David Gregory
Audio By Carbonatix
Female-fronted rock bands are a real rarity these days, and that’s why seeing a band like Metric is so refreshing. Frontwoman Emily Haines is a dynamic performer who never stops moving on stage. It’s hard to believe that such a small person (a Google search claims that she’s all of 5’1”) could have such a powerful, high-pitched voice, but Haines’ vocals soar. Her dynamic voice, combined with rock and electronic music, is really what makes Metric special. It’s such a high-energy force that seemingly vibrates the walls of the venue and makes Metric a must-see live act.
Metric took the stage on Thursday at the Arizona Financial Theatre to promote their latest album, “Romanticize the Dive.” Fellow Canadian rockers Stars and Broken Social Scene also performed. Opening bands are pretty hit or miss, but these three acts all literally rocked. At different points throughout the show, they all shared the stage. Opening bands can feel disjointed from the main act, and it was nice to see some real camaraderie amongst the artists.
When I was getting my ticket scanned, Stars took to the stage one minute early. Frontman and Brit, Torquil Campbell, was such a charming fellow, the kind of person who just belongs on stage. At one point, the microphone malfunctioned, and he started performing Shakespeare. I was impressed with how he was able to project sans microphone.
One of my favorite moments of the night was when he asked everyone to put up their fist if they’ve ever lost someone. He then performed “Dead Hearts,” a song about grieving lost loved ones. I just dug the vibe of this group. The stage was adorned with disco balls. The drummer donned a purple basketball jersey with the words “The Valley” on the front. Campbell was accompanied by female vocalist Amy Millan, and their voices complemented each other well.
It’s also rare to see a band with a horn section, a saxophone and multiple guitarists, but not when that band is Broken Social Scene. I loved a sax solo and an especially touching moment when the lead singer brought his wife out on stage for a duet. Each group of the night featured female singers, which is (sadly) something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. Sigh.
David Gregory
Metric opened the show with “Victim of Luck,” the strongest track off “Romanticize the Dive.” It’s all about where you go after finding success — a feeling I’m sure the band, which has been together since the late ’90s, can relate to. Despite your fears about the future, you just have to go on. The show featured plenty of flashing lights, smoke and loud music that kept the crowd mostly on its feet. Metric is actually a very underrated dance band.
I first saw Metric at The Van Buren during the aptly named Doomscroller Tour in 2022, and I just loved jamming out with everyone on the floor. The show moved at a quick pace that never let up. The group blazed through plenty of its top hits. “Gold, Guns, Girls” is a song that always wows. The opening guitar riff and line “All the gold, and the guns in the world (couldn’t get you off)” make it one of my all-time favs. Plus, at the end of this track, the guitarist played an awesome extended solo version of the riff to close it out. It just made a great song that much better.
My favorite transition was from “Gimme Sympathy” to “Combat Baby.” Both are older hits that I’m sure the band’s long-time fans appreciated. “Gimme Sympathy” lyrics also ask one of music’s most important questions: The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
At certain spots, Haines would talk to the audience and kept things light despite the group’s relative heaviness. She mentioned the tour being every city’s Saturday night, how she felt was passing the torch to younger singers and the importance of coming together.
The encore featured two of Metric’s best songs: “Help I’m Alive” and “Black Sheep.” I’m not sure how someone could not love “Help I’m Alive.” This track represents Metric at its very best: a solid electronic backing track, great guitar parts and Haines’ vulnerable vocals. After all, being alive can be a scary thing, and this song perfectly encapsulates that, with its strong, relentless, thumping track. The chorus of “beating like a hammer” also captures the paranoia of the song. It’s loud, scary and ends on a quiet note with the final line of solely Haines’ softly singing sans music “Help, I’m alive, my heart keeps beatin’ like a hammer” being the final sound.
The group’s most popular track, “Black Sheep,” from the 2010 film “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” closed out the show. Metric is a loud band, but this somehow seemed to be the loudest song played all night. After that final song, Haines handed out the setlist (I guess?), smiled, gathered her three other bandmates together and waved goodbye to the audience. As Metric left the stage and the smoke cleared, the ethereal opening of Led Zeppelin’s “In the Light” filled the theater and played for a while.
This current tour is called All the Feelings, and I’ve gotta say that Metric picks great tour names. I loved seeing Metric live, but also all the musicians collaborating on stage. Many musicians talk about how music is all about community, but you don’t always see the musicians themselves being collaborative. The show felt so cohesive. Music is about bringing people together for this one moment in time that’s special and fleeting in a way that no other art form really can. I’ll never tire of it. Metric really did bring all the feelings for this one night, that’s for sure.
