We Are Scientists, CCOP, Porto, 05.07.2023.

© Mondo Bizarre Magazine/Telma Mota

 

words: Marcos Leal (freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Telma Mota

Many years went by after We Are Scientists auspicious debut album With Love And Squalor (2006) with the hit Nobody Moves, Nobody Gets Hurt. However, never reaching the success of some of their contemporary peers and, despite some albums with relative success, as time went by they lost relevance. That could be seen from the reduced human frame present at the auditorium last Wednesday night, highlighting the lost hype of yesteryear.

While having a drink and waiting for the band the doubt hovered … what would We Are Scientists had to offer in 2023?

The concert started lukewarm, but pleasantly, with a song from the new album Lobes (2023), Lucky Just To Be Here, in a way of welcoming the public from Porto who timidly approached the stage, followed by No Wait At Five Years and Contact High, more recent songs from the band's portfolio. It was necessary to wait for the fourth song of the night to go back to the beginning of their career to listen to Great Escape, a song from their first album, which provoked quite enthusiastic reactions from the audience in theirs 30s and over, in a kind of nostalgia meeting. But, it was much more than that. From then onward it was a sequence of catchy indie songs with danceable and colorful post-punk tones, with Chris Cain's pulsating groove basslines, the basis on which many of the band's songs are based and which, together with Keith Murray's guitar create excellent dynamics.

© Mondo Bizarre Magazine/Telma Mota

In addition to the musical sequence that oscillating between older and more recent songs, those more recent songs demonstrating the new material is very well achieved and works very well live, it was evident that more than musical and creative dynamics, the great chemistry between Chris and Keith who, between songs, did small “stand-up” sessions, in their very American way of speaking, playing and interacting with the audience, drawing reactions and smiles. Many of them animated Americans who danced and made the party and Chris thanked their presence, after thanking the Portuguese attending.

At a certain point, members of the audience offered them tonic ports because in one of those conversations between songs they praised the drink. Before the first stage exit came the band's most successful song, Nobody Moves, Nobody Gets Hurt, which got everyone moving and singing along with the band. On the way back, they played four more songs with great energy making them move to the middle of the audience to dance – said energy delivered throughout the concert. A beautiful final stretch that dispelled any doubts that existed before the concert. We Are Scientists proved to be in excellent shape both in presence and performance, as well as creatively. A super competent and contagious concert in which the band revealed great delivery, despite the reduced audience. Clearly demonstrating that they haven't lost the pleasure of playing and making music, even if they haven't achieved great success. They deserved more.

© Mondo Bizarre Magazine/Telma Mota