Metric – Live in 2023

Just over twenty years ago, Canada’s Emily Haines and James Shaw met America’s Joules Scott-Key and Joshua Winstead in NYC, and the rest was history. As Metric, they put out Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? in 2003, and became a leading light in the aughts’ ‘Canadian Invasion’. And those four have stayed together ever since, deftly navigating both electro and alternative music, both the indie and mainstream scenes. To celebrate both the anniversary of Old World and the release of their ninth full-length, Formentera II, they played a special, intimate show at New York’s own Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, October 10th.

And it was an intimate show, Metric having long since been too big for Bowery (QRO venue review) – indeed, a similar packed scene was seen when they played the place ten years ago (QRO photos). “Hello fellow time travelers…” frontwoman Haines remarked early on, between playing two Old World numbers to start the night, “IOU” and “The List”. The crowd might have been older than back in the day, but we’re all older now, and this was a night for the both the old and the new.

Indeed, it was an interesting dichotomy ( “False Dichotomy” was the third song of the night), as the set list mixed between Old World, last year’s Formentera (QRO review), and the out-days-later Formentera II (or, as Haines called it, “Formentera Also…”). Metric started out more electro-dance back in the day, and have been moving back to that in recent years (as has music in general – but Metric were doing synthesizers before everyone did…). It was notable how Old songs like “Love Is a Place” (which Haines sang directly to guitarist Shaw, and the disco ball was lit up) fit in between the likes of the live debut of II’s “Who Would You Be For Me” and Formentera’s title track. There was the big dance of II’s “Just the Once” (QRO review) and Formentera’s “All Comes Crashing” – and then just Haines & Shaw solo acoustic for Old’s “Calculation Theme” & “On a Slow Night”.

And on the surprise of the night, Broken Social Scene’s “Anthems For a Seventeen Year-Old Girl” – “I feel like we can’t go back to 2002 without shouting out Social Scene…” Not actually a ‘cover’, as Haines & Shaw were working with their fellow Toronto alt-stars when they made probably that act’s best-known song – indeed, Haines sang lead vocals on the original release. It was neat to see that, while the crowd knew the new singles like “Once”, didn’t know “Anthems” (must not have been at BSS’ own NYC show the prior month – QRO live review).

And the evening ended with the same Formentera/Old World mix & match, from last year’s “Doomscroller” to an intimate “Hustle Rose” & big “Combat Baby” blast from the past, to ending the night with the live debut of “Nothing Is Perfect” (QRO review). It was a great night of music old & young.

[editor’s note: your correspondent also got to go to the VIP meet & greet after the show. Was too nervous to go up to Haines – who wouldn’t be? – but heard a great story from Shaw that he swore the media not to repeat…]