The HU
House of Blues
Cleveland, OH
October25, 2024
By Drew Latshaw
The Funeral Portrait formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2014. Their music blends emotional hardcore, punk rock, and musical theater, and their lyrics cover topics like mental health, depression, love, and anger. The band’s goal is to represent outcasts and offer a safe and accepting community.
The Funeral Portrait has toured with acts like Shinedown, Underoath, Skillet, From Ashes To New, Starset, and Pvris. They’ve also been featured on the main stage at INKcarceration Festival, and currently they are touring with the Mongolian Metal band The HU and I was able to catch up with them at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio.
It was wonderful to see the line outside of the House of Blues for this show. I can usually get into the lobby to get my credentials allowing me to skip the line most often, but this time I was required to stand in line. As I walked the 2 blocks in search of where the people waiting ended. Finally, I get to the back of the line, and Lee popped out the back side of the venue and was checking out the people waiting.
The Funeral Portrait kicked off the show at the House of Blues, and these guys did not waste any time turning it up to 11! They started off the show and you could tell who was there for them vs the others who were wondering who these guys were. I can say that it took maybe two songs, into the third of their set when Lee and the guys won over those who were not familiar with them.he HU hits C
It is a serious flex for the Funeral Portrait to be able to say that they are currently at #2 on the Rock Billboard with their song “Suffocation City”. This hardcore Emo band is constantly evolving and singing about mental wellbeing, depression, and the rest of the emotional gambit that makes us all human, and I will say that even if Emotional Music, or Metal is not for you, I can say with confidence that these guys will hit a chord that all of us can relate to and find comfort in.
The band’s setlist was a well-curated journey, featuring fan favorites and new material that showcased their evolving sound. Songs like “A Thousand Ways to Die,” “Like Father Like Son,” and “Suffocation City” brought out intense mosh pits and sing-alongs, as fans threw themselves into the music. The band’s tight instrumental work supported every high and low of Jennings’ vocals, adding depth and intensity to each song.
The House of Blues provided the perfect backdrop for this intense show. The intimate yet spacious venue allowed the sound to resonate deeply, immersing the audience in the performance. Lighting and visuals added to the dark, theatrical atmosphere, complementing The Funeral Portrait’s emotive style and enhancing the overall impact.
As their time on stage came to an end, the band left the stage to thunderous applause and cheers, with fans ready for the headliner, the HU. The Funeral Portrait proved once again that they are a force to be reckoned with, a band that brings an intense energy and authenticity to every performance.
This would be the 2nd time I have covered the HU. I knew what to expect when I was going in, but I can say that even when you think you know what to expect with the HU, stop assuming! They are going to knock the wind from your lungs, they are going to blow your mind, regardless how prepared you think you are!
I will admit that the first time I heard of the HU, the description made no sense, and just did not click in my head! A Mongolian throat singing metal band? WHAT!?! That does not compute! Then I looked them up on YouTube and their videos were phenomenal! The videos were bolstering of emotion and a modern day battle cry! Their music, to me it reached a melodic and yet primal part of me that wanted to run out and sack and pillage the next town over (not literally, but you get the point)!
The HU kicked off with a slow burn. As the band took the stage, dressed in mostly black traditional attire, the crowd was ready to go after the kick start from the Funeral Portrait, but there was this almost reverent silence as they got into formation. And then, the morin khuur (the two-stringed horsehead fiddle) started its haunting intro. Right from the first note, you could feel the room shift. When they broke into “Gereg,” “Hohochu Zairan,” and so on. It was not till almost at the end that they would play one of my personal favorites, “Wolf Totem,” it was like a war cry, and the audience roared right back.
The thing about The HU is that their music is incredibly heavy, but it’s not the typical face-melting guitar riffs. It’s this massive wall of sound made from traditional Mongolian instruments and chants, blended with driving rock rhythms that somehow just work. Hearing songs like “Yuve Yuve Yu” and “Shoog Shoog” live is a whole different animal compared to the studio versions. Every beat hit you in the chest like a heartbeat, and the throat singing? It is otherworldly—gravelly, deep, but in a way that sticks with you long after the last note.
About halfway through the set, the band paused to address the crowd, and though their English is limited, the emotion behind their words was real. They talked about unity and respecting tradition, and honestly, I’ve never seen a more diverse crowd of metal fans hanging on every word. It’s clear these guys are doing something that resonates beyond the music itself.
For the encore, they broke out “Black Thunder,” which pretty much turned the House of Blues into a battlefield. You could feel the energy bouncing off the walls, with everyone chanting and screaming the words right back at them. I swear, it was like the building was shaking by the end.
The HU isn’t just a band, oh no! They’re a Mongolian force nature. They way that they take to the stage and bring out the deepest emotion and absolute release is unparalleled. Seeing them live was a reminder that metal doesn’t have to be limited to guitars and screaming vocals—sometimes, it’s just raw, primal energy. They’ve carved out their own lane, and judging by the reactions in Cleveland, they’re only going to get bigger.
If you ever get the chance to see The HU live, make sure you do not miss it. This was hands down one of the most memorable shows I’ve ever seen in quite some time! These world class musicians and travelers are more than a concert, they are a cultural phenomenon!
