Converse Summer Series – We Are Scientists

We all went home happy

Noo Yawkers We Are Scientists have been attached to the other end of most people’s headphones for a lot longer than a band that is still not massively mainstream should (i.e. more people should like them).

Since they shipped out their drummer a few months ago, they’ve been making great strides over here and armed with album Brain Thrust Mastery (which is a cracker), have been playing at a whole bunch of festivals already this year. With that wind behind them, tonight’s appointment at Somerset House on the edge of the Thames is well rewarded…
Pity the sound was a bit shit eh?

None of We Are Scientists songs sound any good with a village fete style PA system – especially when there’s a bit of a brisk breeze swirling about.

Contending with the elements and the rest, the Brooklyn twosome, looking a bit like one part KoL and one part Linkin Park, battled through. Their banter, which is as much an attraction to see them live as their catchy numbers, was every bit as irreverent as ever. ‘We can only apologise for the weather.’ They quip about the blue skies and warm air. Followed a bit bizarrely with ‘Have any of you guys ever had a Pizza Express? Before the sky darkened and bassist Chris announced ‘Thanks for letting us truly usher you from day into night. And none of you shitty journo’s out there can steal that.’ I’m not quite sure if quoting it counts as stealing it.

The highlights of the gig? ‘Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt’ was a great second song of the set, and later on ‘After Hours’ got all of the crowd jumping, including ‘Now That’s What I Call Music favourites, The Hoosiers, stood in front of me and looked just like some 30-year-old actors dressed up as if they’re in a teen, pie-based movie.

‘The Great Escape’ is one hell of a song, and it was always going to be the last song of the encore – it harks back to the time when good songs were written before The Wombats and Scouting For Girls started swapping songbooks. I reckon Dave Grohl would be happy if it was one of his, the crowd loved it, the band nailed it. We all went home happy.


-
Join the Clash mailing list for up to the minute music, fashion and film news.