The Hives Are Back On Stage Where They Belong – Live Review From The Fleece

by | May 31, 2023

As the saying goes: “It’s only champagne of bands if it comes from a small town in Sweden called Fagersta, otherwise it’s just sparkling nonsense”. Do they even need an introduction anymore? Or is it merely a reminder? If you were still wondering, we are indeed talking about The Hives. Who else?

They left the throne for 10 years and we had barely heard from them since their 2012 album Lex Hives… Only a few single releases here and there (Good Samaritan and I’m Alive), as well as the impeccable Live At Third Man Records in 2020, and their World Wide Web tour in early 2021 – a definite highlight at the height of lockdown. No one came to steal their crown, so here they come again just to show us they can.

The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023

The Hives @ The Fleece
The Hives @ The Fleece

The Hives are back from the grave, with a new album titled The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons, coming on August 11th. Their newest hit Bogus Operandi came along with new tour dates across the world and while they are on a stadium tour with Arctic Monkeys, they have graced us with four small venue shows in the UK, starting at the iconic Fleece in Bristol (in partnership with Rough Trade) on Tuesday May 30th 2023. And we were there and are now here to tell the tale…

It was not surprising to hear the show sold out within a few hours, and a queue formed at the doors well before 7pm. It had been a few years since The Hives came to the UK, especially with a brand new show… You would probably wonder how The Fleece could contain such a big crowd? Never underestimate The Fleece. This iconic 450-capacity venue, has seen many rock stars march upon the stage and we quickly feel at ease while waiting for the show to begin…

The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023

The Hives @ The Fleece
The Hives @ The Fleece

The Hives are known for their high energy, incendiary stage presence. They make their entrance at 9pm sharp to the tune of Chopin’s Marche Funèbre for poor old Randy Fitzsimmons. But once Chris Dangerous sits behind his drum kit, they very quickly transition to Bogus Operandi to watch the crowd go wild. Both Howlin’ Pelle (do we need to tell you who Pelle is?) and Nicholaus Arson (guitar) make good use of those pillars to get closer to the crowd. The tension is now palpable and we can confirm there is no sweeter sound than Bogus Operandi performed live on stage at the FleeceMain Offender and Walk Idiot Walk are next on the list, both rock ’n’ roll classics, which we love to hear again and again.

While having only played for a little over one hour, The Hives gave us a good impression of what the new album would sound like: Rigor Mortis Radio fits the theme and will be a great anthem for Mr Fitzsimmons’s funeral. We get to hear some hits from the past few years like Good Samaritan and Go Right Ahead, which the audience gladly performed with Pelle who has no problem leading a crowd of thousands in a stadium one night, and 450 people in a small punk venue the next. Another new addition on the setlist is Stick Up, which was dedicated to the ladies. The show ends with a mix of classics (Hate To Say I Told You So and I’m Alive) and recent songs (Trapdoor Solution, Countdown To Shutdown), which leaves us thinking… What really happened to Randy? The encore, of course, is Come On and Tick Tick Boom, with an impressive stage dive making that walking on water thing look like an amateur stunt…

The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023

The Hives @ The Fleece
The Hives @ The Fleece

Watching The Hives perform in a small independent venue was an incredible experience and a real privilege. For those who did not get to see them in their early days, well there you have them, intact and absolutely perfect. They stayed faithful to their reputation and only brought the best of the best and rocked the roof off the Fleece, leaving us all begging for more… “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is rock ‘n ‘roll” says Pelle, before the stage lights go off… Was there a better way to say it? We don’t think so.

Read more about their brand new album and UK tour dates here.

  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023
  • The Hives @ The Fleece, Bristol 30.05.2023

 

Live review and photography of The Hives at The Fleece, Bristol by Pauline Di Silvestro on 30th May 2023

Blondshell’s MOTH Club Turn: Also Very Enjoyable

Karin Ann (Press)

Karin Ann Teams Up With Suki Waterhouse For Heart-Stirring New Single ‘i was never yours’

Slovak singer-songwriter Karin Ann has unveiled her stunning new single, i was never yours, marking an evolution in sound and storytelling for the rapidly rising artist. The track — co-written with Suki Waterhouse and Harrison Whitford (Phoebe Bridgers) and produced by Benjamin Lazar Davis (Maya Hawke) — finds Karin blending folk, country, and indie rock into a sound that feels both intimate and cinematic.

Amy Macdonald (Olivia Rose)

Amy Macdonald Shares Empowering New Single ‘I’m Done (Games That You Play)’

Amy Macdonald continues her remarkable run as one of the UK’s most enduring singer-songwriters with the release of her...
Blair Davie (Press)

Blair Davie Unveil Deeply Personal New EP ‘First And Last’

Scottish singer-songwriter Blair Davie has released their highly anticipated new EP, First And Last, via Giant Music —...
Joyce Manor (Dan Monick)

Joyce Manor Announce New Album ‘I Used To Go To This Bar’ Alongside Lead Single ‘Well, Whatever It Was’

California punk favourites Joyce Manor have announced details of their upcoming album I Used To Go To This Bar, due for release on 30th January 2026 via Epitaph Records. The band have also shared the lead single Well, Whatever It Was, accompanied by a chaotic and comedic Lance Bangs–directed music video that riffs on The Great British Bake Off, featuring cameos from comedians and musicians playing UK rock icons.

Third Eye Blind @ Islington Assembly Hall (Kalpesh Patel)

Third Eye Blind Bring Chaos, Charm And Catharsis To London’s Islington Assembly Hall

An ominous, synth-driven hum filled the room at Islington Assembly Hall, a restless Thursday night crowd buzzing beneath it. Then — silence. A heartbeat later, the guitars of Thanks A Lot burst to life as Stephen Jenkins strode onto the stage in crisp white trousers and a beanie, his guitar hung low, his every movement theatrical. The room erupted. Without a word, Third Eye Blind were off and running — all muscle, melody and memory.

Darius Rucker @ Utilita Arena Birmingham (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Country Spirit Soars As Darius Rucker Brings Nashville Energy To Birmingham

It was a night of country music highs at the Utilita Arena Birmingham as Darius Rucker brought his unmistakable voice and charisma to the city. The South Carolina-born star has long been a bridge between country traditions and mainstream appeal, and his stop in Birmingham underlined why he remains one of the genre’s most enduring figures. Before the headline act took the stage, the crowd was treated to a journey through some of country’s brightest stars, each setting the mood in their own way.

Fickle Friends (Daniel Alexander Harris)

Fickle Friends Bottle The Chaos Of New Love On Single ‘Joe’ Ahead Of Self-Titled Album

Brighton indie-pop favourites Fickle Friends have unveiled their latest single Joe, a bold and chaotic anthem that...
W.A.S.P. @ Hammersmith Apollo (Louise Phillips)

Blackie Lawless Reigns Supreme: W.A.S.P. Ignite Eventim Apollo With Shock-Rock Fury

Blackie Lawless is to Rock what the Milky Bar Kid is to chocolate, an unforgettable icon with a legendary status who seems to defy the normal rules of ageing! And tonight at the packed Eventim Apollo he is a man clearly intent on giving the audience a night that they will never forget.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing