Madrid, November 2, 2025
Movistar Arena
Forever Forever The Hives – World Tour 2025
Opening bands: Snõõper and Yard Act
I came to the venue at 20.45, when the second opener was playing: Yard Act, a British rock band.
It was my first time in Madrid’s Movistar Arena, and only the pit was available to the assistants.
I located myself on a side of the pit, in the middle, near the bar, because I thought the audience was going to be crazier, and I didn’t feel 100% great, so I stayed a bit behind the action. Finally, the public was calmer than I thought, and luckily, I was able to enjoy the full concert.
The Hives
The Hives are a Swedish garage rock band formed in 1993.
They are currently touring to promote their seventh studio album, titled The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, released on August 29, 2025. You can read my review of the album here: https://metalbere.com/loud-chaos-no-compromise-with-the-hives-forever-forever-the-hives-album-review/
Band members
- Per Almqvist – vocals
- Niklas Almqvist – lead guitar
- Mikael Karlsson – rhythm guitar
- Johan Gustafsson – bass
- Christian Grahn – drums, percussion
The Show
The show started at 21.35 with the new track Enough Is Enough, their classic Walk Idiot Walk, and the 60s psychedelic Rigor Mortis Radio. Everyone sang all their songs.
Up next: Paint a Picture, another classic: Main Offender, Born a Rebel, and Stick Up.
Then, two of my favorite tracks: Bogus Operandi and Hate to Say I Told You So. Followed by O.C.D.O.D., I’m Alive, and Here We Go Again.
Countdown to Shutdown continued, and Come On! (the two-word song, which is also its whole lyrics).
Another older hit: Tick Tick Boom, and when they were almost finishing it, Per, their singer, introduced the band members while they kept playing the song notes and melody. Per spoke a lot throughout the entire set in Spanish, and was very funny too.
First, Per introduced his “hermano biológico” (biological brother): Niklas Almqvist.
Secondly, the “vigilante de seguridad” (Vigilante Carlstroem) Mikael Karlsson, the rhythm guitarist.
Third, “el Juan and only” (The Johan and Only) Johan Gustafsson, the bassist.
Up next, “medio hombre, medio máquina” (half man, half machine, Chris Dangerous), Christian Grahn, the drummer.
And last, Per introduced himself as “soy el cantante de Los Hives, soy suelto” (I’m The Hives’s singer, I’m loose). LOL.
This part of the show ended at 22.45, and the band left the stage for a few minutes and returned for the encore: Legalize Living, Bigger Hole to Fill, and The Hives Forever Forever The Hives.
The show ended at 23.00. Per approached a couple of times to the crowd and, almost at the end, asked them to move to leave a hallway in the middle and went there to mix with the people.
The setlist contained many songs from their new work along with their classics. I’ve loved their two latest albums, so I’m glad their show was a combination of newer and older songs.
The band’s energy is contagious, eternal teens, they never lose the intensity, during the whole concert, really remarkable and fun to watch.
… if you’re not familiar with The Hives, here’s a video:
Setlist
- Enough Is Enough
- Walk Idiot Walk
- Rigor Mortis Radio
- Paint a Picture
- Main Offender
- Born a Rebel
- Stick Up
- Bogus Operandi
- Hate to Say I Told You So
- O.C.D.O.D.
- I’m Alive
- Here We Go Again
- Countdown to Shutdown
- Come On!
- Tick Tick Boom
Encore:
- Legalize Living
- Bigger Hole to Fill
- The Hives Forever Forever The Hives