Head Space Daily Words...

Every now and then we need a little lift in life, whether that be a night down the pub, a meal out, a trip to the cinema - whatever your choice may be. Last Thursday night's pick me up was seeing the joyfully discordant, yet utterly harmonious guitar band Hinds play KOKO in Camden Town. A Madrid based band, Hinds is a four piece made up of three Spaniards and one Dutch member and these girls know how to perform and put on a show.

This was their biggest gig to date, played in front of a packed out venue and a fully receptive audience willing them to be fantastic. There were a couple of moments early in their set when the band seemed quite humbled and slightly taken aback by the fervour and bouncing sea of bodies that was in front of them.

The joy that radiated from the band though was tangible. They are living their dream and this was a night when the realisation truly hit home. How mind blowing to see 1500 people all on your side, wanting to hear your music, willing it to be great - and they did not disappoint.

Their album Leave Me Alone, (which I own on trainspotters yellow vinyl,) is excellent with very lo-fi production values, which is not a criticism but the sound they were trying to create. At times this can seem a touch chaotic but just as it feels like the album is about to go musically off the rails, it pulls itself together to stay on course. Live however, Hinds take it to another level. Whilst the album can have a slightly random feel, playing live they are  as tight as a pair of Usain Bolt's shorts.

The two founder members, Carlota Cosials and Ana Garcia Perrote are the guitarists/vocalists providing the ebullient and occasionally discordant harmonies, whilst the bass, calmly plucked by Ade Martin  and drums joyously smacked by Amber Grimbergen give the balance and steer the Hinds sound perfectly on course. Amber must have face ache as she simply did not stop smiling, whilst Ade, like many of the bassists that I see, took a more low key role in the performance, growing into the show as it went on. What is it about bassists and their karma? The unknown Mortal Orchestra bass player is another prime example, serenely propelling the sound forwards.

These girls have some tasty hooks and infectious tunes and if they carry on the way they are going, they may really go places. I wish they were playing at Green Man this August. You never know, it may still happen!!  

Their set was an uplifting pleasure and it kept on building.  A communal surge of musical enjoyment grew in intensity as the band cranked it up, culminating in the brilliant Castigadas En El Granero (see HSD Tune.) The band returned for an encore, to play what is already one of my favourite intrumentals, Solar Gap and I don't know what the final track was, other than it was a joyful on stage invasion of their mates who were over from Madrid. Hinds finished their set and invited everyone to the after show party at The Lexington. If only I wasn't old enough to be their father and in need of my beauty sleep.

What a joyful gig it had been. I hope Hinds are able to give me another one of life's little pick me ups in the near future...