AMERICAN indie-rockers We Are Scientists start a huge 57 date tour at The Joiners on Wednesday and say they’re ready to recreate the crazy scenes of their visit there 13 years ago.

“We’re a band who’ll always match the energy of our audience, and I’m under the assumption this will be a fairly rowdy evening” bassist Chris Cain told me from his home in New York City.

“We’re looking forward to standing on top of that high stage again. We’ll happily crowd surf and match our fans’ singing decibel for decibel. We have the advantage of amplification of course!”

This is another big headline act for the St Mary Street venue in its 50th year. Tickets sold out in hours for what will be one of the Brooklyn band’s most intimate shows this year. They appear at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in May before hitting Europe and America and finishing at Bestival in August.

“My family is memorising my face in preparation for my extended absence, it’s going to be a long tour!” said Chris, who along with lead singer-guitarist Keith Murray and drummer Keith Carne will premier new songs from imminent seventh album Megaplex.

Chris says fans should expect some surprises on the new record. “It’s a mix of synth-orientated songs and traditional guitar-based, drums and harmonies. One number is like nothing we’ve released before.”

The title pays homage to US movie theatres, an abiding passion for the band, but Chris says it also “captures the diverse, fragmented sounds on the album.”

The trio stayed close to home to record their new tracks at New York studio space lent by good friends Northern Irish rockers Ash.

“It’s great to play there as Tim from Ash has a vast collection of guitar peddles and a phenomenal collection of analogue synthesisers, which we made abundant use of” said Chris.

The Brooklyn band also teamed up again with producer and occasional touring Scientist Max Hart, who worked on previous compilation Helter Seltzer.

“Max is a good friend and an incredible multi-instrumentalist” says Chris. “He can flesh out arrangements on songs that you don’t imagine possible at the start of a session. After our last record we thought there was still more for us to do together.”

While new single One In One Out sounds like a habitual romantic tale on first listen, Chris explained the real meaning of the song. “It’s about a pact Keith made with his wife to not bring home any new books to their crammed apartment until he gets rid of an old one“ he laughs.

We Are Scientists, with support from Greater Manchester’s The Lottery Winners, at The Joiners on Wednesday 28 March is sold out. They play Shepherd’s Bush Empire Friday May 4. New album Megaplex is out Friday April 27. More at wearescientists.com.