Ash, We Are Scientists @Billboard, Melbourne(04/08/2010)

Thu 5th Aug, 2010 in Gig Reviews

A double headliner is always a risky venture as there is the very strong possibility that the audience will be split in two by which band they came to see. Tonight is no different and as they take the stage, it seems the balance of power has gone to We Are Scientists. The band start strong, humorously introducing themselves by height, weight and shoe size, before opening with Nice Guys. The band certainly bring an energy that resonates with the audience at large, however it quickly becomes apparent to me that rather than a cool little stand alone pop tune, Nice Guys follows a formulae that is repeated again and again continuously through each and every song.

Visually they trade in the kind of try hard dweeb look that classes as cutting edge fashion these days, with their skinny frames, sleazy moustaches and metro haircuts. Musically, monotone shaped vocals, fast two chord guitar and continuous repetitive rhythm sums up the extent of innovation. Lyrically throw in a woo hoo, or stretched vowels in the case of Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt, every now and then and that’s about all the depth you’ll get. The band remains energetic throughout as irritating Indie kids squeal like tweens at a Justin Bieber concert after every song. I get the feeling that this type of post modern, fetish, indie pop becomes cool simply because it’s supposed to be, and the fickle hipster doesn’t want to be left behind. I Don’t Bite provides some welcome respite from the formulae with a catchy little bass riff, but it’s not enough to save a disappointing band.

As Ash take the stage it is surprising to see just as big a crowd, if not bigger, gathered towards the front. Opening with Lose Control, Ash match and surpass their co-headliners energy and add to it a progressive musicality. Continuing with A Life Less Ordinary Ash display a fondness for the nerd, garage rock pervaded by Weezer; mixing melody and harmony with distorted guitars and a teenage pretension to rock stardom.

A large contingent of English expats get the crowd riled up, taking keenly to older tracks like Gold Finger and Oh Yeah. Newer material like Arcadia are graciously received, but frankly don’t meet the standard or approval of the classics. Shining Light shows Tim Wheeler as one of the most underrated ballad writers, while other highlights include Orphious and Girl from Mars. A call and response with the punters during Kung Fu gets the heart pounding before the band eventually close with Burn Baby Burn.

For the encore both bands share the stage performing excellent covers of Mudhoney’s Touch Me I’m Sick and Weezer’s Only in Dreams. However the addition of We Are Scientists is moot, as all I can hear is Ash, with the exception of a mercifully brief verse of Only in Dreams from Keith Murray which highlights just how flat his vocals really are. Again, double headliners always tend to favour one band over the other it’s just a shame that in this case the older band showed up the other so completely.

CHECK OUT PHOTOS FROM THE NIGHT HERE