Hinds don't believe in God. They declared this as they surveyed the converted church that is St Luke's, and given the past few years you can't blame them for lacking faith.
The Spanish duo later admitted they weren't sure they'd ever be playing material from last year's Viva Hinds live, and it was not an exaggeration, given the past few years saw half the group leave, a departure from both their management and label, and a drastic drop in money after the outbreak of Covid-19 cancelled touring plans.
Yet here they were, bounding about in Glasgow with zeal and charm, beginning with the riff-tastic defiance of 'Hi, How Are You', and then continuing for a zippy 75 minutes or so. In fact, by gig's end, they didn't want to leave, dancing merrily onstage as Dragonette's 2011 hit 'Hello' blared out over the PA. It wasn't just the twin-barreled vocals of singer/guitarists – and original members – Carlotta Coisals and Ana Garcia Perrote that provided energy. New bassist Paula Ruiz was giddy throughout, gallivanting throughout and hollering backing vocals, while drummer Maria Lazaro offered a more calming, steady backbone.
On the early skipping pop of 'New For You' and a frantic, breathless take on the Clash's 'Spanish Bombs', it was exhilarating, as evidenced by a growing number of bouncing, sweaty fans near the front. They were less convincing around the middle of the gig, when the venue's discoball started to spin for the slower-paced 'The Bed, The Room, The Rain and You'. The Madrid band's material thrives when played with pace, and without that a couple of songs were fine but unmemorable.
There was a sense that the group function much better with chaos in the mix, and the feeling that everything is hanging together loosely. It was exemplified during a closing 'Bon Voyage' where the group were joined by a saxophonist that Perrote claimed to have met in a bar the previous day, with him playing literally from a pulpit, while stand out track 'Superstar' – written about their various recent troubles – was sensational, going from hummable dream pop to screaming catharic emotion.
By the encore they were barrelling through a Charli XCX cover, delivering the anarchic, pogo-provoking 'En Forma' and dragging a fan and their tour manager onstage to play additional guitars on the closing cover of Thee Headcoats garage rock classic 'Davey Crockett'. Perrote and Coisals were in the crowd by then, singing and doing their best impression of the lift from Dirty Dancing, before clambering back onstage. No religion, but a band with faith restored.
