Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/becr/
It was nearly four years to the day I last saw Metric Live, supporting Death From Above on their UK tour. Having witnessed their live show, four years on, I would have envisaged Metric to be playing bigger venues than academy 3. Since that show they have however put out two albums, it was going to be interesting to see how these translated live.
Placing tracks Help I’m Alive and Satellite Minds at the beginning of their setlist, set the stage for a highly energetic gig. As Satellite Mind began Haines began pogo-ing and fleeting round the stage like a whirlwind, as she jumped around the stage, her performance was infectious. James Shaw intertwined riffs and jabs of guitar against Josh Winsteads’ and drummer Joules Scott-Keys’ slick backdrop of rhythm, compelling the audience to move. Throughout the set the interaction between Metric and their fans was high with Emily Haines and James Shaw reaching out to their fans to break down the barriers, in the form of high fives and hand shakes. Although most of the set consisted of Tracks from “Fantasies”, “Old World Undergound” hit dead disco featured, greeted by cheers and screams from the Audience. Haines appeared to be sparkling as much as the glitter on her dress. Providing a slick vocal, as well as humorous banter between herself and the crowd made for a gripping performance.
The thrashing solid beat provided by drummer Joules Scott-Key indicated the beginning of Stadium Love, generating sing a longs from the crowd as the token riff during the chorus filled the room. It proved to be a powerful end to the set, and left the audience wanting more.
Metric granted the audiences wish by entering the stage ,with an encore the chosen track Monster Hospital. Shaw, Haines and Winstead teetered on the edge of the stage to get in with the crowd, again dispersing the barriers between band and audience. Each member providing frenzied convulsing dance movements whilst performing.
After the explosion of Monster Hospital the pace was then slowed down with a second encore, in the form of track Live it out with Haines claiming it was a “lullaby” to the audience, Emilys’ hauntingly beautiful vocal echoed round the room as the audience , enchanted, sang every word right back.
With that performance, maybe Stadium Love will beckon soon.
