The Hives are a stylish bunch of Swedish lads who have galvanized garage rock. As long as you don’t imagine them in their crisp suits, coifed hair, and shiny cherry instruments in an actual garage with oil stains and rusted bicycles, the meeting shouldn’t raise an eyebrow. It doesn’t really matter if the bassist goes by Dr. Matt Destruction and the drummer by Chris Dangerous either. When you pump out as many punk-tinged, dirty-sounding pop songs with melodies as searing as these guys, style has no problem being an accessory to substance.
The Hives will be performing songs from their latest, 2007’s “The Black and White Album,” at the Wiltern on Feb. 19. The show is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.50 and $25. For more information, visit www.thehivesbroadcastingservice.com.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 15, 2008. Read the original PDF.