I saw Canadian rock juggernauts Metric tear the house down at the Hollywood Palladium earlier this month. Just days later, I saw the band put together a much more intimate performance as part of KCRW’s esteemed Morning Becomes Eclectic series.
The set took place at Santa Monica staple Apogee Studios. It might be the best sounding place to see a band play. Over the years, I’ve been able to see acts like Alabama Shakes, Spoon, Leon Bridges, and Courtney Barnett. The set Metric delivered is right up there with those in terms of quality. Having seen Metric a number of times, it was of no surprise to me.
The band leaned heavily into their killer 2018 album Art of Doubt, which saw the band return to past form. It followed 2015’s more electronic and synth-leaning Pagans in Vegas, an album I liked but wasn’t as well received as past works. Art of Doubt saw the band re-emphasize some heavy and dark guitar riffs, and the songs really come off the page.
This was the first of a dozen or so times I witnessed a KCRW set in person I opted for earplugs. They proved necessary as the band jumped right into “Dressed to Supress” from the new album. Singer Emily Haines delivers a soft intro verse before guitarist James Shaw delivers a massive guitar hook. It set the tone for the rest of the set, which also saw them play old favorites “Breathing Underwater” and “Gimme Sympathy”.
The highlights were the new tunes, with all-time favorite Metric tune of mine “Now Or Never Now” closing things out. You’ll be able to catch the broadcast of the set on Thursday, March 21, along with an interview by KCRW’s Jason Bentley with the band that proved interesting.
Photos courtesy of Larry Hirshowitz
