Richmond, VA – We knew they were coming. A small but powerful Mongolian force have been invading clubs all across North America. On November 11, 2019, the audience at the sold-out Broadberry waited to witness one of the most talked about invasions in Broadberry history. The HU was coming to town.
At 9PM, The HU forces took the stage, each member wielding their instruments to conquer the musical minds of the audience. The HU force consisted of Gala (Lead throat singer and Morin Khuur), Enkush (Lead Morin Khuur and throat singer), Jaya (Jaw Harp, Tsuur Flute and Throat singer) and Temka (Tovshuur).
They delivered their first salvo on the onlooking crowd in the form of “Shoog Shoog” from their debut album The Gereg. The hard-pounding beat combined with the unique sound of the traditional Mongolian instruments and the deep sound multi-tones of throat singing captivated the audience, winning over the hearts and souls of the invadees. There was no resistance, from outset, resistance was futile.
For those not familiar with The HU, their genre has often been called Mongolian folk rock. The beat is steady, strong, and obviously catchy, as the sold-out audience moved in unison with each song. Many times, with hands in air, the crowd chanted, “HU HU HU HU” to show their appreciation for the hard core sound. As I looked at the English translation of many of their songs, the spiritual nature combined with a deep regard for their homeland, traditions, and history was apparent.
The unique sound of throat singing, which gives the appearance of multiple tones from one voice, was complimented by Mongolian instruments. The Morin Khuur, or horsehead fiddle (also known as a horse fiddle), is a two stringed instrument played with a bow. It is a wondrous instrument that provided an almost metal violin sound. The Tsuur is a type of flute that added a very traditional, airy Mongolian sound. No metal rock band would be complete without guitar. Yes, there was one traditional guitar and one 5-string bass, but the Mongolian element was in the form of a Tovshuur, which is a 3-string lute well-known in the folk traditions of Western Mongolia.
As the night progressed, we were treated to more hard, metallic folk tunes. “The Song of Women”, as translated, appears to honor the strong but delicate women of Mongolia, the motherland.
By the time they got to one of their early viral tunes, “Yuve Yuve Yu“, there was no doubt the conquest was complete and they had complete control of the audience. As with many of their other songs, this song hailed the history of the Mongols but appears to chastise those who celebrate Mongolia while failing to live to the standards of ancestors.
As the night drew to a close, the energy of the audience had reached epic levels. The conquest had been successful – souls were in total control of the benevolent conquerors. What I found most fascinating was that the lyrics were not as important as the sound, as it was very unlikely that the audience understood the messages delivered by the words. The music, combining metal, hard rock, and traditional Mongolian folk, had a mesmerizing effect on the audience. I am anxiously awaiting to see what The HU brings on their next invasion.
The HU Gallery
The HU Setlist
Shoog Shoog
The Same
The Gereg
The Song of Women
The Legend of Mother Swan
Uchirtai gurav
Shireg Shireg
Bii Biyley
Yuve Yuve Yu
Wolf Totem
The Great Chinggis Khaan
Black Thunder
This is the Mongol
Encore:
Wolf Totem
Show Date: November 11, 2019
Want to see more of The HU? Check out their “Wolf Totem” video:
