When I think Madrid, I think El Prado, Spanish royalty, spotless boulevards, and tapas. Garage-rock is not the first thing that comes to mind.
However, four girls thrive in this rock scene that flourishes in Spain’s capitol city. Add a generous dose of American punk sound and there you have Hinds. The band started as a duo—Ana Perrote and Carlotta Cosials met through an ex-boyfriend and hit it off.
When Ana and Carlotta first met, Carlotta didn’t even know how to play the guitar. Ana taught her to play while they were on vacation at a beach in the Mediterranean. When people walked by and slipped the girls change for their rustic rendition of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” Ana and Carlotta caught the bug—they needed to start playing as a real band. After performing at rock clubs in Madrid, the duo added Ade and Amber, thus creating one of the greatest female foursome indie bands out there to date.
These girls have made an awesome name for themselves in the United States. They toured with Glass Animals last fall and even performed at a house party in Kansas, saying it was the most insane concert experience they’ve had ever. A kid from Kansas City sent Hinds a message before the tour to invite them to a huge house party and the girls were into the idea. They jammed and drank and partied with the Kansans until 5 a.m. Pretty cool, right?
Their music is reminiscent of a drunken summer night with all your best friends. I say this because you can’t help but sing and sway along to their sweet anthems. They recently released their newest album, Leave Me Alone, earlier this year. The first song on the album, “Garden,” sets a beachy, grunge vibe that pulls you in. Then when you get to “Bamboo,” you recognize how simple and organic their music really is. “Bamboo” is simply a tune about the frustration of young love:
“And how could I show you without looking freaking mad
that I am not always gonna be around
And how could I show you without losing all our time
that I am not always gonna run behind
And why, (oh why?) you are on my mind.”
It’s no surprise that Hinds know how to have fun. Their shows are known for being one big party where they want everyone to dance and even sometimes get on stage, in smaller venues. Basically, when I saw their video for “Chili Town,” I wanted immediately to be their best friend.
Back in 2015, the band name was “Deers” instead of Hinds. They were confronted with a lawsuit from a man who was the lead in a band called “Dears,” claiming their name was too confusing because they sounded the same. The girls took it well, responding with a handwritten note that announced their new name.
The girls kick off their American tour in New York City at The Bowery Ballroom on March 9. They’ll hit a few major cities before returning back to Europe. They’ll play at a huge show in the end of August with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 21 Pilots, Imagine Dragons, Two Door Cinema Club, and others in Wetherby.
The best part about these girls is that they’re real—they are no frills and only want to have a good time. Also, I totally support a group of European girls killing it on the garage-rock scene. Hinds is definitely a band to watch this year and I can’t wait to see where they’ll go.
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