On Thursday evening, I was doing a routine check I haven't in a while. truthexplosionmag.com, bands websites, venues websites, checkin' out what's coming. Went to the Tour tab on ilovemetric.com. Sat April 10th, Laval Quebec.
WHAT?!
It was incredible, it was the best crowd to band experience I've had. I've been to some stellar concerts and this was a very Metric concert, the performance and energy is always this extreme, but some kind of love exchange happened last night. The entire show was high voltage, shocking with energy. Hosted in La Recreateque de Laval, basically (professional) stage setup on a roller rink in a rural area... like going to see a concert in Valleyfield. They have already toured for the release of their freshest album in 2009 which I went to see them at Metropolis for the 2nd time (first 2006 then another choice moment, playing in the street for free at a Concordia concert since EHaines went to school there in 2007 around the same time they re-released 2001's "Grow Up and Blow Away" (just Emily and Jimmy) so this was a small secret tour for me. For the other "me's". For the ones who look. For the ones who love. For the ones who have every album and solo project. For the ones who headbang, twitch and stomp on peoples feet because we've seen them so many time it's ok to put your face down and rock - you already know what it looks like on stage, you can just feel the performance. My brother pointed out that people had formed a bubble around me. It was true! The whole show I glanced around me and they had left space in a semi circle behind me and to my right. They gave me room to flail I'm so dangerous! I think this is probably the most hilarious thing I've heard in a while.
After a full set from their 3 major albums (came to realize after, don't think they ever play "GUBA" songs live...), they went off to of course, come back after roarous applause. They burst into Monster Hospital and the crowd went fucking wild. This little gymnasium stuffed full with 200 of the best Montreal fans, 22 to 35 and an excellent male to femal ratio, surged all our energy and hit the band in the face. You could see it. When they finished the song we freaked out. Communal thanks shot out in claps jumps and screams while Jules n Josh went offstage and Emily tried to prepare for the final song while staring at us and shaking her head in disbelief. Jimmy joined her and set up with just his acoustic and her voice. She started by thanking us, in french, for the extreme experience. I don't think they were expecting that kind of night to happen. They closed the show and said goodbye with an acoustic "Combat Baby" to which we all sang along. You know that excellent sensation you only get to feel a few times in your life? Think of your brother, think of your mate who's been gone for 4 months. Think of the feeling when you're driving to meet them and you remember with full power how much you love them. That excited, full, bursting all encompasing feeling that envelopes you and makes your chest want to expand - that's what happened. the audience and band stood and cheered at each other once they were through. The band was smiling, shaking thier heads, holding each other and thanking us with mouths agape.
- After Monster Hospital I went striaght from singing the final note into clapping and hollering a screech that lasted way too long and took so much oxygen out of me that the world titled, the music slowed and I floated for a good 4 seconds. I finally remembered to breath and like in a fucking film, I remembered where I was, that I was clapping, and everything kind of resumed, like a movie that had been on 1/2 time. The world whirred and shifted back into place and it felt like the worst, swiftest "coming down" ever. Children, this is called (almost) fainting. Whataloser.
+ I took my brother, Nick. He LOVED it. He's falled in love with Emily (who could help themselves, comon) and could not get over the energy. Yeah, he's all about energy, but bringing him was the best thing I could have done. He was so pleased to share this with me, even though I hit him in the face with my hair-whipping a few times. They blew him away.
+ They brought along Arkells http://www.arkells.ca/ whos music live is at least twice as good as the recorded site stuff. They guys were pretty impressive and kept up thier energy for a crowd that didn't react much. I always feel embarassed when an opening band is giving us everything and they crowd can't even boop thier heads. A few people around me were bopping with me and they applause and hollers were substantial enough. The two front men have definite stage powere, the bearded, jean jacketed lead was checking out the crowd like he wanted to whip his cock out. It was great.
- However, these tickets were $90 together with the "service fees" and "pickup fee" bull crap and I was at Stephs house during the day. I told her Thursday;
"I'm taking you out Saturday night, it's a surprise, it's an early birthday present"
"What is it what is it?!"
"Not telling!"
"Are we going to the states? Wait, is it Metric?! It is, itsn't it!!!?"
"Not TELLING!"
She was so stoked, I was so stoked.
Saturday afternoon;
"I have a headache - Lisa might need me to drive her to Logans - I might see Kyle after - We might stay here after and we can get drunk - if my head keeps pounding like this we should stay in - Oh you have tickets already?"
OF COURSE I DO - I bring her Tylenol. I make her hot chocolate. I put on Cinderella. I get her slippers. I have her lay on my lap and take a nap. It's getting to 5h45 and she decides to make something to eat. It's 6h so I say;
"Steph.... The concert is in Laval in TWO hours."
"Yeah but I said just a little while ago that if my head still pounds... umm... uhh.. merjfjhfsod.. fdidsd.. lalalal whine whine whine"
"Steph, if you're shutting this down I need to find someone to go it's at EIGHT"
"Yeah well..."
"Just yes or no!"
"ok, no."
Q. Q. F.
