Metronomy’s worldbeating tour of nonstop jams rolled through Boston’s Brighton Music Hall on Satuday. Already critical darlings in the UK, The band’s third LP The English Riviera was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize as well as being a Top 10 entry in the year end lists of many major UK music mags (incl. Uncut and NME). On album no. 3 Metronomy made that leap that many great Brit bands make. The band with The English Riviera went from a quirky, niche, cult, etc sort of a band to a standing on the brink of immense success sort of band. So here we are on the brink (at least in the UK). What we saw at BMH on Saturday was a very talented young band with a smallish but fiercely dedicated following that ultimately has a bit more work to do stateside to garner a reciprocal amount of transatlantic admiration.
Brooklyn band and blogville idols Friends opened up the show and we’re OK. The band’s material translated OK live despite what was (in comparison to Metronomy) a relatively sloppy performance.
Metronomy are a tremendous unit. The band themselves are uniformally very sound. There’s a steadiness & consistency of locomotion and performance in the band’s live show that suggests a fantastically united band. Second song “The Bay” was a definite highlight as the grooved out tune’s use of the band’s strong rhythm section (especially bassist Gbenga Adelekan) really set the Hall into motion. Beams and flashes of light streaked and glided from stage to wall, as emanating from each member of the band were synced streams of light that pulsed from a sort of LED badge adorning each performer. James Mount, Metronomy’s frontman and lead songwriter, acquitted himself in performance capably; as well as engaging in the sort of requisite pleasantries with the house. The real exception on stage, though, was Adelekan who’s crisp playing and kinetic presence really cements Metronomy’s quality. The band’s U.S. blog hit, the jittery infinitely catchy “The Look”, followed later in the performance, a certain apex for the assembled reached as waves of be-flanneled limbs swayed, and knit-capped heads bobbed; resulting in a momentary state of awkward frenzy.
Metronomy are a great band. The English Riviera was, too, one of b3sci’s favorite records of last year. The band’s future in the UK seems quite stable but can they make that other leap most great Brit bands do? Can they break into U.S.? (at least the U.S. alternative mainstream). We’ll see y’all on LP 4.
Metronomy 
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Reviewed by b3
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