DC ROCK CLUB
Long live rock, I need it every night

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Electric Metric


Metric
Dec. 1, 2009

Austin, TX

At last night's Metric concert a friend described the band as a "guilty pleasure". Saying they're a guilty pleasure implies you should feel embarrassed for being a Metric fan. You shouldn't. Sure, Metric sugary pop rock may lack indie cred but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it without feeling shame. I rarely fall for anything with Top 40 appeal but with Metric I make an exception. I'm a sucker for their brand of electronic dance rock and new-wave.

Metric consists of three dudes and Emily Haines. Let's get serious though. No one gives a rat's ass about the guys. Everyone was there to see Emily Haines. The majority of the crowd were women which was a nice change of pace. Usually I'm at sausagefest indie shows filled with smelly bearded dudes (btw, what's the opposite of a sausagefest?). Thankfully, this was a no B.O. show. Just lots of lovely ladies dancing and singing away to their favorite songs.

Haines is a captivating front woman but not in a Beth Ditto or Karen O way. She has her own cute and endearing style. She's even a bit goofy. Oh, and did I mention she's dead sexy? Uma-esque even. She looked great in a her glittery dress that I'm guessing she stole from an Olympic Figure Skater. She's also a great singer and songwriter. Great dancer? Well, let's just say her dance moves were very...white. Perhaps Canadian is better description. She reminded me of a band geek turned hottie drunkenly dancing at her 10-year high school reunion. Some of the moves came straight from a Jazzercise video. It was cute and funny and only made me like her more. You can see some of her dancing in the videos below:


Throughout the show it was clear Haines was having fun and the crowd loving every minute. I was there to hear songs off the latest record, Fantasies, but the crowd was most excited for older hits such as "Dead Disco". Each song was greeted with loud cheers and dozens of cameras thrust high in the air to record the moment.

After a near perfect set the band performed a brief encore that included an acoustic version of "Combat Baby". I was convinced they'd return for the oh-so-rare second encore but it wasn't to be. The crowd certainly was ready for it, but Metric is like Costanza. They go out on a high note.



For more video and great pictures from the show, check out Ultra 8201!

For those interested, here's the set list:

Twilight Galaxy
Help I'm Alive
Portrait of a Girl
Satellite Mind
Handshakes
Gold Guns Girls
Empty
Gimme Sympathy
Sick Muse
Dead Disco
Stadium Love
Monster Hospital
Combat Baby

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Taco Show

justoneperson said...

canoe regatta

Unknown said...

Lillith Fair

JetAgeEric said...

I'm pretty sure Metris has LOTS of indie cred.