The Hives set to break ground with Venezuela gig

The Hives are reportedly set to become the first international rock band to perform in Venezuela for a decade.

The Swedish rockers, who have been managed by ATC Management since 2022, will headline the 6,000-cap Concha Acústica de Bello Monte in Caracas on 7 December after the US eased sanctions against the South American country.

“Because of the sanctions, it became an unviable market,” ATC’s Matthew Greer tells Variety. “We just happened to have the good timing to be the first ones in. Hopefully, The Hives can be part of the journey to re-open the country and have bigger artists go down there.

“Venezuela is such a huge country, but it’s been isolated from the benefits of the music industry boom in Latin America over the last 10 years. It’s definitely overdue for Western artists to go there.”

“We have definite arena ambitions for all over the world and I don’t think there’s anything that should stop us in achieving that”

The Venezuelan date is part of a wider tour of Latin America, which also includes slots at Corona Capital festival in Mexico on 17 November, Peru’s Indie Rock Fest on 25 November and Primavera Sound Brazil on 2 December, as well as stops in Chile, Argentina and Ecuador.

The group, who tour the UK next spring, released their first album in 11 years in August with their sixth LP The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons and supported Arctic Monkeys for the band’s UK stadium dates. They will also support Foo Fighters on their 2024 US tour.

“There’s such great demand for brilliant live bands – they’re few and far between, so this can keep going much, much further,” adds Greer. “We have definite arena ambitions for all over the world and I don’t think there’s anything that should stop us in achieving that.”

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