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By Amy Vickery, Monday 17th April 2006 02.49pm (1330 views)
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We Are Scientists @ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
Date: 15th April 2006
Support: Guests
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Last night I got trapped in a Take That gig.
No wait, Glasswerk is mistaken, it was We Are Scientists.
A slightly odd confusion you may ask, but Thursday night's gig really showed how much the face of music has changed over the past five years. Firstly there is the fact that this not-overly-massive indie band can headline at the Shepherd's Bush Empire successfully, and secondly this is a room crushed to the gills with 14 to 18 year old kids. They're screaming at the top of their lungs as if partaking in some sort of lurid Boyzone scenario.
That said, We Are Scientists proceed to make up for a lot of their terrifying audience by playing a pacey live set. The band enter brilliantly, with some great lighting used, to open with 'What's the Word?'. The early performance of the addictive single 'It's A Hit' gets the crowd confidently involved.
Lead vocalist Chris and bass player Keith punctuate the set with impromptu, if slightly over-confident, bits of banter. It is difficult for them to be heard over the girlish screams of the throngs in the stalls. The audience are probably finding the boys' helium-fuelled voices endearingly close to the Bert and Ernie repartee of their recent youth. Their rather rampant use of the 'c word' given their blatantly young audience is a touch aggressive, but it is used on the easy target of James Blunt so this can be overlooked. Drummer Michael grins endearingly over his drum kit like a small bearded gnome, but technically he's right on the money and holds together their tight beats.
New track 'Don't Act Surprised' seems to confuse the teeny boppers but holds up well. The real highlights are the releases. The opening chords of 'Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt' (the band have a pleasant habit of merging songs together which makes for good effect), sends the audience into ecstasy. The whole room is jumping up and down in unison. The first half of the set is rampantly exciting, with this reviewer watching the audience slack-jawed in amazement as their devotion is made obvious. However, once you get onto analyzing the band for more than their fast pacing and atmosphere, you start to hit a few problems. Their self-proclaimed pedestrian 'love song' shows that the gig was being held up not by good songwriting but by the sheer pace and momentum of the gig. Scientists are good live but the gig definitely works to showcase their potential lack of longevity. There's a high chance their next album could fade into the background. Their songs are great fun, but this is not always due to the melodies.
The three boys in front of me watch the entire gig through their mobile phones and so may not be quite so aware of the electric atmosphere running through this XFM-hypnotized crowd. It's the atmosphere that is lifting the band to new heights, giving Hot Hot Heat and The Strokes a run for their money. Let's just hope We Are Scientists are grateful while it lasts.
For more information you can visit: http://www.wearescientists.com
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