There is something wonderfully intoxicating about The Forum.
The twinkling stars on the ceiling, the statues, the entire venue is like taking a big ol’ step back in time. That is until a toneless, garbled cover of the Violent Femmes hit “Blister In The Sun”, courtesy of support act Dune Rats, assaults the ears of early comers.
First impressions count and this is not a great one by any stretch of the imagination. Most of singer Danny Beusa’s vocals are swept away in the cavernous room, the ones that aren’t are indecipherable. Be it bad sound, inexperience or just nerves, Dune Rats’ set is a letdown.
When they do get it together their 90s tinged sound appears to have been lost on the way to Lollapalooza ’94 (in the best way); everything in between is a nasally nightmare.
Supporting The Hives is a daunting task for any band and unfortunately Dune Rats seem completely out of their depth.
With the ear bashing over, the sonically starved crowd jostle for the best vantage points as a maniacal puppet master backdrop throws a demented grin right back.
Near hysteria erupts as the houselights drop and a crazed piano track, not unlike the ones used to herald the arrival of a villain in silent films, builds the tension to a dizzyingly high level.
Drummer Chris Dangerous strides onto the stage sporting a top hat, tails, and a mile wide grin. Fellow Hives: Nicholaus Arson, Vigilante Carlstroem, and Dr Matt Destruction follow closely behind, preceding the human powder keg himself – Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist. By the time they finish “Come On!” three-fifths of the band have lost their hats, which are picked up by balaclava clad ninjas (no that is not a joke).
“Lordy, lordy, lord – it’s good to back” booms Almqvist, who only gives up his hat after “1000 Answers”. “Right now you are The Forum, The Hives are playing and you are mine. All your little asses are mine for the next hour and a half” and he is absolutely right. He is playing to the stalls from the get go.
A crowd surfer is helicoptered around like a rag doll and then discarded as fan favourite “Main Offender” reaches crescendo. As the heat lies like a heavy weight over the room, The Hives discard their jackets and are looking like an orchestra who have gone insane.
Guitarist Arson fills in time between pumping out riffs by spitting and staring crazily at punters lucky enough to find themselves in his line of fire. “Walk Idiot Walk” is delivered with the trademark Almqvist showmanship and everything is on track when during hype up number “Wait A Minute” the band abruptly grinds to a halt.
A punter has crowd surfed his way to the front of stage only to plummet headfirst over the barrier, hitting his head hard, and is now lying motionless on the ground. For a good five minutes the dazed man is tended to while the band lean over the barrier looking concerned.
Finally the injured man is given the all clear and the show goes on. This brief, very human moment solidifies the fact that not only are The Hives on par with the world’s best entertainers; they are also really good dudes.
Perhaps to make up for the momentary disruption, “Two-Timing Touch And Broken Bones” is offered up. The dual jaggered guitars of Arson and Carlstroem, coupled with the whoops and yells of Almqvist threaten to tear the room apart, not unlike Destruction’s spine cracking bass line in “Hate To Say I Told You So”.
The Hives play an eye popping, almost vaudevillian set. The hold that they have over their audience is near unrivalled by any other touring act, this is proven when Almqvist splits the crowd in half and has them sit down before walking through the newly cleared space during last song “Tick Tick Boom”.
He makes a break for the stage and the crowd speedily knits back together in a heaving pile of limbs. It’s a wonder the statues gazing over the crowd haven’t exploded and the floor collapsed.
Charming psychopath, loveable narcissist, howling madman – there is no denying the popping, blue eyed appeal of the charismatic Mr Almqvist and co. This is a band that lives for applause, lives for the show, and consistently plays at 110% both in volume and in personality.
Here’s hoping the tinnitus wears off by the time they come back.
View the gallery of The Hives playing The Forum here.
