Hinds worshiped friendship and good times at First Unitarian Church

If there’s one thing that Hinds have mastered, it’s the art of turning any moment into a party, which is exactly what they did at their show last Friday. The crowd was abuzz the entire night, spurred on by Hinds’ enthralling energy and punk-infused tunes. Held in the basement of Philly’s First Unitarian Church, their set was both energetic and intimate. From their lively banter in English and Spanish to dancing on stage with fans, Hinds filled the space with warmth and camaraderie. 

They started their set appropriately with “Hi, How Are You,” the opening track on Viva Hinds, and smashed their way through the next 90 minutes with sincerity and humor, captivating fans old and new.

Philly’s own Echo Kid started the night off with a bang. It was the band’s first time playing the First Unitarian Church, but they seemed at ease on the stage, undoubtedly gaining some new followers with their rock and roll grooves. Up next were The Happy Return, a playful band from San Diego, California. Despite hailing from the West Coast, the band wore matching Phillies merch, winning the crowd over with their humor and upbeat songs. Full of endearing anecdotes, they set the stage well for Hinds.

Consisting of Ana Perrote and Carlotta Cosials on vocals and guitar, with touring bandmates Paula Ruizand (bass) and Maria Lázaro (drums), Hinds are an indie rock group from Madrid, Spain. While their songs range from garage-punk to guitar ballads, there’s a distinct playfulness to all of their tracks. Their charm was on full display throughout their set, shining through in moments of vulnerability, such as when Perrote shared doubts that she and Cosials went through before the release of Viva Hinds, their recent album released this September. The album marks a rebirth of the band, the first created by Cosials and Perrote as a duo after the departure of the band’s former bassist and drummer.

Although heavily featuring songs from their new album, the set was not without its deeper cuts, such as “Castigadas en el granero” from their very first single. Other tracks such as “Boom Boom Back” featuring Beck and “Stranger” featuring Grian Chatten took on new life with vocals from bassist Paula Ruizand. Nevertheless, the highlights of the set came in moments of crowd engagement and dry humor from Cosials and Perrote.

Hinds | photo by Emma Zoe Polyak for WXPN

“My beloved people of Philadelphia, we have to tell you something: Ana’s foot is broken! And we have proof that it’s broken,” shared Cosials at one point with a dramatic gesture toward an x-ray hanging from the keyboard stand. Perrote’s broken foot would’ve been easy to miss without the theatrics – her long black pants hid the stability boot well, and her energetic movements showed no hint of restrictions. The entire band’s energy was infectious, rippling through the packed crowd in waves of cheers and shouts.

“Being in Hinds is embracing chaos,” shared Perrote at another point in the set, gaining laughs from the crowd and nods of agreement from Cosials. The chaos she was referring to was the addition of “Bon Voyage,” the closing song from Viva Hinds, to their carefully planned set. While less chaotic and more sentimental, the song was by no means a farewell to the crowd. 

There was no encore, but Hinds had a different treat in mind for the crowd. Before starting their final song, they asked if anyone knew how to play guitar and invited a fan on stage who had been to several of their shows – shout out Patrice! A few more fans filled the stage, singing and dancing along to the band’s cover of “Davey Crockett” by Thee Headcoats, creating a vibrant, female-filled stage.  The stage was so lively that it took a second for the audience to register when Cosials jumped down from the stage to dance along with the crowd. The entire room was filled with smiles, courtesy of Hinds.