Metric

I've always been an unabashed fan of Broken Social Scene and the many splintered projects of the Toronto scene. But with the Canadian super-group's incredible 2007 gig at Manning Bar still vividly etched on my mind, Emily Haines and Metric had big shoes to fill.

The first act of the night was Sydney's Sherlock's Daughter. With progressive song structures and multi-layered, harmonized vocals, they offered a swirling, psychedelic set to an appreciative crowd. Next up was flannel clad Mission Control, whose wailing guitars became tiresome after the first few songs. Ducking out for a glass of house red, the singer's drawl still sounded like a lesser imitation of Wolf and Cubs' from the bar.

Waiting for Metric to take to the stage, the newly rebranded "Virgin Mobile Metro" was a crowded sweatbox and I couldn't help but think that much of this sold-out crowd were there purely based on recent Triple J airplay. When Emily Haines appeared, palpable electricity overtook the venue. Despite my initial cynicism, I too was enrapt. She oozed charisma, albeit as quiet, coy chanteuse or shaking out her blonde locks like a frenzied riot grrrl.

Opening Metric's set was the whirring, metallic hum of '‘Twilight Galaxy'. Although predominately based around the recent Fantasies album, old Metric favourites were littered throughout. Haines injected as much energy into the "Bam-chicka-bam chicka-boom-boom-boom chi-wa-chu-wa-boom chi-wa-chu-wa-boom" opening of 'Monster Hospital' as humanely possible. Along with ';Dead Disco', both remixed into club hits, it turned the Metro's sticky, beer doused standing area into quite the d-floor.

The biggest crowd-pleaser however was Fantasies' single 'Help I'm Alive'. Opening with industrial drums pounding over Haines' mock vulnerability "I tremble/They're gonna eat me alive/If I stumble", its wily, synth-heavy melody built up to an anthemic, sing-along chorus. For the encore, Haines pre-warned "I hope you don't mind if I leave you with a lullaby", before the opening strums of an acoustic rendition of 'Live it Out'. A subdued way to end a fun night out. Joanna Lowry

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