Hailing from Watford, Hertfordshire, alt-rock buzz band The Hunna made an explosive return to London last week to launch their much anticipated new self-titled album. The famed Electric Ballroom, one of my favorite venues in Camden, played host to a wall-to-wall, sold-out gig. I’ve never seen this many people jammed into the place. From the looks of the VIP section alone, it was the venue to be at Friday night, even with some stiff competition just up the road from Creeper at the Roundhouse.
But this was a different kind of show for The Hunna as they opted for a more intimate venue where they would play their new album. The band’s self-titled fourth LP was released just days before the gig. The fact that the crowd was singing along with every word says it all about the reception, and that they came out thrashing across the stage with one of the loudest shows I’ve heard all year sends yet another clear message—these guys are back with a vengeance.
The Hunna are embracing a new beginning that follows a whirlwind of touring and releases after their meteoric rise a few years back. It’s the classic band gets fucked over by a record label, questions their future, and ponders their next move situation. Still, in this case, the story has a happy ending so far. But it certainly wasn’t easy, and the band needed help and inspiration.
Making the rounds with mediocre reviews, the fans still embraced it and set the band up for what would be their pinnacle moment. Calling on the many friends they’ve made along the way, including Fall Out Boy, Blink 182, Twenty One Pilots, and super producer John Feldman, they took all that negative energy and blew it into a narrative that became 2020’s I’d Rather Die Than Let You.
The current moment would include bringing a new producer in. Gil Norton of Foo Fighters, Pixies, and Jimmy Eat World production fame would come on board and bring back the spark that initially started the roller coaster ride. “Refreshed and confident” is how frontman Ryan Potter recently described the state of the band. And holy shit, that was very clear as the band blasted through album openers “Trash” and “Fugazi,” which are arguably the best songs on the album.
Then the chaos slowed down for the next two: emo-fueled “Find a Way (Back to You)” and “Circles.” The album played out fast and furious from then on, showcasing the strength of the release as a whole. I mean, who gives a shit about albums anymore, right? Well, these guys do—and they proved the point that they still matter—and it’s something we should all be celebrating. Is the new album a bit all over the place? Yeah, but in a good way. There’s really something for everyone here, and good luck trying to pigeonhole them on this one.
The Hunna wasted no time after the new album’s completion by diving into a “greatest hits” set that saw the band blasting through their most loved songs. “The Calm,” “Love,” and “Babe, Can I Call” lead straight into “She’s Casual” as the ballroom continued to erupt. “Can’t Break What’s Broken,” “Bonfire,” and finally ending the set with the massive riffs of “Dare.”
What a night, what a gig, what a story. Welcome back to The Hunna—they’ve certainly got a banner year lined up for them.
