Detroit rolled out the red carpet, welcoming The Hives back to the Motor City with an energetic crowd at The Fillmore on March, 24th,2026. The Swedish garage rockers continued their victory lap in support of last year’s The Hives Forever Forever the Hives, with strong support from Australian punk outfit The Chats. Here are five moments that stood out from the show:
The Chats Rev Up the Audience
The Chats stormed the stage first with a blitz of blistering punk cuts. The Queensland rockers got a rowdy mosh pit open with the thrashing guitar riff of “6L GTR,” while lead singer Eamon Sandwith impressed with his snarling punk vocals and chugging bassline on “Half Arsed.” The bandmates were in top form with their shouted gang vocals on highlights like “Ross River” and “Struck by Lightning.”
The Hives Get Up Close and Personal
When The Hives took the stage for the headlining slot, the bandmates immediately caught the audience’s attention with their dapper matching suits, illuminated by a glowing trim. Lead singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist proved a force of nature from the get-go, high kicking, jumping, and orchestrating the crowd’s energy. Both he and guitarist Nicholaus Arson weren’t shy about getting up close and personal, performing frequently at the barricade with the front row fans through the dynamic opening sequence of “Enough Is Enough,” “Walk Idiot Walk,” and “Rigor Mortis Radio.”
“This Is Not a Spectator Sport”
Before launching into the rockabilly groove of “Born a Rebel,” Almqvist warned the crowd, “This is not a spectator sport!” Throughout the night, the fans responded accordingly, mirroring The Hives’ dynamite energy. A mosh pit opened once the blitzing riffs of “Main Offender” started; fans waved their arms in unison to “Stick Up”; and the crowd pogoed to “Hate to Say I Told You So.”
Ending the Main Set With a Boom
Around “Hate to Say I Told You So,” Almqvist declared about the setlist songs: “From now on, we play them in order of excellence – the songs are gonna get better and better and better!” This proved a promise kept as the band ripped through fierce cuts like “Countdown to Shutdown” and “Come On.” The main set culminated with The Hives’ anthemic hit “Tick Tick Boom.” In one of the most memorable moments of the evening, Almqvist waded into the heart of the crowd, hyping up the audience before strafing back to the stage for a high-energy finish.
Encore: The Hives Forever
After briefly leaving the stage, drummer Chris Dangerous reemerged first, goading the crowd to demand not one, not two, but “three more songs!” The Hives gladly returned to the stage and obliged, leading a huge clapalong over the sturdy bassline of “Legalize Living.” The set wrapped up with “Bigger Hole to Fill” and closer “The Hives Forever Forever The Hives.” On the latter, the crowd bounced along to the punchy, scuzzy guitar riffs and speedy drum beat – another night immortalized by the band’s relentless energy and crowd work.
