The Hives at Alexandra Palace
Celebrating 30 years of performing, Swedish rock legends The Hives took over London on the final night of their UK tour. With a tremendous 19-song setlist ranging from 1997 Barely Legal to new album The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, how the 10,000-person swarm continuously danced and cheered for over two hours was a wonder.
For their Alexandra Palace debut, the historic venue was reclaimed as “Ally Pelle”. No introduction necessary, The Hives began with a metronomic countdown in pitch black. 2025 single Enough is Enough kicked off the set and encapsulated the anarchic evening ahead. Fan-favourites from their extensive back catalogue – such as Hate to Say I Told You So and Bogus Operandi – likewise prompted acoustic renditions from the audience. Display screens on either side of the stage provided close-ups of each band member and occasionally showed footage of the crowd, which created a surprisingly informal mood. Acutely aware of their cult status, the five stood still in their trademark black-and-white LED suits and absorbed the applause after Paint a Picture.
To further encourage the audience, frontman Pelle was friendly and conversational. He joked about the cold weather, shared anecdotes of previous tours and even played a game of “Simon Says”. He implored everyone to put away their screens and “live in the moment” preceding I’m Alive, and hardly a phone remained in sight for the remainder of the show. Taking his own advice to “rock out”, Pelle joined the sea of delighted fans himself during Tick Tick Boom. The absence of an encore would have been a shock; initially, two more songs were promised, but Smoke and Mirrors was indulged at special request.
Closing with the riotous euphoria of The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, it was a sheer explosion of feeling – predictably rebellious and fun. The Hives promised a night of uninhibited rock’n’roll and undoubtedly delivered.
Sofia Hamandi
Photos: Virginie Viche
For further information and future events, visit The Hives’s website here.
Watch the video for The Hives Forever here:
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