As part of its buzzed-about North American headlining tour, “The Hun Tour”, globally acclaimed Mongolian rock sensation THE HU roared into New York City for a sold-out show at Irving Plaza this past Saturday night (September 18) in front of an audience of devotees, including Whoopi Goldberg, actress and co-host of ABC-TV‘s long-running hit talk show “The View”. Whoopi also came backstage to hang with the guys and express her deep admiration for them.
Known for their electrifying performances, THE HU will be on the road through October 31 with upcoming sold-out shows in Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis and Flint (recent gigs in New York, Baltimore and Munhall were sold out).
Read an exclusive question-and-answer session here with THE HU as they talk about returning to the stage for the first time since the start of the pandemic and their experience dealing with its repercussions from a global standpoint. The band also discusses their excitement on reuniting with Lzzy Hale; being included as part of METALLICA‘s 30th-anniversary reissue project; and the creation of new music.
Founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, THE HU, comprised of producer Dashka along with members Gala, Jaya, Temka and Enkush, is a modern rock group rooted in the tradition of their homeland. The band’s name translates to the Mongolian root word for human being, and their unique approach blends instruments like the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), Tovshuur (Mongolian guitar), Tumur Khuur (jaw harp) and throat singing with contemporary sounds, creating a unique sonic profile that they call “Hunnu Rock.”
Their debut album, 2019’s “The Gereg”, was released via Better Noise Music and debuted at No. 1 on the World Album and Top New Artist charts. With it, the band have accumulated over 250 million combined streams and video views to date and have received critical acclaim from the likes of Billboard, NPR, GQ, The Guardian, The Independent, Revolver and even Sir Elton John himself.
Proving their global appeal, THE HU has sold out venues across the world in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, with scheduled festival appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Download and more, creating a community of fans from all walks of life. They’ve quickly grabbed the attention of the industry, leading to collaborations with Jacoby Shaddix of PAPA ROACH and Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM. Most recently, the band received praise from fans and critics for their Mongolian rendition of METALLICA‘s “Sad But True” (as part of Better Noise‘s “15 Years Of Rock” series), which METALLICA themselves acknowledged on their social media accounts and enlisted them to be part of their special 30th-anniversary “Black Album” reissue covers project with a cover of the song “Through The Never”. The band has also explored eclectic ways to reach audiences with its sound, most notably writing and recording music for EA Games‘ “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order”.
Readying its next chapter as a global force, THE HU is finishing its highly anticipated sophomore album, which was recorded in the band’s homeland during quarantine. The project is expected to be released in early 2022 via Better Noise Music.
Photo credit: Tuga Namgur
