The Hives brought all the energy as they kicked off their United States tour in Music City with a sold-out performance at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville.
The Chats opened the evening for a show they almost thought they were going to miss. Early into the performance, lead singer Eamon Sandwith noted that the trio had had troubles traveling, including with their gear. Thankfully, they were able to find a local music instrument company that loaned them gear for the show.
The audience was also thankful as the Australian punk rockers delivered a 45-minute performance that had the crowd thoroughly engaged. It was clear from the start that many in the audience were familiar with the group, as they sang and screamed along loudly with the band. It was a great way to start the show and to get the fans ready for the headliners.
Early into The Hives’ set, lead singer Pelle Almqvist declared, “After 33 years, we are getting better, better, and better-er.” It’s hard to prove that statement wrong, as the group was at the top of their game in Nashville, putting on a thrilling, fast-paced, and engaging 90-minute performance.
Just two songs into the show, Almqvist was getting up close with fans, walking the barricade as the group performed “Walk Idiot Walk.” “Music may be a spectator sport, but that’s not what we are doing today. This is rock-and-roll, and it requires participation,” Almqvist would later in the night.
That crowd engagement carried the band throughout the evening, making the performance fly by. Toward the middle of the set, Almqvist walked along the walls, hopping into the bowling alley, tossing a ball down the lane. He joked after the song that he did better the last time the band played the venue in 2022.
Then there was a moment during “Tick Tick Boom,” when Almqvist split the crowd into two, as he walked up the middle, high-fiving and speaking to members of the crowd. As the track hit the final chorus, the singer jumped with the crowd as he returned to the stage.
While they were engaging on and off stage, The Hives made sure to perform all their biggest hits, but also tie in their newer tracks off their 2025 album The Hives Forever Forever The Hives. While some of the audience may be unfamiliar with the new tunes, the group did a solid job of introducing them to the Music City crowd, including ahead of the song “Roll Out The Red Carpet.” Almqvist explained beforehand that this was a song the band had been working on since 2003, and that Nashville was getting to hear the live debut of the track.
“Whether it is good or not, inconsequential,” the singer stated. “It’s popular with the kids, according to all of the algorithms, so it’s good for us. It is testing well with every demographic. Are you ready to hear it?” The audience responded with a resounding cheer, as they did many times throughout the evening.
The Hives continue to prove themselves as one of the most can’t-miss live bands in music, and it will be fun to see what they have stored for the future.