The Hives | Yard Act | Spiritual Cramp
Manchester, Aviva Studios
28th Nov 2025
Put the words “factory” and “Manchester” together, and you’re bound to get something special. At Factory International’s Aviva Studios, Kai Marshall experiences the majesty of The Hives in their full pomp and glory, with support from Yard Act and Spiritual Cramp.
I want to begin by giving a huge thumbs up to the most accessible venue I’ve ever been to – Aviva Studios, Factory International. Friendly staff everywhere and plenty of amenities and facilities. Hats off to them.
The vast Factory warehouse space begs for big sounds, and opener Spiritual Cramp fulfils and exceeds their responsibilities. They look like members of the Stone Roses, and Ramones found a couple of other normal guys and formed a band. They are the very definition of DIY, and they believe in themselves. I think I do too.
A return to the foyer to water myself, and the place is buzzing. The line-up attracts all ages, and I reflect upon how long ago the ’00s now is.
A return up the stairs to hear some Yard Act, old and new. Opener Tall Tales puts the author in mind of new age Alex Turner’s movie star vocal delivery. The Yorkshire twang is left on this side of the Atlantic as lead singer James Smith sends us stateside before returning to Leeds to remind us they’ve made hits.
They reference riding the coat tails of the dead in their songs, so it’s not a shock for me to reference the Fall in a Yard Act write up. They are a band that sound like they’ve heard the Fall and decided we need them again – I think they’re right. They are clever and fun and passionate and literate. I wonder how many small venues they’ve played and had the audience stop chatting and think “oh wow- these guys are actually good!”
And then..
“Everyone’s a fucking bitch!”
The Hives are here, and it’s a pleasure to see that Michael McIntyre haircut in person. The band play to their strengths, of which there are many. They are like a cross between Cirque du Soleil and a stand up gig at the Frog and Bucket. Oh, and they play some fantastic music. I get the sense that they are a band that would only ever play the songs they want to play and wouldn’t pander to audiences. Their set contains everything you’d want to hear anyway; it just so happens that they love their old hits as much as their new songs.
Punk energy and untouchable charisma meet on their stage. No politics though. Make of that what you will. Maybe there’s something to be said for a safe space away from it all. Or maybe there’s a missed opportunity to hold a captivated audience in the palm of your hand and spread a message.
The Hives are a band you want to see do well, but you also want to experience them in a smaller venue. You want to absorb as much of their energy as you possibly can.
Find me someone, anyone, who is as good at their job as the Hives. I mean it. Any industry, anywhere.
Can’t, can you?
Hate to say I told you so.
What a show.
~
Find the Hives official website here.
Find Yard Act here.
Find Spiritual Cramp here.
All words by Kai Marshall. Read more from Kai on his authors archive and find him on Instagram
All photos by Adam Edwards
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