Niklas Almqvist playing guitar with brother Pelle and other Hives band members Mattias and Joey playing while on stage at the Union Event Center, Salt Lake City UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson
The perfect summer evening is all about heading into a venue to see a show, gathering as a group and experiencing something unfold. The high energy Swedish garage rock group The Hives played again in Salt Lake City, Utah at The Unionlast Saturday. With a new album out called The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, they are on tour and opening this show with support from Snõõper.
Snõõper, an American punk rock band formed in Nashville, Tennessee, arrived on stage with low lighting and high enthusiasm. Lead singer Blair Tramel took center stage with boots, kicks and jumps, one song starting right after the other. Expressing excitement for playing with The Hives, Snõõper played a set that mixed punk and post-punk with an incredibly playful injection of sampled inserts from a sound board, including a ‘90s-style computerized voiceover.
The Hives took the stage after the break to an engaged and excited crowd. Lead singer Pelle Almqvisttalked about about being in Salt Lake City again, explaining how it is good for people to have a “live, human experience” together. He asked the audience to take their phones out, take as many pictures as they want, send one picture “to everyone in your contact list” and then put away their phone for the rest of the show.
Continuing with the show — despite the requests from the crowd to play “B is for Brutus” as Pelle stated that they no longer remember how to play that one — the band played a few songs from the new album. Pelle and guitarist Niklas Almqvisttook turns roaming the stage and building the hype as they played on. Pelle took to the pit and up to the barricade, standing above while holding the mic to the crowd as they sang along. With incredible energy and music, a “live, human experience” like this should occur yearly, if not more often.
Snõõper lead singer Blair Tramel leaning into the camera, on stage at the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Snõõper on stage with a great crowd at the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Snõõper guitarist Connor Cummins dead center with lights behind, playing on stage playing support before the Hives in Salt Lake City. Photo: Logan Sorenson
Blair Tramel of Snõõper on stage while providing vocals during the opening set before The Hives in Salt Lake City. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Snõõper lead singer Blair Tramel and drummer Cam Sarret on stage in Salt Lake City at the Union Event Center. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Snõõper band members playing on stage at The Union Event Center in SLC, UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Drummer for Snõõper, Cam Sarret bathed in blue back lighting, on stage at the Union Event Center. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Snõõper band member on stage during the opening set for The Hives at the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Connor Cummins of Snõõper playing guitar during the opening set for The Hives in Salt Lake City. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Snõõper merch available at the merch booth at the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City, UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Niklas Almqvist playing guitar with brother Pelle and other Hives band members Mattias and Joey playing while on stage at the Union Event Center, Salt Lake City UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Pelle Almqvist leaning over, pointing at the audience while playing on stage in Salt Lake City for the new album release of The Hives Forever, Forever The Hives. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
The Hives’ Pelle Almqvist throws the mic and the stand with it towards the audience while on stage at the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City, UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Audience members cheering on during the show while one audience member showing a sign begging for track “B for Brutus” to be played. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Drummer Christian Grahn on stage playing with The Hives at the Union Event Center, Salt Lake City UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Drummer Christian Grahn of The Hives eyes Guitarist Niklas Almqvist facing towards him as they both play on stage at The Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Pelle Almqvist raises his hands with mic in one as he glares at the audience like a madman during the Hives show in Salt Lake City, UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Guitarist Vigilante Carlstroem playing with The Hives on stage at the Union Event Center. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Bassist Mattias Bernwall smiling and playing with The Hives in Salt Lake City, UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Pelle Almqvist of The Hives hops down from the stage and up to the audience as he reaches and hangs the mic over as they sing the lyrics back at him. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Pelle Almqvist of The Hives, stands near the edge of the stage and raises his hands as audience members hands raise to meet his. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Niklas Almqvist of The Hives, raises his guitar in one hand, and gestures to the audience with the other to encourage more noise! Photo: Logan Sorenson.
Niklas Almqvist of The Hives stands with legs spread at the edge of the stage during their show at the Union Event Center, Salt Lake City, UT. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
The Hives playing on stage in Salt Lake City for their new album release of The Hives Forever, Forever The Hives. Photo: Logan Sorenson.
