Metric Rock La Zona Rosa Tonight with Band of Skulls

It's sometimes difficult to quiet high hopes and unrealistic expectations of what a favorite band will bring to the stage during a live performance. Metric fans may be facing this quandary as they await the Canadian indie rock outfit's performance tonight at La Zona Rosa. They're touring to promote their fourth full-length album, Fantasies. Assuredly, some set time will be devoted to the these songs that we've only had under our belts since April. But will they play all the best hits from the delightfully dark collections Live it Out and and Grow Up and Blow Away? Because we'll just die if they don't play "Poster of a Girl."

The pressure of giving continuous satisfaction-guaranteed shows finally caught up with Metric frontwoman Emily Haines mid-performance at a show in Toronto in 2008. She suddenly realized and relayed to the audience, "I don't want to play these songs anymore." She was soon driven to develop the more upbeat and upfront tunes of Fantasies. "Writing for me comes from a process of trying to piece things together," Haines said. "The function of music in my life is to help me understand what the hell is happening. This new record was about ending the fragmentation of my existence." The writing process took a year and a half as opposed to the 10 weeks spent on Live It Out, but we're glad Metric took the time to do some soul searching and get it right.

Regardless of what gets played tonight, the show is sure to be full of Metric's undeniable supersonic energy. The transcending qualities of their music make it a perfect escape from life's daily woes. Haines voice has a sweetness all her own, giving a delicate nature to her jarring, brutally honest lyrics. The overall delivery of the band members couldn't feel more genuine.

Band of Skulls, a London-based alt-rock entourage, will open for Metric. Their sound is poppy and captivating and their hit "Friends" was deemed worthy enough to appear of the New Moon soundtrack (ZOMG!) among Death Cab, Grizzly Bear and Bon Iver. Don't let their commercialized success fool you: they sound like a mix of Muse and Heartless Bastards and are worth checking out.

Metric [myspace] [official]
Band of Skulls [myspace]