Metric
Date: September 30, 2005 The War Won As somewhat of a Bluesfest follow-up, September gave me the chance to see Metric, who I caught during the first Saturday of that festival, and Jason Collett, who I could have seen on that same day, had I arrived sooner. Also on the bill were The Lovely Feathers, who had quite impressed me with an opening slot a year ago. All three bands came through very well on this night; and while I'm still not a true Metric fan, I can say that they kept the sold-out crowd hopping throughout the set. I was actually most interested in the opening act, The Lovely Feathers. They had been a total unknown to me when I saw them a year prior; but they ended up surprising me with an excellent set, matched by a quality debut disc, My Best Friend Daniel. I was looking forward to hearing some familiar songs; but the band went a different direction, only touching on that album once in their set. Although the wealth of new material caused the set to blur in my mind, all of the strengths that won me over the first time were repeated. Once again, the dual guitarist/vocalists led the way through an extremely energetic, noisy, fun performance. With the complete band line-up in place (previously, I saw the group without its keyboardist), the music was always full. The superior sound job on this night added to the effectiveness of the group's quality playing and sharp pacing. The Lovely Feathers should have won over additional converts; and hopefully, the newer songs will find their way onto album soon. Jason Collett divided the more hectic portions of the evening with his very smooth performance. Apart from an occasional electric guitar solo, Collett's backing band kept the music sparse and tight, leaving the emphasis on his playing and singing. Fortunately, his voice was perfect, with the melancholy "We All Lose One Another" and the more uptempo "I'll Bring the Sun" among several strong selections from Idols of Exile. After missing my opportunity to see Collett in the summer, I was appreciative that he made it back to Ottawa again, especially considering the fact that he fit this concert in on the same night as his appearance at Pop Montreal. As is often the case, the all ages crowd had a mixed effect on the night. To be sure, it was great that the floor was filled for the opening bands but the inattentiveness and chatter was a definite distraction. Luckily, I ended up in a more respectful segment of the audience for the headlining artist, which was a relief, as Metric's Bluesfest showcase had also been tainted by a poorly-behaved crowd. On this night, I was much more able to sit back and take in the band's playing. While I am not really a Metric fan, I do respect the energy that they bring to their set. The group certainly sounds noisy and raw on stage; and I think that the effect is to their benefit. Of course, the lioness's share of the credit belongs with singer Emily Haines. Whether snapping her head with robotic rhythm, abruptly straddling the mic stand, or hopping and kicking her way across the stage, Haines was a dynamo; and the audience returned her energy. Although I found it odd that she halted two songs in their opening notes, the crowd appreciated the speech that she delivered after the latter interruption. The set list was divided between songs from Old World Underground and the brand new disc, Live It Out. Of the older songs, "Succexxy" and "Combat Baby" perhaps earned the most crowd motion, but I particularly enjoyed "Hustle Rose," which Haine's augmented with her stage theatrics. However, the new songs seemed to go over just as well, despite the fact that a release delay had kept the new album from hitting stores before this concert. "Empty" saw the band exhibit a welcome roughness around the edges of a more aggressive core, a tone echoed in "Glass Ceiling," "Hand$hake$," and "Monster Hospital." "Poster of a Girl" showcased the synth-centric, smoother sound that the band also employs, although I would argue that it was best that the more rocking songs dominated the show. Throughout the night, I was relatively detached from the band. While I appreciated their playing and found the songs decent, I was not captivated, as a fan would have been. However, I must give full credit to an encore-closing, extended rendition of "Dead Disco," which saw the band at its tightest, building the tension to a breaking point before steering the night to a final cathartic release. They unequivocally had me with that one. On a night in which my anticipation was a reversal of the playing order, I'm happy to say that each of the three bands delivered. The Lovely Feathers again surprised me, this time with a new batch of songs; Jason Collett was incredibly polished; and Metric was extremely animated, ending the night on a definite peak. <--Prev (Sigur Rós) | Next (Judas Priest)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |