The Hives @ The House of Blues, Anaheim. 2-17-13.

My fourth time seeing The Hives in ten months. AND WHAT?! No really, I love this band and don't think I'll ever get sick of these guys. Besides, they're like the least prolific band around (taking between three to five years to release new albums) so forgive me for binging on their music while I still have the chance. Anyways, on to the concert.

The Hives played a special show in Anaheim on an off date on their US tour with Pink. Yes, you read that correctly. My favorite Swedish punks are the opening act for the mega pop starlet. The pairing sort of makes sense, in a bizzaro world kind of way. The Hives get to play to larger audiences (entertaining and confusing scores of people in arenas across the country) and Pink gets to...I don't know, gain some cred? Either way, this solo concert of theirs at the happiest place on Earth was sold out packed to the brim. High octane band + small venue = AWESOMENESS.

This wasn't the first time I've seen The Hives tearing it up at Disneyland. They played two shows at the HoB Anaheim back in 2005, back to back in the same night. I went to the first one. It was bonkers. Pelle hit himself in the face with the microphone and started bleeding mid song and proclaimed that we better enjoy our concert, because at that rate they may not survive to play the second. I was converted to an instant for life right then and there.

I see me...way in back. photo from: irockphotos.net

Howlin' Pelle Almqvist referenced those now legendary concerts during this show and I knew he was intent on making this night just as memorable. The band took the stage and immediately went into Lex Hives album opener "Come On!" Within minutes, some poor goober at the bar tried to crowd surf his way to the front, and fell (more like thrown thrown actually) some six feet to the ground. Needless to say the dude was knocked unconscious and had to be carried out of the venue by security. The band had no idea what was happening and kept playing to the packed house. Either way, that was one hell of a way to start a show!

I really can't say enough about how ridiculous The Hives are in concert. Easily, one of the best live bands I've ever seen. You cannot help but have fun watching them play, unless you're a robot or a douche. They could have enjoyed their day off from the big arena tour they're currently on, but instead they played a blistering 90 minute set in a sweaty little venue. Why? Because they're awesome and they legitimately love rocking the fuck out onstage. Still supporting Lex Hives, they played a good chunk of songs from their latest album but I couldn't believe they dug deep into the archive and played "Two Timing Touch and Broken Bones" from Tyrannosaurus Hives. I was stoked. Very stoked.


(This is from the band's show in San Diego that same weekend. It's just a KILLER version of "Patrolling Days" I had to share)

The band's energy was infectious. The crowd inside the House of Blues were little more than putty in their hands. One of the highlights of the night was when Pelle ordered everyone to sit down during "Tick Tick Boom" and proceeded to crowd surf over the seated audience like a "...punk rock David Copperfield" he said. If this turns out to be my last Hives concert before they disappear into the Swedish wilderness for who knows how many more years, they definitely went out with a bang.