The Hives w/The Donnas & The Hits @ Commodore Ballroom - Feb 22/08

Lights dimmed. "The Hives" red neon sign snaps on. The Hives file in quietly and quickly in the dark, and launch right in with 'You Got It All...Wrong', with Pelle Almqvist skidding up to the microphone stand just in time for the first vocal. An exciting, choreographed start that sets the tone for the next hour: the sonic equivalent of the first half of Trainspotting. No letting up -- go, go, go!

Nattily dressed in matching black suits with white trim sporting crests with The Hives' logo, and diagonally striped black and white ties, they look like cheeky school boys. I'm reminded of Malcolm McDowell from the movie If.

A few songs in and the heat is rising; the jackets and ties come off to reveal black shirts. Almqvist is throwing the mic stand around and snapping it back to him with the cord. Nicholas Arson, as much a showman as Almqvist, is zipping around making faces at the audience. And drummer, Chris Dangerous, stands up clapping vigorously, encouraging the audience to clap along. We don't need much prodding; the dancefloor is bouncing and arms are flailing.

Almqvist chatted to the audience almost constantly throughout their set reveling in his megalomaniacal yet instantly endearing persona: "I love you. We love you. You love us. Hello Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada!" Amusingly, he referenced our full location three times in his Swedish accent, introducing 'Die, All Right' by saying "Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Canadoo, Canadeye, CanISing, CanIDie, Can I Die All Right."

If you haven't sensed it already, The Hives put on one hell of a live show. This may be the best show I've seen in 2008, and I would love to see them again. The songs come fast and furious, Pelle whipping his head from left to right and back, hair flying, hand jauntily on hip a la Jagger, with leg kicks thrown in to emphasize a beat. They faithfully reproduce the sound of their albums with the clean, sharp sound and tapping urgency. Of course, the stellar Commodore sound system helped with this.

Setlist:

You Got It All...Wrong
Try It Again
Square One Here I Come
Die, All Right!
A Little More For Little You
Walk Idiot Walk
You Dress Up For Armageddon
No Pun Intended
Diabolic Scheme
Won't Be Long
Main Offender
Tick Tick Boom
Encore:
Bigger Hole to Fill
Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones
Return the Favour

Video Clip from February 22, 2008

The Hives - 'You Got It All...Wrong'