For a band that is notorious for having songs about death, depression, and rejection, Metric puts on a surprisingly high-energy show. Openers Band of Skulls weren’t bad; sort of a mix of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on Metric’s anti-depressants. There was discussion about them being on the New Moon soundtrack—which may have lost them a few indie points—but also shows that given five years, the next generation of indie could very well be citing Band of Skulls as inspiration. Stranger things have happened than being motivated by some well-executed kick ass-rock (emo fantasy chick-flick be damned).
As a main act, Metric has no need to come into their own with stage presence. They’ve been around for nearly a decade and have the confident air that only comes from not giving up or changing to fit a record label’s ideal. Emily Haines definitely took her magical charm pills as she had the sold-out crowd falling all over themselves by the opening hum of “Twilight Galaxy.” Balancing between melancholy and all-out rocking, the show mostly hit the highlights off of Fantasies, which left no one complaining. "Satellite Mind," "Gold Girls Guns," and "Help I'm Alive" shined in their live and frenzied state. A few earlier numbers popped up (a most enjoyable “Picture of a Girl” and a balls-out rendition of “Dead Disco") and the crowd seemed able to sing along regardless of the release date. Haines bounced about equally high-fiving and ignoring the audience in her shiny gold dress, rocking out with her bandmates while switching among synth, guitar, and just all-out singing her version of the Beastie Boy's "You Gotta Fight (For Your Right)."
The band kept up the energy and Emily told us that they were so happy to be back in Portland, they wanted to kiss the ground. And the overwhelming majority of us were so happy to see Metric that we’d kiss the ground, too.
