Demand for The Hives has gotten so high that they just can’t keep up. Err, at least that’s the reason the band gave when they announced that they are now accepting applications for folks to start officially-sanctioned The Hives cover bands. That’s right: The Hives are franchising themselves.
“[We] can no longer keep up with public demand for concerts… Q2 and Q3 reports both point to the need for a new solution to this problem,” a humorous Instagram post from the band read. “We have now after much sighing and woe come up with what we think is the most elegant solution. We need several The Hives…. You can now start your very own The Hives and put on a show!”
The announcement post went on to state that “rules and regulations” would apply “upon application,” and included a link to a page on the band’s website that allows folks to officially “sign up.” Exactly what the arrangement would look like between The Hives and its legion of franchised bands is unknown, but the band made their vision clear: “Imagine a world where The Hives are playing every city all the time. That’s a world we want to live in!”
To their credit, The Hives have certainly been busy in 2023. This past Spring, they hit the road for a multi-leg tour that brought them to cities throughout the UK and North America. In August, they dropped their comeback album, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, their first proper full-length release in over a decade.
Just last week, the band stopped by Jimmy Kimmel’s show for a performance of “Bogus Operandi,” a single from The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons that was named Consequence‘s Song of the Week. Right after, they hopped down to Mexico City to perform at the 2023 iteration of Corona Capital alongside The Cure, Blur, Pulp, and more.
Up next, the band’s tour is gearing up to head to Latin America for a leg that’ll include dates in Argentina, Brasil, Venezuela, and other countries. In 2024, they’ll head back to the UK for another string of shows, and will close out the summer by opening shows for Foo Fighters and Green Day on their respective tours. Check out the full list of The Hives’ upcoming dates below, and grab your tickets for their North American dates here (for their international dates, secure your seats here).
In August, The Hives spoke with Kyle Meredith about the youthful energy of The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, the story behind “Bogus Operandi,” the hottest show they’ve ever played, and more. Listen to that conversation below.
The Hives 2023-2024 Tour Dates:
11/25 – Lima, PE @ Indie Rock Fest, Arena1
11/27 – Santiago, CL @ Teatro Caupolicán
11/29 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Teatro Vorterix
11/30 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Teatro Vorterix
12/02 – São Paulo, BR @ Primavera Sound
12/05 – Quito, EC @ Soundgarden
12/07 – Caracas, VE @ Concha Acústica de Bello Monte
03/27 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy
03/28 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 City Hall
03/29 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
03/30 – Wolverhampton, UK @ The Civic @ The Halls
04/01 – Glasgow, UK @ Glasgow Barrowland
04/02 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
04/03 – Brighton, UK @ Dome
04/05 – Cardiff, UK @ Great Hall
04/06 – Manchester, UK @ Academy
04/08 – Dublin, IE @ 3Olympia Theatre
04/10 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
04/13 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
06/19 – Arnhem, NL @ GelreDome #
07/19 – New York, NY @ Citi Field *
07/21 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park *
07/23 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium *
08/7 – San Diego, CA @ Petco Park *
08/9 – Los Angeles, CA @ BMO Stadium *
* = w/ Foo Fighters
# = w/ Green Day