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Rhian Daly reports on Metronomy – Barfly, Cambridge 22 February 2008

Sat, 23/02/2008 - 12:00 — Anonymous
Review of: Metronomy
Local group The Broadcast are playing to approximately 10 people by the last song of their set. Despite this, they still ooze confidence and a self-assurance that somehow manages not to run through into arrogance. Their music is a little too paint-by-numbers synth-led indie for my liking, but there’s no faulting the quartet’s infallible performance.

Primary 1 are exciting, fun and just about everything you want in a band. Performing a twist on Metronomy’s own Heart Rate Rapid, they effortlessly transform it from falsetto dance pop to faux 80s groove before running through their own catalogue of shimmery pop tunes, which are lapped up by the ever increasing audience.

This is not hyperbole when I say Metronomy are one of the most entertaining bands around at this precise moment; this is fact. Producer and general electronic whizz kid Joseph Mount creates beats and bleeps and then presents them live with cohorts Gabriel Stebbing and Oscar Cash, complete with some pretty sweet dance moves.

The aforementioned Heart Rate Rapid kick starts a set which sees a slightly ropey start but then pulls itself together to form the fun times Friday nights are all about. A short while into the set, the push lights attached to the three electro pop wizards’ shirts are brought into action, much to the crowd’s delight. Songs such as Radio Ladio and You Could Easily Have Me are treated to the same enthusiastic response whilst new songs Back on the Motorway and Holiday are intently noted as ones to listen out for come album release time.

It’s not just the choreographed, push-light-incorporating dance routines or the killer tunes that make this band so endearing though. Their on-stage attitude is humble and grateful as Mount informs us this is the group’s first headline tour, proceeding to request we do 'headline tour things', which basically involves clapping simple rhythms to two of the songs in tonight’s affirming set. Whilst it’s hard to pick a highlight from this performance, mention must be given to Heartbreaker, irresistibly catchy and ridiculously ace. Pop gold with a unique twist that will get you dancing, whether you like it or not – and you don’t get much better than that.

Writer: Rhian Daly