With their well-received new album Formentera under their belts, Metric embarked on “The Doomscroller Tour.” On October 19th, The veteran Toronto synth-rockers brought their road-tested live show to the Fillmore in Detroit, playing to a well-packed crowd. “I gotta tell you guys,” lead singer Emily Haines said during a break between songs, “Detroit is always something very deep for me.” (She mentioned the band’s family ties to the area, as well as their long history of playing the city.) Here are five moments that stood out from the show:
Extensive Epics
One thing that’s noteworthy about Formentera is that the album isn’t afraid to go long. The title track (over six minutes on record) and set opener “Doomscroller” (over 10 minutes on record) thrilled live — notable in a time when epic-length tracks are a bit of a rarity, and short song segments are engineered for TikTok virality.
Metric bucked this trend with two of their longest recent tracks, which each unfolded like their own miniature musical journeys when played live. “Doomscroller” captivated the audience from the get-go, led by its pulsing electronic beat and Haines’ speedy vocal delivery before giving way to an extensive synth breakdown. The back half of the track switched things up by giving Haines’ vocals a showcase at a slower tempo, before the band’s anthemic instrumentation kicked back in.
Haines’ Stage Presence
Throughout the show, Haines electrified the crowd with her dynamic stage presence and soaring vocals. She got the crowd pumping their fists in unison on “Help I’m Alive”; bounced along to the throbbing synth beat on “All Comes Crashing”; and strafed the stage, engaging all sides of the audience on “Gimme Sympathy.” And beyond her strong baseline singing, she modulated her voice in ways that added extra nuance to the live performance, from the haunting echoes on “Enemies of the Ocean” to the robotic effect on “Cascades.”
Guitar Hero
Guitarist James Shaw’s work also stood out throughout the show. He closed out “Formentera” with a sprawling, grooving guitar solo; he powered “Monster Hospital” – one of the heaviest hitters of the night – with a chugging riff; and delivered the skittering guitar flourish for “All Comes Crashing.”
Acoustic Interlude
Midway through the set, half of the band briefly left the stage, leaving only Haines on vocals and Shaw on acoustic guitar. They started this two-song segment with the deeper cut “The Policeman and the Private.” Then, they took fans all the way back with one of their earliest hits, “Combat Baby.” Over Shaw’s gentle picking, Haines’ powerful voice resounded throughout the theater, and the crowd eagerly bounced and sang along to the track’s coda.
Hollywood Ending
After closing out the main portion of their set with “Gimme Sympathy,” the band briefly stepped away, returning to raucous cheers. They started their encore with Haines’ reserved voice backed by a driving guitar riff and dramatic, pulsing strobes on “What Feels Like Eternity.” Metric got a huge clapalong going, and Haines held a long sustained note before the band returned in force.
However, the stars of the encore were the final two tracks. For the penultimate song, Metric delivered “Black Sheep,” their fan favorite that was notably featured in the film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. (Haines is the real-life inspiration for the character Envy Adams, who Brie Larson played in the film while singing this cut.) Once again, Shaw’s crunching guitar riff shined bright, punctuated by the dramatic crash of drummer Joules Scott-Key’s cymbals. Haines bounced across the stage, keeping the crowd’s energy high. And on the set closer “Breathing Underwater,” the singer got one more big clap along going to her exuberant voice.
Photos by Killian Young
