HAIM at the Forum

Last night HAIM played the first of two sold–out gigs at the Forum in support of their debut album Days Are Gone, released in September. The band, formed by three sisters – Alana, Danielle and Este – have rapidly escalated towards success, and it’s easy to see why.

HAIM combine dreamy atmospheres with irresistible rhythms, direct and universally embraceable lyrics with the typically rock-on attitude that always proves winsome to the crowd.

That is why the girls were anxiously awaited and welcomed with a rumble as they stepped onstage. Right from the start it was clear that the concert had an excellent chance of being a triumph. Falling was the first song on the setlist, but as the band played it felt like there was no need for any warming up: everybody was already caught in the energy pouring from the instruments. The Wire confirmed the mood and Fleetwood Mac’s cover of Oh Well seemed the climax of the show.

HAIM showed off their skills and entertained the audience throughout, not only rousing fans but the photographers too, who were able to capture the sisters’ grit in their shots. However the gig had some flaws: shamefully the sisters’ voices were often engulfed by the music, and the atmosphere of their records that make HAIM sound so unique and peculiar almost completely disappeared to give way to more electric charge.

The show was mainly characterised by that charge: the band delved into the power of the guitar and the bass, the increasing beats of the drums. Este in particular often looked as if in a mystic experience – her face contorted in winces as she was enraptured by the music she was playing. My Song 5 started off quietly but soon built up with aggressive riffs, and so did Honey and I where finally the sisters’ voices managed to rise a bit higher than the heavy wall of sound and could be more appreciated.

Don’t Save Me saw the audience become one. With each and every single person screaming the lyrics, even people standing on the balcony jumping around and responding to the band’s incitement, Forever and Let Me Go of the short encore turned the Forum into a big dancefloor.  The show was definitively explosive.

There is no question that HAIM know what they’re doing, and they’re doing it well. Hopefully they won’t get sucked into fame and will keep enjoying playing for the sake of it.

Rita Vicinanza
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

For further information and future events visit HAIM’s website here.

Watch the video for The Wire here: