WAS are on the road home.
20 months on from the start of their touring, the end is in sight for We Are Scientists and their UK tour will be the final stop before they regroup for their future projects. Back in January the band were second on the bill on the NME Tour when the Arctic Monkeys were sweeping the country and are now headlining the same venue in Glasgow. No doubt when the time comes to look back, they'll reflect on 2006 being a great year for the band.
What they may also look to think about is their choice of covers to start and end the shows, no doubt there is some kitsch value or anti-cool cleverness to it but does the world really need covers of Phil Collins or Boys II Men? A large percentage of the crowd did get into it and the band probably sees it as a good way of having some fun and extending their set but that's just two acts that have never cut it for this reviewer, thankfully the set was more enjoyable in between these bookends.
With the band having made a speedy breakthrough in Britain, it's perhaps unsurprising that the crowd was evidently young and gave vociferous backing throughout the evening. Even before the band came on stage, every light change and roadie's steps were cheered which resulted in the atmosphere of the evening being quite charged, perhaps not to level of the Arctic Monkeys phenomenon the band witnessed in January but enough to make a lot of bands jealous of We Are Scientists.
And the only reason for that can be is their songs, with the entire 'With Love and Squalor' album being represented as well as a few new tracks, which may be signposting their future plans. The bands biggest hit to date, 'Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt' carries a vibe and energy, having the edgy and angular guitar sound that is so beloved these days and the song is a genuine modern floor-filler. It's not as if the rest of the material is poor but in comparison to the best moments, there can be flatness to some of the songs, although the bass lines were never really dull at any time.
With the three members pitching in on vocals, a lot of the harmonising (particularly on 'It's a Hit') shines and there's a lot to enjoy and engage in throughout the evening, but who knows, perhaps the evening was lost for this reviewer with the opening?
With a big year in the spotlight coming to a close, We Are Scientists have every right to be satisfied with their lot, and no doubt their true fans had a whale of a time but there was the suggestion that perhaps some new material and a chance to freshen up will be of benefit to everyone. Their return should be awaited with interest.