Metric w/ Nico Vega - Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA (03.26.10)

Posted by Brittany Haskins on 04.02.2010

Metric rocks a crowd of dedicated fans in a short but memorable show at the Palladium...

Metric is one of those bands that you have to see live in order to encounter ethereal beauty of sound (that may not make sense but it works for me). But at the same time you are a bit weary of the live performance because you are not sure it can live up to its recorded perfection. Well, luckily I got a chance to check them out at the Hollywood Palladium on March 26th.

I was planning on getting to the show a little later than usual because I was exhausted from a 24 hour drive back and forth from Texas for SXSW. When I saw Nico Vega was opening the show I rushed into the shower, snatched up my belongings and drove as fast as I could to Hollywood to make it in time for the first act. Of all my years in Los Angeles and anticipating a long drawn out car trip in circles looking for parking, I found a spot within minute’s right outside the venue. What’s that? Impossible you say? Don’t worry, I am not expecting that to ever happen to me again.

I can’t even step out of the car before getting slapped in the face by a huge gust of wind and thank the sky I didn’t wear a dress like I wanted to. In line for the ticket, everyone apparently being California natives were shivering and whining about the ‘cold’ wind. They apparently weren’t in Austin the past weekend. Pussies. I finally get into the show and head to the bar. With seven dollars in my purse, I ask for and buy the cheapest drink they have. Seven dollars it was. Hoping I didn’t miss Nico Vega, I sadly remember how early the Pixies show ended at the Palladium and realize Metric is the next band to go up.


The band hit the stage and kicked off the show with “Twilight Galaxy” and the crowd went absolutely mad. The crowd was much different than I had expected for a show like this but it was nice to see such a wide variety of people. In front of me was a nerdy older couple where the guy was eating the drawstring of his jacket, to the left we had a girl who was really excited (or drunk or on ecstasy) who wouldn’t stop slamming into us while dancing, and in front of me were a couple of trendy girls who were dancing in unison with each other, but the scene in each group was the same; everyone was singing every word to every song.

Looking at Emily Haynes, you think she would snap in half or her fingers would break when she presses them to the keys but she bounces around the stage like a Mexican jumping bean in the middle of summer. The energy the band conducts and sends out is extraordinary. Every song was played to perfection and with Emily’s voice hovering over the music was something that cannot be duplicated. The music not only made you feel somewhat of a relaxing calm, but a pulsing urge forcing you to bust a move or two.

Throughout the show, Emily stops to thank everyone for coming and is truly grateful for the turnout and support. Her little voice is so frail that you think she is about to burst into tears but bursts into song instead. The entire band seemed stoked to be there and it made you feel good to be there with them. They continued their set with “Satellite Mind”, “Front Row” and their radio single, “Help, I’m Alive”. Everyone swayed, clapped their hands and jumped around without thinking. Nobody just likes Metric, they love them and you can see that by the response of this crowd. Love is no fun it’s not reciprocated but Metric makes sure their fans know they love them just as much if not more than their fans love them.

The 411: The set was short but that is what is to be expected from the Palladium. They closed the show with a slow and beautiful version of "Combat Baby" that the audience couldn’t help but sing along to. It was an amazing show and I can’t wait to see them again. Walking out of the venue a fight broke out between two guys and then their girlfriends started going at it. So all in all, it was an eventful night whether you like Metric or not.

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]