Music review: Haim, Hydro, Glasgow

Righteous and relatable, Haim have got all the bases covered, writes Fiona Shepherd

Haim bring personality, banter, energy and spontaneity

Haim, Hydro, Glasgow ****

LA sister act Haim are both righteous and relatable. Their One More Haim tour may not be the biggest production to hit the Hydro but this sonic sorority were easily able to fill the space with their personality, banter, energy and spontaneity – y’know, like bands used to do before theatrical stagecraft, humungous screens and massed dance routines made it that bit easier to deliver an arena spectacle.

Dance routines though, they’ve got ’em. One anyway, but it’s a good one, a sort of punk Beyoncé aerobic workout to close out the performance of former single I Know Alone.

By this early point in proceedings, the trio have already impressed with their instrumental skills. Middle sister Danielle cemented her guitar shero credentials with a Dave Gilmour-style resonating riff, though eldest sister Este almost overshadowed her with some quaking bass. Meanwhile, multi-instrumentalist Alana can also add screen actress bragging rights to her list of accomplishments with her starring role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza.

Together, they formed a fierce drumming triad to ramp up the poppy Now I’m In It and unleashed some instrument-swapping and high kicking on rockier rumble Up from a Dream in a display of sheer infectious enjoyment. Dirty blues rocker My Song 5 was teamed with light harmonising vocals, the R&B flavoured 3AM was accompanied by a squelchy jazz funk bassline and a comical phone call routine and they even managed to deliver a competitive audience singalong with pith and wit.

Essentially, Haim have all bases covered without contrivance, from a Fleetwood Mac-like acoustic harmony interlude to saxophone solo from their bandmate to the Joni Mitchellesque Man from the Magazine, featuring a droll roll call of various sexist encounters in the music business (it’s funny but it’s not).

What they don’t have (yet) is an undeniable pop monster tune to rule the world. But they’re probably working on it.