Spanish Indie-rock Duo Hinds Returns to the Bay Area
Hinds returned to the Bay Area for a show at The New Parish in Oakland, CA. The Spanish indie rock duo consists of Carlotta Cosials and Ana García. The band has captured my attention through their energetic performances and strong guitar hooks, and I was excited to see them live that night.
An American indie rock band from Austin, Texas, opened the show tonight. Mamalarky warmed up the crowd with songs like "How To Say - Hero," "Shining Armor," and "Mythical Bonds." Their sound combined elements of vocal layering with laid-back, jazzy chord progressions. I enjoyed how easily their songs carried the flow and vibe on stage. I'd recommend checking out their new album Hex Key when it comes out next month. My favorite song so far is "Anhedonia."
Hinds took the stage and began their set with "Hi, How Are You" and "The Club." We were only two songs into the set, and Ana managed to break a guitar string. Carlotta kept the crowd entertained by playing a different song as they got that situated. I noticed the girls on the left side of the barricade were having a great time, singing and dancing along to their favorite songs.
The setlist included fan favorites like "Boom Boom Back," "Coffee," and "Burn." They played a combination of older and newer songs throughout the night. Their older songs were ones I wasn't too familiar with, but it's always great to discover more of their songs while still being a new listener. Hearing the guitars live adds a whole new experience. I could see Carlotta moving around the stage, constantly interacting with their bassist.
"Did you know us from before this album ?" Ana said. Many people in the crowd responded with excitement. "So, it's a song called "Just Like Kids (Miau)." Ana talked about how they wrote this after they got asked what it's like being a girl in a band. The song is a mash-up conversation of drunk things that random men ask them on the internet and in person. Ana wanted to make sure that people paid close attention to the lyrics.
The song that was played next was one of my favorites off of their latest album, "Viva Hinds." A song that is a bit more romantic, according to the band. The beginning chords of "Stranger" started to play, and I admittedly started singing the lyrics to the song. There was something different that I liked about this song, and the bass had more of a center roll in this song. The girls even let their bassist sing a part of the song, and it was amazing to see her take a moment in the show.
Hinds ended up doing a cover of Charli XCX's "Girl, so Confusing." I like how the band gave the song Hinds Flare by adding more distortion from their guitars, almost making it one of their own.
The show was nearing the end, and the girls decided it would be fun to bring out Livvy Bennet from Mamalrky to play their last song for the crowd. I noticed that Carlotta and Ana were taking things into their own hands by entering the crowd. The following music played covered Thee Headcoat's "Daveey Crocket." This part of the set was my favorite because Ana did her best to carry Carlotta up in the air. Fans in the crowd to the mic sang parts of the song while they were dancing and moving, creating an open circle in the middle. I could see the excitement on everyone's faces and could tell that this part of the show was their favorite.
The girls returned to the stage and took their final bows. Carlotta handed a fan the setlist, and that was the end of the show. The band danced as they made their exit.
Hinds will continue touring the US until the beginning of next month. I recommend going out to a show while they are here.
Check out the full photo gallery here.
Setlist
Hi, How Are You
The Club
Boom Boom Back
Coffee
Burn
Just Like Kids (Miau)
Riding Solo
Stranger
The Bed, the Room, the Rain and You
Girl, so confusing (Charli xcx cover)
Good Bad Times
Bon Voyage
Superstar
Castigadas en el granero
Spanish Bombs (The Clash cover)
En Formal
Davey Crockett (Thee Headcoats cover)