We Are Scientists Insult Jay Leno in Ohio

Despite their American origins, NYC dance-rockers We Are Scientists have always fared better across the pond, consistently ranking higher on UK charts. But US fans seemed quite fond of the trio Saturday night at one of the last dates of We Are Scientist's American Barbarians Tour.

That is, after about half of the set.

We Are Scientists started the Columbus, Ohio performance at the Basement with songs from their latest album, 'Barbara,' which despite sounding good, did little in the way of revving the crowd. Several songs into the set, fans perked up when the band played 'The Scene Is Dead,' one of the most hell-raising tracks off their 2006 breakthrough album, 'With Love and Squalor.' They led right into another 'With Love and Squalor' track, 'Inaction.'

As the show progressed, the wise-guy band started to joke around more with the audience, as well as sound more "together" in their playing. Bassist Chris Cain joked that their new album sounds like "marbles falling from a velour sack" (whatever that means). He later asked the audience to "better not f---ing reject us" when the band played 'Rules Don't Stop,' the first single off 'Barbara.'

The crowd interaction continued when three audience members were brought onstage to play tambourine and cowbell. Singer/guitarist Keith Murray commented that the performance would be ripe for an appearance on "Jay Leno's s----y show," then later made an off-color comment about animal orgies. Fans were amused rather than offended.

Singing often about drinking and partying, it was nice to see We Are Scientists own this persona as their set ended. A beer-swilling Murray climbed on the stage's monitors before jumping into the crowd, going as far as his mic cord would allow and swinging from the venue's rafters as he sang 'After Hours.' The song, arguably the best track off the band's 2008 album 'Brain Thrust Mastery,' served as the perfect final song -- one that ended the show on a high note.