The HU - O2 City Hall, Newcastle 03.10.2026
The HU
Skáld
Newcastle City Centre is busy tonight, pay weekend for many making the streets and bars even more lively than usual. This atmosphere around the place just adds to the excitement and anticipation for tonight’s gig at the City Hall as the huge queue is quickly checked by security and stream through the doors to go find a spot.
Tonight’s show is a unique one with both bands singing in their own native language bringing their folklore and history to the Geordie masses.
First up is Skáld a French Nordic group and they take to the stage under a very dark blue light, beating a slow pulse rhythm on what looks like animal hide drums leading into a drone like melody played on a traditional upright fiddle the song ('Ek skal riða') builds and builds in layers of vocals from the band members drawing the audience in despite the language barrier. The tempo is upped for the next song 'Myrkviðr' but once again using the chant like vocals and three sets of drums to get the feet stomping. Their songs are nearly all based around Norse Mythology and using the likes of hunting horns, lutes, harps etc they certainly bring it to life! By song three the crowd are won over and its just a shame they had no merch as many were asking about it after their set.
The eight piece monster that is The HU have come a long way since I last saw them down the road a couple of years ago, Glastonbury, EdFest to name but two HUGE events where they made the stage their own and gained thousands more fans to their already large following.
The Mongolian folk metal band enter to a huge reception and get things up and running with 'Lost Soul' probably the most commercial sounding song from their latest album 'The Hun' (on the album it features Johnny Hawkins from Nothing More but still sounded great without him tonight) staying with the new record 'Horsemen' is up next and we are in familiar HU territory pounding drums, Gala and Enkush bowing the morin khuurs (horse head fiddles) leading into a galloping riff (pun intended) as they sing of their ancestors at war.
Each song tonight is accompanied by visuals on the giant screen behind them adding context to the tales of their forefathers creating quite the spectacle.
'Upright Destined Mongol' sees the first of many HU HU HU HU crowd chants and fist pumps of the night with the quite simple main riff chugging along whilst some intricate horse head fiddle work dances around it - and bear in mind these traditional instruments have only two strings yet the sounds these guys get from them are incredible.
The set is mainly from 'The Hun' album with 8 of its tracks aired tonight the band are obviously proud of it and rightly so - the double kick drum led 'The Real You' for example calling out hypocrites and toxic personas with a speed metal kind of approach mixed with a rich almost orchestral feel of the bowed strings. Many top metal stars would be given a run for their money with this one!!!
The throat singing throughout the night is something you can’t really describe you have to be there or be listening to it to fully grasp the way it impacts the songs and maintains that sense of Mongolian folk tradition but wrapped up in a metal riffed song.
'Warrior Chant' does exactly what you expect it chugs along allowing you to bang your head fists and feet and your chest if you feel the spirit take over which many people allowed themselves to do so'
The big guns are held for the last quarter though with 'Black Thunder', the romping 'Yuve Yuve Yu', my favourite 'Wolf Totem' which feels like it could be straight out of a Bone Tomahawk kinda western movie despite being sung in Mongolian.
The City Hall is a fantastic venue steeped in music history so seeing it packed to the rafters for acts like The HU is assuring that people are still wanting live and unique events.
HU HU HU HU HU chant fills the room again as the 'Enter Sandman' like riff of 'This Is Mongol' booms out of the PA to a very enthusiastic crowd bouncing from front to back.
Throughout the night Gala informed us “We Love You New Cast L“ pronouncing the hard T in our cities name which endeared him to us all even more if that was possible!
A huge inflatable Statue appears centre stage as the band return to the stage.
“ NEW CAST EL !! DO YOU LIKE IRON MAIDEN???“ he enquires pretty much knowing the answer,
“ THIS IS THE TROOPER!”
And I’m canny sure an Iron Maiden cover played on mainly two stringed fiddles and sung in Mongolian wasn’t on a lot of folks bingo cards yet here we are! And it works like a dream! I’m sure Harris and co have a huge thumbs up of approval hearing how this was done!
There’s few bands that manage to get success singing in their own language outside of their home countries but tonight saw two bands prove that music is in fact a language of its own that can be enjoyed and loved in any tongue.
Photos & Review - G's Gig Shots
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