There are certain things you don’t expect to find when flicking through the gig listings. A Mongolian folk-metal band was definitely one of them, but something about The Hu caught my attention. It was different, intriguing and, frankly, sounded like it could be a cracking show to shoot. So, naturally, I put in the request to cover it.
By the time I reached the O2 Academy, it was obvious that I wasn’t the only person curious about this strange musical proposition. The queue stretched a good couple of hundred metres, with fans patiently waiting their turn to get inside.
Photo pass collected, security negotiated and camera ready, I headed towards the stage where the smoke machines were going full pelt. Not a gentle atmospheric haze, but a thick wall of fog that appeared determined to conceal every musician in the building. From a photographer’s perspective, it was mildly catastrophic. I could almost hear my camera laughing at me and a member of the security eloquently suggested to me “you’re f***ed the night big man; it’s smokey as f**k!”
His observation skill were on point but there were bands to try and photograph and we’re a determined bunch!
Opening proceedings were SKÁLD, the French Nordic folk outfit whose performance was steeped in ancient mythology, traditional instrumentation and plenty of theatrical darkness. I couldn’t understand a word of what they were singing, but that didn’t seem to matter one jot. The audience was immediately drawn into their world, with the combination of percussion, traditional instruments and dramatic presentation creating an atmosphere that was both eerie and compelling.
The smoke even began to clear slightly, which was handy.
By the time The Hu arrived, the Academy was looking pretty much rammed. The first thing I had learned during my pre-gig homework was that The Hu and The Who are, thankfully, two entirely different propositions. Thankfully I had undertaken the obligatory YouTube ‘research’ and knew Roger Daltrey hadn’t packed his bags, grown a magnificent beard and relocated to Mongolia.
The visual impact of The Hu was impossible to ignore. Traditional clothing, impressive facial hair and instruments unfamiliar to most Western rock audiences combined with a wall of sound that immediately made it clear this wasn’t going to be an ordinary Friday night at the Academy.
The band describe their style as ‘hunnu rock’, blending Mongolian musical traditions with heavy rock and metal. Their songs draw on the country’s ancient nomadic culture, while the distinctive throat singing gives the music a sound that is instantly recognisable.
For someone experiencing The Hu for the first time, it was quite an introduction.
‘Lost Soul’ got things moving, and, almost immediately, any lingering doubts I had about whether this unusual combination would work live were disappearing. The dedicated fans already knew exactly what they had come for, while the newcomers, like me, were rapidly being converted.
I had wondered beforehand whether listening to an entire set sung in a language unfamiliar to most of the audience might become challenging. Throat singing is fascinating, but could fifteen songs built around such an unfamiliar sound keep a predominantly Western rock audience engaged?
The answer was a very emphatic yes.
By the midpoint of the show, that particular worry had completely disappeared. The musicianship was outstanding, the performance had genuine power and the audience had embraced the whole experience. Whatever language The Hu were singing in, the message was getting through loud and clear.
And then there was the atmosphere. This wasn’t simply a band standing on stage playing songs; there was a sense of identity and tradition running through the entire performance. It felt distinctive without ever becoming a novelty act, and that was probably the biggest surprise of the evening.
I arrived knowing very little about The Hu and left considerably more interested in what they were doing.
Another new band discovered, another enjoyable night filed away in the gig diary and another memory card filled with photographs captured through what can only be described as industrial quantities of smoke.
There was only one thing left to do.
The drive home with The Hu providing the soundtrack… obviously.
Review and Photographs by John Brown Photography
