Insane. Chaotic. Rock ’n’ roll perfection.
If I wanted to be succinct, I could end the review right there. Those six words distil the essence of a night defined by unfiltered pandemonium as Sweden’s sharp-suited sonic tsunami demolished Glasgow with clinical precision.
But there’s far more to tell.
Originally scheduled for the cavernous 14,000-capacity OVO Hydro, the show was ultimately relocated to the significantly more intimate—but no less commanding—O2 Academy. Whether due to logistics, ticketing, or some other reason, we can only speculate.
What we do know is that The Hives Forever: Forever The Hives tour landed in Glasgow like a lightning strike, and the band arrived determined to sear their presence into the collective memory of the city.
Openers for tonight were San Francisco’s Spiritual Cramp, delivering a raw, unfussy blast of punk-tinged rock ’n’ roll. Their set was brisk, boisterous and completely devoid of pretension.
Leeds’ Yard Act followed, injecting the crowd with their characteristic hybrid of high-voltage art-rock, spoken-word swagger and indie-rap eccentricity. Their energy was infectious; their charisma, undeniable.
Giant Glowing balls dangled over the stage – no sniggering at the back please!
Rear and centre: a towering drum riser hosted a kit outfitted with not one, not two, but three bass drums, each emblazoned with a monolithic T, H, and E.
Above them hung the aforementioned enormous suspended spheres spelling out HIVES—yes, massive balls, and no, your inner teenager is not alone.
As the house lights dipped, those airborne globes began to illuminate in time with the music, glowing brighter than Rudolph’s nose—a festive wee flourish that The Hives would absolutely approve of.
The band stormed onstage in their trademark suits—now wired with glowing trim—and frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist immediately climbed atop the downstage risers like a ringmaster surveying his circus. Within seconds he was vaulting into the pit, drumming up chaos and communion in equal measure.
A Frenzied, Fan-Fuelled Masterclass; the setlist was a precision-engineered blend of older anthems, riotous deep cuts and a healthy serving—up to six tracks—from their latest long-player. Every song landed like a wrecking ball to your very soul… you could feel the music.
Crowd interaction isn’t just a quirk of a Hives performance; it’s a vital organ. Pelle spent much of the evening giving the front row the kind of personalised attention that left fans grinning, stunned and slightly starstruck. The band’s chemistry with Glasgow audiences has always been electric, and tonight it was positively volatile.
Venue size be damned: The Hives are always welcome in Glasgow, whether commanding a 14,000-seat arena or smashing a 2,000-capacity sweatbox. On this night, in this room, they were unstoppable—an impeccably tailored cyclone of chaos, charisma and pure rock ’n’ roll theatre.
A masterclass.
A riot.
A reminder of why they remain one of the most thrilling live bands on the planet
Review & Photographs by John Brown Photography
