them sound as fresh as they did two decades ago.
The new material, like “Legalise Living” and the anthemic “Countdown to Shutdown” from their recent work, fit seamlessly into the set, proving that their power-chord punk swagger hasn’t dulled a bit.
I’ve seen a lot of bands, but The Hives are on another level entirely. Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist is undoubtably one of the best frontmen in the game with a wicked sense of humour and cockiness. At one point while introducing the rest of the band, he referred to himself as his favourite person in the world – and we believe it.
Pelle, ever the showman, dove into the crowd at one point, all while delivering a constant stream of hilariously arrogant-yet-endearing banter and vocals. He had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand, demanding more noise, more energy, more everything. It was a sweaty, deafening, and joyously chaotic experience.
The band was impossibly tight, a machine of precision and aggression, but it was their connection with the audience and their unwavering belief in their own greatness that made the night so special. They are a force of nature, and seeing them live is less a choice and more a necessity.
If you get the chance to see them, I’d say do it. You owe it to yourself.
– The Plus Ones
