Feeling that I’m at one of the best live shows I will ever experience is exactly what I feel when the stylish garage rockers perform. The Hives will serve it to you on a silver platter and it will be broken by the end of the night. After catching them at Coachella, I got a good taste of what was going to happen at The Observatory. And being in an intimate venue with these insanely talented Swedes was pure magic. With their new (and excellent) album Lex Hives, it was full-on balls to the wall with the crowd completely mesmerised by the powers of frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist. And if you’re not listening to Almqvist (which you better), brother Nicholaus Arson will be under your nose with his guitar and animated expressions. Guitarist Vigilante Carlstroem, Dr. Matt Destruction on bass, and Chris Dangerous pounding those drums kept everything cool. I’ll leave some details out hoping to entice you to go to the Wiltern show tomorrow night.
This is THE LAW. The Law that is Hives. LEX HIVES!
The Hives also have a couple of dates in October in Ventura and HOB San Diego. LA’s own Fidlar is opening.
Photos by Debi Del Grande

Fidlar:

Setlist:
Come On!
Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones
Take Back the Toys
1000 Answers
Walk Idiot Walk
Main Offender
My Time is Coming
Die, All Right!
Wait A Minute
These Spectacles Reveal the Nostalgics
I Want More
Won’t Be Long
Hate To Say I Told You So
Patrolling Days
Encore:
Go Right Ahead
Insane
Tick Tick Boom