Photo: Chris MacDonald
Dry ice? Check. Wind machine? Check. Confetti cannon? Check. On paper, Metric's headline show at London's Forum reads like the formulaic death rattle of a band who've run out of ideas, emptying their pockets and shaking out a few last rock show cliches before chugging to a halt. In reality though, tonight is the self-assured, triumphant showcase of a band who have no intention of slowing down.
Emily Haines' stage presence alone - her charisma sprawls, all high-kicks and sweeping arms, across the entire stage - is enough to justify the old-school gimmicks the band frequently resort to. Several times, she stands over a wind machine while a sheer, glowing cape ripples behind her. And it works, because she's so clearly, unapologetically, having a ball.
Though the band open their set with several tracks from new album Pagans In Vegas, an innovative, synth-drenched delight, it's not until the opening riff of 'Help I'm Alive' that the crowd steps into gear - and Haines feeds off their energy.
For the most part, the rest of the band are happy to leave the limelight to Haines - the closest they come to her sartorial decadence is when they don light-up sunglasses for half a second. Occasionally though, Jimmy Shaw, overcome with his own guitar solos, winds his way to centre-stage. Deservedly so.
The only brief, flickering indication that Metric are starting to tire of old material comes when Haines chooses to sing just a brief excerpt of 'Combat Baby', a capella. Before the crowd have even had a change to sing along, she brings it to a close. It's OK though - Haines' voice a capella is truly something to behold, and the rest of the set shows no glimmer of fatigue.
"What a special night," says Haines after an emotionally shattering acoustic version of 'Gimme Sympathy, "especially because Jimmy's Dad is here and it's his birthday." A grey-haired man in the balcony raises his arms proudly in the air. "Thanks for bringing Jimmy Shaw into the world."
With that, as the last remnants of the confetti canon flutter to the floor and the dry ice dissipates, Metric leave the stage with a bow and a wave, every box ticked, and every faith in a band who've been helming their own ship for more than a decade, restored.
Watch Gigwise's interview with Metric below
Metric played:
Lie Lie Lie
Fortunes
Youth Without Youth
Help I'm Alive
Too Bad, So Sad
Cascades
Black Sheep
Satellite Mind
Collect Call
Other Side
Monster Hospital
Synthetica
Combat Baby (Vocal Interlude)
Gold Guns Girls
The Shade
Encore:
Empty
Celebrate
Gimme Sympathy (Acoustic)
Breathing Underwater
