Where It's At

Metric likely to perform new material at upcoming show

by Jessica Browning - SGN A&E Writer Metric w/ Crystal Castles Tuesday, October 9 - 8pm The Showbox (Market) - $17 Metric fans can finally rejoice - the Canadian foursome will hit The Showbox (Market) October 9 for the first time in over a year. In the time they've been away, there's been a lot going on - a string of sold-out European dates, numerous side projects and solo outings, and finally the official release of Metric's 1999 debut, Grow Up and Blow Away. The disc was originally shelved due to label restructuring, but has finally seen the light of day and was absolutely worth the wait. It's an early glimpse into Metric's ability to craft smart but incredibly catchy tunes, not to mention some exceptional lyrics and a lovely frontwoman coming into her own. As for me, I didn't realize I liked Metric at all until I fell hard for Emily Haines's solo material last winter. It was only then that I saw the beauty underneath the brashness and really got to the point of what Metric is about. Knives Don't Have Your Back was released in late 2006 and Haines appeared at the Crocodile to a packed house shortly after. The songs were lush, the piano playing fragile yet confident. Between the playing and the understated vocals, I was hooked. Haines possesses one of the absolute best voices in modern music, and she is a thoughtful and talented lyricist on many levels. Her own songs deftly explore a little of her dark side, revealing a core of sadness but not without hope. In contrast, Metric's lyrics turn outward on the foursome's collective perception of the world at large. The beauty lies in the fact that you can easily imagine the same melodies over a piano part, only in Metric they are amplified over guitars and synths. Something about Emily Haines and the chemistry between bandmates Jimmy Shaw, Joules Scott-Key, and Joshua Winstead fuses into a gutsy and unique creation. It's also a project they all return to, no matter how focused on solo efforts and other projects they may be. Interestingly, but not all surprisingly, Metric is outspoken online as well. A recent visit to their website showed ticker-tape style statistics about a particular artist housing facility several band members lived in, which was polluted by a trucking company "warming up" vehicles for hours on end. There's also clever statistics about the number of romantic breakups the band members have endured since hitting the road intensely circa 2002, figures about the number of shows they've played since then (450 to be exact), how many countries they've been to so far (that would be 10), and how many looks of disdain they mustered up upon running into Paris Hilton poolside after a performance (the answer is 2.) Rumor has it that on this tour Metric will be performing new material from the forthcoming follow-up to 2005's Live It Out, which I for one can't wait to hear. Get your tickets while you can, this show is guaranteed to sell out. J. Browning Artist essentials: "Poster of a Girl" is a standout from Live It Out. Also, check out the amazing video for "Our Hell" at www.emilyhaines.com.