The Hives perform at The Observatory in Santa Ana, Calif. on Aug. 8, 2024. Derek Tobias/STAFF.

SANTA ANA, Calif. — With a a break between two supporting sets for Foo Fighters, Swedish punk rockers The Hives made a triumphant return to Orange County with a headlining stop at The Observatory on Thursday.

The band proved its relevance, frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist explained, by selling out the 1,200-capacity venue “4,000 years ago.” Now they were back, reanimated after an ice age.

Emerging to “The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons” (the title track of their latest album) in distinctive black and white lightning bolt suits, the Hives immediately launched into new cut “Bogus Operandi.” Many in the audience sang along, setting the tone for a night of relentless energy from both the band and its fans.

The Hives perform at The Observatory in Santa Ana, Calif. on Aug. 8, 2024.

“We are going to play five songs for you. That’s what your ticket is worth,” Almqvist announced. “And we are going to play the rest because we are nice. So after five, you owe us, Do you understand?”

Almqvist, known for his witty banter and magnetic stage presence, obviously still had it and commanded the stage.

The set was a balanced mix of new tracks and fan favorites. A highlight came during “Hate to Say I Told You So.”

“Are you ready for The Hives? Nobody is ready for The Hives!” the frontman teased before hoisting his microphone stand over the first few rows and encouraging attendees to sing along.

Fans shook bottles of water, spraying Almqvist and guitarist Niklas Almqvist (aka Nicholaus Arson, the frontman’s brother) in a spontaneous show of enthusiasm.

“We went into this with 110 percent rock and roll and 0 percent control,” Howlin’ Pelle said later in the show. “We have since converted to 110 percent rock and roll and 110 percent control.”

But it was clear that this wild energy was far from controlled.

Spiritual Cramp performs at The Observatory in Santa Ana, Calif. on Aug. 8, 2024.

The climactic encore consisted of “Come On!” “Smoke & Mirrors” and an extended version of the explosive “Tick Tick Boom,” with Almqvist leading the band’s followers to chant down the doomsday clock: “Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, Boom!”

San Francisco’s Spiritual Cramp (noted Hives lovers) opened the show.

The punk sextet kicked off with “Earth to Mike,” and true to form, frontman Michael “Mad Mike” Bingham quickly made his presence known. In the middle of the first song, he abruptly stopped to call out guitarist Nate Punty for not playing a solo, prompting the guitarist to let one rip, firing up the crowd.

Just before “Herberts on Holiday,” Bingham told a wild tale of crashing his Lamborghini on the way down to Orange County and calling up his wife to let her know. In a moment of twisted romance, he shared how he made it up to her by writing her this love song.

Toward the end of the set, each member had a solo during the band introductions, before concluding the performance with “I Think It’s Better Off This Way.”