The Hu // Skáld // Live Review // The Telegraph Building // Belfast
What can I say about this evening’s lineup? It is nothing short of otherworldly! Two magnificent bands are bringing a zest of world music to Belfast that I don’t think anyone in the room will be ready for.
The HU have been taking the world by storm ever since their arrival, a Mongolian Folk Metal band who would have never thought of it until they did, and now look where we are! Global sensations, and I believe this was their second time in Belfast, previously having played The Limelight, Belfast’s iconic music venue; now they have upgraded to The Telegraph building and are commanding an even bigger audience.
In tow is French Nordic Folk Band Skald, who, very much like The Hu, hold nothing back in their live performances, bringing Viking, Norse mythology and music to the fore. At 8 pm the lights drop, and the musicians take to the stage and break into a glorious cacophony of drum patterns that get your heart racing! The band, rim-lit from behind, creates a pulsating rhythm that has the Belfast audience transfixed. Slowly they build to a crescendo before erupting to rapturous applause as they wrap up their opener; Belfast is 100% on board.
What a vibe, what a visual; the sounds being propelled from the stage are glorious! Thick, bellowing male vocals are carried by a single female vocal which sits in the mix beautifully, against bold pummelling drum patterns that reverberate through the floor. The vocal harmonies allow you to get lost in every track; the delicate melodies tossed out via horns, fiddles and various traditional instruments leave you gasping for more. Every song is like a cinematic journey the band takes you on, your feet barely touching the ground as they deliver a performance so engrossing you don’t want it to end. I really do hope Skáld come back round to do a full headline show; it would be a treat for sure. #makeithappen
Upcoming shows → https://skaldmusic.com/
Pre-order Ørlǫg https://lnk.to/SKALD-Orlog
Photography: Mark McGrogan
Shortly after 9 pm, The Hu take to the stage; Belfast has been rightly wound up and ready for a feast for the ears! Unlike Skald, who stick to the traditional, The Hu blend contemporary instruments alongside their traditional Mongolian instruments to create a more contemporary fusion between the organic and the orgasmic! I can see two Kempers in the background lit up like Christmas trees, providing the girth for the two guitarists. Being the main three protagonists of the band, they create a sound so unique it’s hard to believe that I am here, in my hometown of Belfast, gathered in a packed-out room for such a unique and fascinating band.
The Hu’s sound allows the band to touch on gnarly metal riffage whilst keeping it somehow contained within the realms of organic, ethereal-sounding folk music like nothing you’ve heard before. A feat both for the eyes and ears, The HU really are a truly spectacular experience live, the Mongolian throat singing is especially captivating in the flesh. I had the pleasure once hearing it up close and personal when a few Mongolian vocalists treated me to the experience at Bloodstock Festival. It’s one of those things you don’t forget in a hurry, but live with a full band behind them, you can hear every nuance, the multi-layered effect it imposes on you that you can so easily get lost in.
The Hu’s music in general is a real mix for thumping, rocking tunes right through to more traditional melodic ballads and beyond, taking the Belfast crowd on a rollercoaster ride of unforgettable performances that has the room transfixed. With now three studio albums under their belt- The Gereg released in 2019, Rumble Of Thunder (2022) and now Hun here in 2026- the band have no shortage of material to enjoy. Teasing the crowd with a soundtrack from all three albums, any setlist is a contentious issue; people will always have their own personal favourite songs they desperately want to hear live, and we get treated to some beauties: Lost Soul as the band’s opener, Shadow, Warrior Chant, Black Thunder and Trooper, to name but a few. Belfast is soaking it all up, transfixed at the bellowing sound being tossed out from the stage, a performance so full of passion and pride, a Mongolian band so far from home here in Belfast city centre, som 4000+ miles apart but a community of people all gathered together celebrating the beauty of an ancient civilisation brought into the 20th century.
A magnificent night’s music, one that will be talked about in the bars and clubs for years to come, no doubt; a band that has to be experienced in the flesh, if you have not yet taken the opportunity to purchase a ticket you absolutely have too, you can thank me later.
UK & European Tour Dates:
Tue 29th Sep – O2 Academy Glasgow, Glasgow (UK)
Thu 1st Oct – Prospect Building, Bristol (UK)
Fri 2nd Oct – O2 Academy Bournemouth, Bournemouth (UK)
Sat 3rd Oct – O2 City Hall, Newcastle (UK)
Mon 5th Oct – The Telegraph, Belfast (UK)
Tue 6th Oct – 3Olympia Theathre, Dublin (IE)
Thu 8th Oct – O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham (UK)
Fri 9th Oct – O2 Academy Brixton, London (UK)
Sat 10th Oct – O2 Apollo, Manchester (UK)
Sun 11th Oct – UEA, Norwich (UK)
Wed 14th Oct – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels (BE)
Thu 15th Oct – Sporthalle, Hamburg (DE)
Sat 17th Oct – Tonhalle, Munich (DE)
Sun 18th Oct – Columbiahalle, Berlin (DE)
Mon 19th Oct – Stodola, Warsaw (PL)
Tue 20th Oct – Stodola, Warsaw (PL)
Thu 22nd Oct – Palladium, Cologne (DE)
Fri 23rd Oct – Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht (NL)
Sat 24th Oct – 013, Tilburg (NL)
Tue 27th Oct – L’Olympia, Paris (FR)
Wed 28th Oct – Le Radiant, Lyon (FR)
Fri 30th Oct – X-tra, Zurich (CH)
Sat 31st Oct – Rockhal, Esch-Sur-Alzette (LU)
Sun 1st Nov – Ancienne Blegique, Bruxelles (BEL)
Tickets will be available here
All forthcoming US shows are below.
WITH ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON, + ORGY:
8/29 — Burgettstown, PA — The Pavilion at Star Lake
8/30 — Darien Center, NY — Darien Lake Amphitheater
9/1 — Toronto, ON — RBC Amphitheatre
9/2 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH — Blossom Music Center
9/4 — Clarkston, MI — Pine Knob Music Theatre
9/5 — Tinley Park, IL — Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
9/6 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center
9/9 — Maryland Heights, MO — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
9/10 — Kansas City, MO — MORTON Amphitheater
9/12 — Greenwood Village, CO — Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
9/14 — West Valley City, UT — Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
9/16 — Airway Heights, WA — BECU Live at Northern Quest
9/17 — Auburn, WA — White River Amphitheatre
9/18 — Ridgefield, WA — Cascades Amphitheater
9/20 — Concord, CA — Toyota Pavilion at Concord
THE HU ONLINE:
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BETTER NOISE MUSIC ONLINE:
Photography: Mark McGrogan
