THE HIVES
9/10/25 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX
©M’Lou Elkins / Skip2Photography.com
Dallas, rejoice! After years of suffering in the Hives-less desert, my city was finally blessed. Yes, The Hives descended upon the House of Blues last night, and I was there to witness the spectacle. You’re welcome for my presence.
I’ve had to crawl all the way to Los Angeles the last two times to see them, because apparently, Texas wasn’t worthy until now. This time, though, I didn’t even need to leave my neighborhood. In fact, I could literally see my building from the parking lot. Basically, The Hives performed in my backyard. Service.
Naturally, I brought along a “newbie,” my partner in rock, Nadine. I’d tried to explain the gospel of The Hives to her, but words are useless until you see it with your own eyes. Sure enough, every time I looked at her, she was grinning like she’d just been struck by lightning. Mission accomplished: another soul converted to the Church of Hives.
The set kicked off with “Enough Is Enough,” rolled into “Walk Idiot Walk,” then “Rigor Mortis Radio,” because of course they have to flex their catalog like a muscle car revving in your face. Frontman Pelle Almqvist, being Pelle, jumped straight onto the barricade, singing directly to the adoring masses who screamed like their lives depended on it. Which, let’s face it, they probably did.
During “Paint a Picture,” the band froze in place for at least a full minute – an art installation, really – before detonating back into chaos. Then came the fan-favorites like: “Main Offender,” “Hate to Say I Told You So,” and the communal scream-along of “Come On,” which the crowd basically sang in its entirety.
When “Tick Tick Boom” hit, Pelle ordered everyone to sit on the floor, then leap up at his command. And everyone obeyed. Imagine an entire House of Blues full of Texans taking orders from a Swede. Power move.
Encore? Of course. Three songs, capped off by “The Hives Forever,” because why end on anything less than prophecy?
The banter was constant and hilarious. Pelle reminded Dallas that The Hives had come to “mess with Texas,” and that Texas had messed right back…though we all know who won. His high kicks alone could end wars.
Nicholaus Arson was a twitching, twitchy spectacle, at one point licking his guitar pick, slapping it to his cheek, and then flicking it into the crowd like some rock ’n’ roll blessing. If you caught it, congrats, you’re holy now.
And let’s not forget the stage ninjas. Black-clad, cord-wrangling, somersaulting roadie-warriors who vanish and reappear like it’s a Bond movie. Only The Hives travel with actual ninjas.
Check out The Hives concert photo gallery below:
This was, without question, the most entertaining, high-energy, ridiculously fun live show I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot. The Hives are currently conquering the U.S. until September 25 in Los Angeles, followed by a festival appearance in St. Louis, and then the tour picks up again in Europe in mid-October.
Do yourself a favor: see The Hives. Not later. Now. Regret is for people who stayed home.
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