The Hu @ Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
May 27th 2026: The Hu, Apocalyptica, The Rasmus @ Diamond Ballroom- Oklahoma City, OK
The Hu - Photos Courtesy of: Ally Arens
Of the hundreds of artists that I have had the pleasure of seeing live over the course of my lifetime, few have been quite as uniquely captivating as The Hu. Hailing from Mongolia, the band blends techniques and sounds of traditional Mongolian folk music with modern heavy metal instrumentation to form their own unique genre of music that they have dubbed “Hunnu Rock,” which is truly unlike anything I’ve ever heard before and is best experienced in a live setting without a doubt. As The Hu prepares to release their next album HUN in July, they have embarked on a brief tour of the United States accompanied by Finnish rock artists Apocalyptica and The Rasmus for a string of shows full of amazing music.
Starting off the night was The Rasmus, performing in Oklahoma for the very first time in their 30+ year career and kicking things off with a phenomenally fun amount of energy. Performing songs such as “Break These Chains” and the catchy, anthemic “Creatures of Chaos” from their latest album Weirdo, as well as throwbacks like “Guilty” and “Living in a World Without You,” they absolutely blew me away with their stage presence, and I sincerely hope that it is not another 30 years before they return.
Next up was Apocalyptica, who are veterans of the orchestral rock scene known for their original compositions such as the mid-2000s smash hits “I Don’t Care” featuring Adam Gontier and “I’m Not Jesus” featuring Corey Taylor as well as their reimaginings of several Metallica tracks. Their setlist leaned very heavily on these Metallica tributes, and though I would have loved to see at least one or two of their original tracks sprinkled in, their set was still breathtakingly amazing. The pure spectacle of seeing and hearing the famous solos of tracks such as “Enter Sandman” and “Master of Puppets” played on cellos instead of traditional guitars is absolutely incredible. Coming from someone who is not a huge Metallica fan, though I acknowledge and appreciate their role in the rock music scene at large, I must say that I prefer Apocalyptica’s show-stopping arrangements.
Finally, just after 9 p.m., The Hu emerged and immediately captured all eyes and ears in the Diamond Ballroom as they launched into their newest single “Lost Soul.” Though there was less “singing along” in the traditional sense than I am accustomed to, the crowd was fist-pumping and head-banging along the entire night, especially during tracks such as “Warrior Chant” and other recent single “The Man.” Their music may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but their live show is entrancing nonetheless, and is a must-see for any fan of heavy music, especially anyone looking for something truly unique in the scene.
Apocalyptica
The Rasmus
