Tuesday 24/10/06 We Are Scientists, The Blood Arm @ Carling Academy, Newcastle

Tonight’s main support band, The Blood Arm, technically tick all the right boxes, but something somewhere just isn’t quite right.  It probably doesn’t help matters that for at least the first three songs, the sound quality is quite frankly shit.  Of course, this is not the band’s fault, but even when the sound issues are resolved mid-way through their set, the music fails to ignite much of a spark.  However, frontman and professional poseur Nathanial Fregoso’s extraordinary shape-pulling was entertaining, and the atmosphere massively picked up with the wonderfully egotistical ‘Suspicious Character’.  Shame it took until the last song to get there.

Now, We Are Scientists are known to be a bit kooky, a bit ‘geek-chic’, but they must be applauded, as their brilliant sense of humour is like no other.  How many other bands have the balls to come on stage to 80s pop crooner Phil Collins’ hit ‘Against All Odds’?  Not many.  But WAS carry it off with a style and self-assurance that is truly blinding.  Then, as soon as the song has reached its oh-so-emotional climax, it’s straight into ‘Cash Cow’ - easily one of WAS’ best.  The crowd love it, and the enthusiasm continues through the night.  As expected, the inter-band banter was on top form, with the band even asking the crowd to rate the ending to new song ‘Behaviour’ – a track which showed a funkier side to the three-piece’s repertoire.  ‘The Great Escape’ signalled the end of WAS’ set - clearly their best known song, it was delivered perfectly, with every last cracking chord and drum-beat in place.

For a band to start their set in such a way is one thing, but the finish just made the beginning look like a conventional indie-rock set opener.  It seems that there is no other way to follow up a song like ‘The Great Escape’ other than with another cover. This time, Boyz To Men’s classic, ‘I’ll Make Love To You’.  As unlikely as it sounds, it actually works, as the entire band and all the support acts take to the stage in a triumph of silly genius.  Seriously though, only a band as knowingly funny and cleverly witty as WAS can pull this off.