When it comes to describing this Toronto-based quartet, I usually fallback on Ladytron but I think Echobelly is more accurate or maybe something in between. I finally got to catch them while the iron is hot because their current album Fantasies was in my Top 10 for 2009 and after their show, they’ve jumped into the Top 5.
Last night’s weather probably made them feel at home too (borderline freezing temperatures in Austin). It didn’t stop a capacity crowd La Zona Rosa from turning out. I think it prevented LZR’s security though, there were only two visible dudes near the stage. Now I remember why I respect Stubb’s more, they clamp down on assholes pushing and shoving (what the perpetrator calls dancing) in the crowd.
Drunk, rude morons aside, Metric put on a great show. Even my cohorts (Maud and Nathalie) had a good time as I tried to protect them from some of the elbows thrown in our direction.
Metric’s recorded material sounds very technical (meaning it probably can’t be performed outside a studio), a common criticism of Electronica acts, but they assuaged any such concerns. Meanwhile, I don’t think Metric is as electronic like Underworld or Cut///Copy, they’re more in the vein of Blondie or Rooney in their usage of reverberating vocals, keyboards and rapid tempo. They stuck with material from the current release: “Gimme Sympathy,” “Help I’m Alive,” “Sick Muse,” “Stadium Love” and “Gold Guns Girls.” Older hits were done of course: “Hand$hake$,” “Poster of a Girl,” “Monster Hospital” and “Dead Disco.” For the encore it was just singer/keyboardist Emily Haines and guitarist James Shaw did a couple acoustic numbers from their earlier period (late Nineties from what I could gather through allmusic.com).
They’re finishing up their world tour as the year winds down. After Texas, it’s several Florida stops, California and their site has them conclude in Seattle. With how well the album is doing, I sense they might make another swing through next Spring before returning to the studio. Check out the samples you can from iTunes or other sources you may prefer. If you dig the alleged, retro Eighties sounds from Rooney and the Bravery, you’ll be pleased. Will I see them again? It is going to depend on the venue. Normally I shy away from LZR due to the price but Metric was a reasonable $25 a ticket (this is after the fictional fees). Next time, I need to guess what the band’s dominant followers will be like. With such apathetic crowd control, I’m not in the mood to having my ribs broken as I almost experienced at Garbage in 1998.