Metric at Orpheum

By Grace Burns

Can you hear my heart beating like a hammer?” asked Emily Haines, lead singer of indie-rock band METRIC to a wildly enthusiastic crowd in Boston’s historic Orpheum; and hear it, we could. The entire audience watched in awe as she threw her fists in the air in time with the demandingly loud drums. Haines’ cool and collected presence was enough to captivate the entirety of the Orpheum, paired with bright flashing lights and fog that covered the stage. Despite her confident swagger, you could still tell that she, along with the rest of METRIC, were having the time of their lives performing their last show of their “I Can See The End” tour in the United States.

Their opening number “IOU” was anti-climatic, but the show soon received the jolt of life it needed when they performed “Help, I’m Alive”, their most popular song that brought every METRIC fan to their feet. As the show went on, METRIC only got better and more intricate. Their special effects and lighting was so complex that it blew their audience out of the water. Their flare for the dramatics and over-the-top use of lighting and fog only intensified the concert experience, making the band that much harder to ignore. Nobody in the audience would be caught dead using their phones, unless it was to snap pictures of the strikingly bright stage. METRIC proved that if they were going to keep you from partying on St. Patrick's Day in Boston, they were going to give you a show that you wouldn't forget.

Opening act Joywave, who had a lot to live up to, not only met but exceeded expectations. Despite a rocky start that lacked energy, the end of their set had everybody on their feet bobbing their heads to their upbeat tune. They played “Tongues”, a song you don’t realize you’re familiar with until you hear that thirty second clip you’ve heard in multiple commercials. Their act became even more impressive when they revealed toward the middle of their set that guitarist Joseph Morinelli had been hospitalized the night before and had returned just in time for the performance. Their performance showed that the group is an up and coming force to be reckoned with, and they refused to let you forget it.

The night at the Orpheum was filled with fantastic lighting and music that made it feel as though the walls of the theatre may come crashing down at any second. The presences of these two bands are so big and bold that missing an evening with Joywave and METRIC would be truly regrettable.