We Are Scientists at Bowery Ballroom 1/12/06
I know, I know, the show was days ago. I was waiting until I heard "The Great Escape" during a pre-movie commercial for the 2006 Olympics to post. Which I haven't... anyone catch it at the movies this weekend?
First, I'm sorry there's no photo. I wasn't close enough for my flash to do much good; I have some well-lit pictures of heads in front of me with a dark, blurry rock band in the background. But when you're above a certain height, people don't take kindly to you pushing your way to the front to take pictures.
Second, there were two opening acts. I didn't see enough of Bishop Allen to really pass judgement, but I found The Oxford Collapse lacking. It's really telling to compare them with WAS to see how wrong a power trio can go, and how much WAS really have going for them as a band.
Third, We Are Scientists are a great live band. They bring a refreshing energy and charisma to their show; they seem like regular guys, guys you might be friends with, who are genuinely having a great time on stage. I wonder if that accessibility is what makes people feel the need to pre-emptively defend them.
Live, a lot of songs on With Love and Squalor that get lost among the super-catchy "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" and "The Great Escape" really come, well, alive. "Callbacks" and "Worth the Wait" took me by surprise; I never really paid too much attention to the album versions of these songs. WAS even had a surpise up their sleeve- a cover of "Be My Baby," which made for a nice sing-along. Since their album is so new, most of the crowd were curious buzzhounds rather than rabid fans. I really can’t wait to hear some new songs from these guys… they are a great live act, and I’d hate to see them pull a stellastarr* and put out a crappy second album.
Posted at 11:32 AM in Concert
I saw that commercial on tv last night, the song is in it for like a nanosecond.
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2 reviews up at my site!
great show!!
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yeah, that's great and all... but can my ringtones make you sexy?
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Saw them in Cleveland last night, they were fun, I liked The Oxford Collapse too. They played "Be My Baby" at this show also.
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Does anybody know if We Are Scientists got their name from the Cap'n Jazz song of the same name?
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i disagree with you on the oxford collapse -- they're one of the best "power trios" around.
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Grady: maybe, but- check me on this- aren't We Are Scientists actually all scientists by training?
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you know you are an indie yupster if you fret about pushing your way to the front of a crowd to see We Are Scientists
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stellastarr* put out a great second album.
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Hey, somebody say something about Bishop Allen. I fell for Charm School ages ago, and their website is always frustratingly not-updated.
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I wouldn't say We Are Scientists is a power trio. If you have three to a band, does that automatically make you a power trio?
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I've got some photos on my page...
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Jim- I think one of them has an engineering degree, but I'm not sure if they are all "scientists." Maybe they've all received their B.S. degree.
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New songs? Didn't their album just come out? I think you'll be waiting a little while for "more new songs". Can we give a band a mintue to let the album grow before we move on to the next or expect something new.
BTW - those guys are really cool. they came by our office hung out and played a couple songs. they are regular guys that you might be friends with.
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We Are Scientists: Detroit show reviewed here:
http://www.webvomit.org/?p=634
with photos and everything.
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grady and jim: they are not scientists and they did not get their name from a cap'n jazz song and only one of them has a b.s. degree (michael tapper).
when they moved to berkeley, the u-haul guy asked, "are you all brothers?" they answered no. so he asked, "are you all scientists?" they answered no. but later realized it'd be a good band name.
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They are all college graduates and some actually scientists. I know Murray (lead singer) graduated from Pomona College. I believe Tapper (drums) is also a Pomona graduate , but if not he graduated with Cain (bass) from Harvey Mudd. These schools earn their geeky reputations.
I believe Murray has a degree in media studies, but the other two are most definitely hard science majors and I think there might even be some advanced degrees there.
I never kept up with the specifics, but they've been playing at the Claremont Colleges for years. When they started 5 years ago (after the weezer cover days) they made a lot of geek rock about science. For example, One song was called "We Are Scientists vs. Mothra." Another was an extended metaphor comparing love to the scientific method. I think I still have my dark rimmed plastic "scientist glasses" they distributed at a show.
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I'm sure about Murray, but Jasper might be right about the other two. I'll have to wait until the next alumni magazine to know for sure.
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I saw WAS Sunday night in Chicago. Oxford Collapse was painful. However, the singer did quote Back to the Future at one point, (This next song's an oldie ... at least, it's an oldie where I come from...) so that was funny. And the look on the drummer's face when he realized he could reach/play on the cymbal of WAS's drumkit, which was behind him was priceless.
Anyway, WAS were awesome. Murray is so damn adorable. They had a lot of energy even though most of the crowd didn't seem all that familiar with the songs. And they ended up playing an unplanned encore, since they said we just wouldn't leave.
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i...lurve...you...keiiiiitttthhhh....
And they were in my hometown too! Damn age limit!! Gah!!!! *runs away to cry*
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about five years ago, i fell in love with thespark.com. then i fell in love with its creator, christian rudder. then i fell in love with his band.
i've loved bishop allen forver.
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Re: Bishop Allen - they're amazing. In fact, I named my site after one of their unreleased songs. I'd highly suggest them to fans of Modern Lovers, Talking Heads, or just good music.
Re: WAS - It's not really strange to ask for 'new' songs because most of the songs on their album have been around for over a year in some form or another. And yes, they do a GREAT live show. Great great guys.
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i liked stellastarr*'s second album far from "crappy" IMHO
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I can't help but feel like we are scientists publicity had something to do with this post!!!
possibly even this response! AHHH!!
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It is kind of strange that this band is being so heavily marketed. A friend of mine went to Wal-Mart (he suffers from a lack of resources) assuming they'd have the new Strokes and claims they were out of First Impressions but stocked with WAS. I've never heard this band, and this news doesn't make me skeptical, but y'know, sometimes you just wonder...
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WAS are definitely being heavily marketed- that's what happens when you're on a major label. As for the new songs, they'd self-released 3 EPs, so I assumed they had more songs than the album's worth I've heard. And I'm sorry, but The Oxford Collapse was sucky. Maybe their recordings are better.
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It must be the heavy marketing, i.e. a plethora of +1s and promo CD that's pushing WAS - a third-rate dance rock band if there ever was one - to such great Blogger heights. Come on people, there's so much better music out there to waste your time on. Wake up - you're being sold.
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pics and video from the Chicago show
http://www.fasthack.com/archives/105
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Pretty sure Tapper went to Harvey Mudd and the other two went to Pomona. Regardless, there's tons of Scrippsie ass for the taking if they ever go back to Claremont. Wait, who isn't that true for?
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bishop allen is AMAZING. so highly recommended. superfun fantastic live show, great people besides.
WAS are supercool kids as well and both bands are great friends
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They all went to Pamona. Then moved to Brooklyn.
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Was at the Cleveland show, both Oxford Collapse and We Are Scientists were great. OC had an interesting sound and good stage presence, but I was of course there for WAS. This was my fifth time seeing them and they played a good show, not great, but good. I'll give them shit every time I see them for never playing anything old. When you have two full albums and one EP (I don't count The Wolf's Hour anymore, since five of the six songs are on With Love And Squalor) to use, you should humor the older fans a bit more.
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I just saw the show in phily last night. Didn't catch much of Oxford, but what I did hear sounded pretty good. Their base player is pretty awsome. WAS put on a good show. I was curious how they would pull off a song like Lousy Reputation, and they did a good job on it. They were good all around, my expectations were exceded. Highly recommended.
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kang is right. tapper went to harvey mudd (graduated '02) and cain and murray went to pomona (graudated '01).
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Actually, they all graduated in '01, because I knew them in NYC by October/November of '02.
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