Culture Music Live music

We Are Scientists at Rough Trade East

We Are Scientists at Rough Trade East | Live review

Brooklyn-based trio, We Are Scientists, played yesterday at the Rough Trade East shop in support of their new record TV en Francais. Their music has always been valuable indie-pop-rock with some 80s features à la Editors, The Killers and Franz Ferdinand, that’s why the band have always enjoyed success in the UK. We Are Scientists became well known in the independent music scene during the second half of the 00s, when indie rock was the new (new) wave, and where the classic rock and roll line up (guitar, bass and drums) was the most fashionable. 

Having released four studio albums and toured extensively, We Are Scientists have progressively built a solid and faithful audience, well represented at the venue. During their 40-minute set they played all the songs from the new record, plus their most famous hit from the 2006 album With Love and Squalor, Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt (during which, the singer Keith Murray jumped into the crowd with his microphone and his guitar!). While playing these new tracks – which seem perfectly in line with the typical sound of We Are Scientists- the three guys joked and chatted with the audience about their records, songs and music. Finger-pointing, air-punching, head-banging and all the representative signs of enjoyment of the indie rock world were well represented by the crowd, packed with youngsters full of energy and ready to jump and shout. This energy and vitality are the best features and skills of We Are Scientists, a sadly underrated band with really good musical ideas.

Like their music, their live set is fresh, fast and full of catchy sense of humour, which is something always valuable in a power pop trio.

Lorenzo Cibrario
Photos: Lorenzo Cibario

For further information and future events visit We Are Scientists’ website here.

Watch the video for Make It Easy here:

More in Live music

Zach Bryan at BST Hyde Park

Bev Lung

Linkin Park at Wembley Stadium

Antigoni Pitta

Iron Maiden at London Stadium

Hannah Broughton

Olivia Rodrigo at BST Hyde Park

Katherine Parry

Meltdown Festival: Jon Batiste at Southbank Centre

Paulina Subia

Meltdown Festival: Lola Young at Southbank Centre

Talitha Stowell

Isle of Wight Festival 2025: Day Three with Olly Murs, Nieve Ella, Jess Glynne and Justin Timberlake

Kirst Hubbard

Isle of Wight Festival 2025: Day Two with Razorlight, Gingerella, The Script and Stereophonics

Kirst Hubbard

Meltdown Festival: James Blake at Royal Festival Hall

Ben Browning