The Hives at The Forum Melbourne #REVIEW

The Hives last toured our shores a decade ago, with the reputation as one of the best live acts around, still intact. Showcasing their latest album, The Hives Forever, Forever the Hives, due for release in August this year.

Garage-punk Melbourne outfit, Split System, put on a frenetic, gritty performance rousing the punters for the onslaught of the Swedish rockers. The inflated white balloons emblazoned with each black letter of the Hives provide the back drop of their set. Sonar pings signal the arrival of the band members on stage, with each ping sounding faster and faster as they get closer to the stage.

Opener “Bogus Operandi” from 2023’s Death of Randy Fitzimmons, sets the pace for the night and lead vocalist Howlin Pelle Almqvist (Per Almqvist), is hellbent on the audience having a good time. He scissor-kicks, gets up close to the audience, shaking hands, and ruffling hair and even finds his way onto the bar. Ninja clad assistants wind back his microphone lead when he makes his way back to the stage much to the audience’s amusement. His vocals are impressive; producing his signature scream throughout the show.
Each member is clad in a black suit with white piping, but the formality of the suits belies the wild abandon of each member of the Hives; Nichoulaus Arson (Niklas Almqvist) on lead guitar and backing vocals, Vigilante Carlstroem (Mikael Karlsson) on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Chris Dangerous (Christian Grahn) on drums and The Johan and Only (Johan Gustafsson) on bass.

Old chestnuts “Main Offender”, “Walk Idiot Walk” and “Hate to Say I Told You So,” sees the entire room dancing and singing in unison. The Hives have the catchy song formula down pat with their tongue firmly in cheek. They once attributed all their songwriting, management and discovery of the band to a secret sixth member Randy Fitzimmons and the album “Death of Randy Fitzimmons,” indicated his demise, but everyone knows that Niklas Almqvist is the brains behind the songs.

“Let me just say that the Sydney crowd was better and we haven’t even played there yet,” laughs Howlin Pelle. At one point, he commands the audience to sit down whilst he parts the audience “sea”, making his way back to the stage. New songs, “Paint a Picture”, “Enough is Enough” and “Legalise Living” off The Hives Forever, Forever the Hives are lapped up by the punters. The high energy “Tick, Tick, Boom”, ends just over an hour of catchy tunes, Howlin Pelle’s stage antics, and all leave the show with spirits uplifted. Randy Fitzimmons would be proud.

The Hives at The Forum Melbourne, photos by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

: The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

The Hives photo by Mary Boukouvalas

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