[Our apologies to opening act King Nun – due to some vehicle trouble we didn’t reach the venue until The Hu were on-stage]
The Hu’s second journey to Glasgow and they certainly didn’t disappoint. This band from Mongolia brings together a delightful mix of traditional throat singing, traditional instruments and Hunnu rock. These guys have been steadily building up a following for a number of years but really broke through in 2018 with the release of two videos.
They came to perform at the SWG3 Galvanizers and it was packed to say the least. It was a cold wintery night but you forgot all about that when you entered the venue. They had a great crowd and buzz awaiting them. Their sound levels were pitched perfectly. The volume of the instruments complemented the vocals so we heard every tone from every instrument, which can be tricky with throat singing being so bass-y. The band even took the time to learn enough English to rile the audience throughout the show and keep spirits and energy levels high.
They had a nice simple set with a well designed backdrop , nods to traditional Mongolian culture and a fan helped to build the atmosphere with Jaya’s flowing hair. Their use of lighting was very impressive. Again they kept it fairly simple for most of the show, but the vibrant and bold colours along with the way they danced around the stage was striking and brought a great level of intensity throughout.
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They interspersed some songs from their new 2022 album in with the classics we have all come to know so well. Of course “Yve Yve Yve” and “Wolf Totem” made a delightful appearance, the crowd was clearly full of devoted fans as even when some of the newer less well known songs started, a roar and applause erupted. The energy in the room never dropped once. On stage, the band’s imposing voices and hair whips kept the power of the songs ringing through during instrumentals without being too distracted.
They let their music speak for itself, it was quite refreshing. It felt raw and powerful. They ended on “This is Mongol” which felt like a great finishing song. The energy stayed but the beat of this song and vocals had a nice come down for the audience ready to get back out into the cold.
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Pics by Sean Larkin Photography
