We Are Scientists at Roundhouse

The Roundhouse welcomed We Are Scientists for a sold-out, 20^th anniversary celebration of their debut, With Love & Squalor. The venue was buzzing with early 2000s nostalgia, a sea of flannel shirts and groups of friends reminiscing on their early 20s. The American indie rock band, consisting of founding members and lifelong friends, Keith Murray and Chris Cain, gained a global cult following after that first release, and tonight, every song from the dearly loved record was to be played.

Appearing on stage with a witty bit about Waitrose, the pair knew exactly how to appeal to us easily pleased Brits. They went straight into their most recognisable number, Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt. The crowd was immediately alive – a swarm of heads bobbing up and down in the standing area, transported back to 2005, when the fresh new wave of American indie rock was making its mark on the UK Britpop scene. 

The performance continued with more favourites from the debut, a highlight being The Great Escape, where mosh pits began to form and many bucket hats went missing. The guitar-heavy sound travelled beautifully through the exposed-brick chamber of The Roundhouse, and the pair’s live performance stayed impressively true to their studio recordings. 

Playing some scattered songs from more recent albums, such as Buckle from 2016’s Helter Seltzer, evoked a huge audience reaction. With people climbing on each other’s shoulders and jumping in synchronised embrace, the energy was tangible. Across the space, there was a noticeable lack of phone screens, a refreshing nod to the era in which their breakthrough emerged; a successful attempt at retro-revival.

After endless crowd-pleasers and moments lying on the stage while still playing flawless riffs, the show closed with their second most popular hit, After Hours. The room pooled with blue light as people came together, arms waving in the air as We Are Scientists took centre stage for one last time. 

A lovechild between Weezer and Razorlight, We Are Scientists have successfully captured the hearts of nostalgic Brits everywhere. Weaving a magnetic clash of Americanism and Britpop – what more could you ask for?

Flora Allison
Photos: Virginie Viche

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

Watch the video for Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt here: