LE HU @ Casino De Paris (11/25/22) – Reports – RockUrLife
Following the release of a second album, the metal sensation from Mongolia HU export again to Paris. An evening halfway between the capital and the desert steppes.
It is in the magnificent setting of the Paris Casino that the surprising alliance of traditional Mongolian music and metal takes place tonight. But before that, it’s the quintet KING NUN who comes forward to open the ball. By probing a little in the queue, we could have expected to see compatriots from the headliner for this first part. One imagines, in part, because of the name. It is not so. The band actually comes to us from United States and the average age does not exceed twenty-six years. king nun in any case succeeds in its introduction with a rather refreshing and energetic punk. Special mention to the cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog” byIggy Pop at the end of the set, which knew how to warm up a good part of the public before the piece of resistance.
It’s Mongolian
Half an hour later, the eight members of THE HU smoke up on stage. One would have thought it would be difficult to fit eight musicians on the stage of the Paris Casino but it is nothing. The four main members, playing traditional instruments (morin khuur, tumur hhuur, tsuur and tovshuur) and practicing the famous overtone singing, are placed in the foreground.
The group wastes no time in getting to the heart of the matter. Come to present the titles of his second album, roar of thunder, HU works precisely by one of these new songs: “Shiti Hutu”. A good track to start with, but it’s really with “Shoog Shoog”, taken from the very well-known debut album by fans The Gereg (2019), let the serious things begin.
In the assembly, some flags of the Mongolia are stretched in the air several times. Sign that the diaspora (or perhaps even Mongols who came directly from their country) is well represented that evening and is proud to be there. It must be said that the training is just as proud of its culture. Between references to warrior legends, a song in homage to the “grand Genghis Khan“, and their costumes inspired by traditional clothing, one would almost feel in Mongolia.
A Hu-nanimous audience
The only downside that we could find at this evening is that it is sometimes difficult to hear all the nuances of the traditional instruments, often masked by the drums or the bass. Apart from that, the atmosphere is delighted. The public, although heterogeneous, is unanimous and nods to the rhythm of the drums and drums and does not hesitate to chant spontaneously “HU” that resonate in the room.
Although the language barrier is obvious, there is like a communion between the group and its public. Two of the four core members alternately experiment with English and French. Sentences that we imagine learned by heart (the group apparently does not speak English) but which raise warm cheers from the crowd. Some in the audience even try to sing the songs of the group as if it were their mother tongue.
On the setlist side, HU draws from its two discs in equal parts, chaining hits like “Yuve Yuve Yu” or “Wolf Totem” alongside recent songs like the delightful “Black Thunder”, the very good “Shiti Hutu” and the hymn “This Is Mongolian”. The whole thing is crowned with an astonishing and successful cover of “Sad But True” by Metallic on recall. A beautiful evening in short, even if it was indeed sad but undeniable that it was coming to an end.
HU leaves a strong impression at the end of the concert. We even start to chant”HU” in the street of Paris Casinoready to conquer Paris to the son of Mongolian songs.