The Hives - London Camden Electric Ballroom - 3/6/04
4/5
By: Andy Willson
Set List: 'Abra Cadaver', 'Walk Idiot Walk', 'Missing Link', 'Die, All Right', 'No Pun Intended', 'A Little More For A Little You', 'Supply & Demand', 'Baby You're Alright', 'Hate To Say I Told You So', 'Hail Hail Spit & Drool', 'Two Timing Touch and Broken Bones', ENCORE, 'Main Offender', 'Antidote'.
Took your time, fellas. It's been a long while since The Hives last played live in the UK, and their return in '04 is probably the only time we have ever embraced a hoard of rabid Vikings returning to our shores.
Tonight's show at the Electric Ballroom is a low-key warm-up for their Download Festival appearance at the weekend, and they still know how to make an entrance. We are greeted with a huge, orange neon sign and a new look to the fabulously frivolous five. Fashionistas, take note: in the past, they've gone from all-black/white ties, to all-black/checked ties and now, well, your guess is as good as ours; the same shirts and trousers remain, but we've also got white shoes, white jackets and some white bow tie thingy last seen during the American Civil war. Bizarrely, like the pantomime of their rock, it works.
They're still into self-loving, too. Howlin' Pelle informs us after opening (new) track 'Abra Cadaver' that, a few seconds ago, he had in his hands the Holy Grail itself: a copy of The Hives' new album (confirmed title: 'Tyrannosaurus Hives'). Ever the showman, he promptly introduces new single 'Walk Idiot Walk' as the future of rock and roll, and it's perhaps with no exaggeration - after one listen, we're hooked; a snarling, rousing sorta-punk anthem reminiscent of their axe-waving forefathers; compelling.
Favourably, the set is littered with more fresher matter, previously unheard - 'Missing Link', 'No Pun Intended', 'Two Timing Touch And Broken Bones' (apparently penned after an incident while on tour; for once, Mr Almqvist decides not to go into full details) and 'A Little More For A Little You', the latter halted halfway by the band for our approval, before crashing back in. And, of crashing back in, this is where Pelle first decides to fling himself into the crowd, only to emerge seconds later looking bloody knackered. (It must be fun enough, though - he does it a few more times before the night is through.)
And perhaps through not recording anything new for four years, what with legal wrangles and incessantly touring the US, there is no apparent change of direction for The Hives; can't say we're flummoxed. They still do the same tricks - for one, each band member introduced one-by-one, and rightfully cheered by the frenzied onlookers. Curiously, and less commonplace, a male contingent of the swarm declares his love for Chris Dangerous, who responds by gobbing on the floor.
Two songs left for the encore: their jerky top-30-er 'Main Offender', still as fresh as the morning dew, and 'Antidote', which ends the night, leaving us all mildly dazed that we could have had this much fun in only 50 minutes. As things close, Pelle is the only member left in his white jacket, which by now, to be honest, isn't truly that white anymore.
Despite the similarities between then and now, as long as The Hives are around to continue conjuring such hasty, loveable mini-garage riots, we too shall persist to buzz our way through our otherwise mundane lives without much complaint.
Artists in this article: The Hives
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