The Metric system

Took in Toronto buzz band Metric last night. First, why do shitheel promoters in this town start weeknight shows so goddamn late? The headliners didn't go on till about 11:30, and the first band (an appalling Evanesence-esque goth-prog outfit whose name mercifully escapes me) got about 45 minutes of stage time. 45 minutes for their first show! Jebus. Anyway Metric was a thrill, especially for the boys in the crowd. Vocalist Emily Haines (who also does duty in Broken Social Scene) is one foxy rock'n'roll mama, bouncing and shimmy all over the place inna itty-bitty skirt. The music took me by surprise, as pre-show buzz indicated atmospheric electro-pop would be on the menu. Instead, Metric offered up a tight set of bouncy, synth-flavored, Blondie-ish guitar pop that got heads nodding and a few feet moving. Check out the band's Web site (ilovemetric.com) or read this Exclaim magazine article. Or just buy the album, dingleberry.