THE HU - Black Thunder Tour
w/ BLACK WATER FEVER // Eaton’s Hill - Brisbane - Friday 5th August 2022
Written by: Tom Wilson @thetomwilsonexperiment - Sense Music Media
The Mongols Lay Waste to Brisbane
The line to get in is already snaking down through the carpark, out of sight, and then coiling back around. This is the hottest ticket in town tonight, and the demographic is impressive. Metalheads. Indie types. Mums and dads. The very young and the very old. Everyone, it seems, wants a piece of what’s happening tonight, and when we finally make it into a sold out Eatons Hill, the vibe is electric.
Pictured: THE HU lighting up the ballroom at Eaton’s Hill
Photo by: Tam Schilling - TamCam Images
Exactly who do you get to open for a band as musically unique as THE HU? Rock? Metal? Hell, the fucking WU-TANG CLAN wouldn’t have been out of place tonight. On this tour, they have brought out THE BLACKWATER FEVER, and if blues rock can be described as dirty, then their blues are absolutely filthy. Heavy as lead and dripping with soul, they are on fire tonight, punctuating their riffs with organ swirls, twanging bass and rock-solid drumming. They bring their set to a close with a mighty version of Undone, and leave the stage to the sound of a whole army of new fans singing their praises (and probably adding them to their Spotify playlists.)
Pictured: Jared Tredley - BLACKWATER FEVEER
Photo by: Tam Schilling - TamCam Images
THE HU emerge onstage clad in leather, rock n roll meets Mad Max, fists held high, and as they launch into their set, their singer’s hair is already flailing in the gusts from stage fans. Flutes are holstered on his leg like weapons. The place is heaving, ecstatic, fists pumping slowly in the air. THE HU’s sound is utterly unique. Blending traditional Mongolian throat-singing with folk and fist-pumping hard rock, their sound throbs and pulses through the ornate hall, blending kit and kettle drumming with guitars and the warbling of twin morin khuur, or horsehead fiddles, plus some flute and, if I’m being honest, god knows what else into the mix. Their throat-singing is a low, almost subterranean rumble, so thick it sounds like it's coming out of the walls. The synergy between the eight men onstage tonight is impressive. Despite the theatrical nature of their appearance, there is nothing showy about what they’re doing here. They aren’t speed demons, they aren’t launching into solos, but they are utterly locked in, sending heads nodding and fists slowly pumping towards the ceiling. As the crowd around me starts chanting “HU! HU! HU!” I feel the sudden urge to grab a sword and shield and go fight something.
Pictured: Enkhasaikhan Batjargal - THE HU
Photo by: Tam Schilling - TamCam Images
Far from their native soil, they do communicate in some basic English (mainly about how much they love us, bless them), but the singer’s passion transcends any language barrier, and several times tonight he addresses us in Mongolian. The words may not translate for all of us, but the vibe certainly does. He’s happy to be here tonight, and the crowd are happy as well – a Mongolian flag held aloft in the centre of the pit. As the temperature rises, the vibe reaches fever pitch, and water is sprayed over the front of the crowd. After posing for some photos in front of the audience, they thank us and leave the stage. Many turn and start heading for the exit, thinking THE HU have said all they need to say tonight, but a roar from the crowd stops them in their tracks, and they look back to see the band returning to the spotlight. “Say “one more song HU!”,” they demand. We oblige, loudly, and they burst into an absolutely storming cover of METALLICA’s Sad but True. Epic doesn’t begin to describe it.
Pictured: Temuulen Naranbaatar, Galbadrakh Tsendbaatar & Nyamjantsan Galsanjamts - THE HU
Photo by: Tam Schilling - TamCam Images
If you get the chance, make it a priority to see THE HU once in your life. I can safely say I’ve never seen anything quite like this before.
The Setlist
Please note: This setlist does not include unreleased songs at the time of the performance
