photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

As announced, Emily Haines played back to back shows at Union Pool in Brooklyn last night (Sept 7). The two Emily shows were followed by a third show where Emily joined former tour-mates Tall Firs on stage for a few songs. Ends up, the first two shows weren't Emily solo performances at all. She didn't even play one song off her solo album. Instead, she and Metric guitarist Jimmy Shaw played the new, unreleased 9-track Metric album in its entirety, acoustically, twice. They just finished recording it earlier that day - their reason for being in NYC. Both sets were identical and both ended with the older Metric favorite "Live it Out" - a song the crowd was invited to sing along to.

Future plans for Metric include releasing the new album in November or December, playing more stripped-down, full-album shows, and maybe even recording and releasing the acoustic live version. Kyle stayed for all three sets last night. The below pictures are a mix from all of them (and include the setlist aka the tracklist for the new album)....

Continue reading "Emily Haines (Metric) (x2) & Tall Firs @ Union Pool - pics"

Emily Haines (Metric) @ APW (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

A distinct contrast from Metric's bold, danceable sound, Emily's solo work is an intimate and subtle collection of mellow, piano-driven tunes complimented by soft string and horn arrangements. [EACH] TICKET IS GOOD FOR [ONE] PERFORMANCE. - #1 @ 7:30PM. A REPEAT PERFORMANCE WILL FOLLOW @ 9PM. TICKETS ARE PRESALE ONLY, AND WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR. ALL SHOWS ARE 21+. NO EXCEPTIONS. UNION POOL 484 UNION AVE. CORNER OF UNION & MEEKER BROOKLYN, NY 11211

1. an early show ("EMILY HAINES SOLO PERFORMANCE #1")
2. a late show ("EMILY HAINES (w/ JIMMY SHAW of METRIC) SOLO PERFORMANCE #2")
3. a late-late show ("TALL FIRS featuring EMILY HAINES")

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

I wasn't super excited for Saturday's All Points West daytime schedule, but I figured it would be at least fun to hangout at the main stage and see Chromeo followed by Metric followed by Animal Collective. Well...running late caused me to miss Chromeo and then a gigantic @#$@#%@#$ line to get into the park caused me to miss Metric which I guess is also partly due to running late since someone told me they walked right in an hour or two earlier. Metric also played a show the night before at Highline Ballroom. More APW pics below...

Continue reading "Metric @ All Points West (day 2), Jersey City - pics"

by BrooklynVegan Mike

DOWNLOAD: Duchess Says - Ccut Up (MP3)

Osheaga (Vero.b)

Osheaga, the outdoor music festival in Montreal, celebrated its third birthday this weekend with a bevy of local acts, some emerging talent, and great live performers. Day one (Sunday August 3rd) of the festival was also one of the most hectic musical days in recent [Montreal] memory. The week long Francophone music festival, FrancoFolies, concluded the same day with a performance by former Osheaga artist Malajube, and Wolf Parade (another former Osheaga performer) finished a tour downtown with their first Montreal performance since the release of At Mount Zoomer....

Continue reading "Osheaga 2008 - day 1 (a review with pics & videos)"

Mates of State @ Mercury Lounge (more by Bao Nguyen)

The Mates of State and Metric show at Highline Ballroom on August 7th is now the Mates of State show (9pm, August 7th, w/ Telepathique, $15) and the Metric show (August 8th, midnight, $15). "Tickets purchased prior to July 23 are valid to both the 8/7 and 8/8 shows or may be refunded at point of purchase."

Metric @ Coachella 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

Tickets go on sale Friday for a Thursday August 7th Metric & Mates of State show at Highline Ballroom in NYC. Both bands are then playing the All Points West festival in Jersey City that weekend. All dates below....

Continue reading "Metric & Mates of State add NYC show, tour dates"

photos by Ryan Muir

Emily Haines, lead singer and synth player for Metric, gave a special girl power shoutout on Sunday ... to her Pro-One keyboard.

"The Pro-One is one of those instruments, they're like a woman. You can't understand them, there's like 1,000 knobs, and it cries every time you touch it," she said as the temperamental Pro-One faltered on a song.

"I'm proud to be a girl! And I'm proud to play an instrument that behaves like an [effing] woman every show!"

Then after ordering the audience to tell the Pro-One they loved it, in unison, Metric launched into "Poster of a Girl." [San Diego Union Tribune]

Continue reading "Metric & Emily's Pro-One Keyboard @ Coachella 2008 - pics"

passing around Emily Haines @ The Scala, London - Feb 2007 (James Looker)

Metric is coming out with a DVD, and there are NYC screenings at Crash Mansion and Galapagos. I saw something about a "special guest" band after the screening at the Galapagos one - sort of implying that Metric will be there, but I doubt that is true. Let me know if it is though. All dates and trailer below....

Continue reading "Metric DVD - trailer (video) & screening dates"

Tough call, but I think I'm going to have to vote for Escort to win this year's Plug "Music Video of the Year". Check out all twelve of the nominated videos below....

Continue reading "the 12 music VIDEOS of the year (according to Plug)"

but Emily and the guy from Pavement did.....

Emily Haines & Kevin Drew @ Webster Hall (CRED)

Scott Kannberg (spiral stairs) & BSS @ Webster Hall (CRED)

The covered a Pavement song with Scott. A set list that Dirk is 'pretty sure' about, below...

Continue reading "J Mascis didn't show - BSS @ Webster Hall, NYC - pics"

BSS ("Spirit If") @ The Metro, Chicago - Nov 3, 2007 (CRED)

J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Scott Kannberg (Pavement), James Shaw (Metric) and Emily Haines (Metric) will all be joining Kevin Drew & friends on stage tomorrow night at Webster Hall in NYC. (Nov 14, 2007). Arthur & Yu are opening. Tickets are still on sale. I definitely want to go now. Updated tour dates below...

Continue reading "special guests with BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE tomorrow"

The Cure @ Download Festival 2007 - Oct 6, 2007

Metric @ Download 2007, Mountain View, CA - Oct 6, 2007

* The Hives are at Webster Hall
* "Blind Melon" still exist, playing Canal Room
* Loudon Wainwright III & Leon Redbone are @ Symphony Space
* High on Fire, Mono & Panthers are @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Qui (Jesus Lizard) & Dragons of Zynth are @ Mercury Lounge
* Sunset Rubdown play Bowery Ballroom
* Greg Jamie from O'Death is playing Cake Shop - free
* The Cave Singers are playing Sound Fix - free
* free show at Luna Lounge - with RSVP
* L Magazine nightlife awards - free with RSVP
* Jeremy Enigk & Kevin Devine are @ Highline Ballroom
* Pinback & MC Chris are at Nokia Theatre
* Kid Rock is at Irving Plaza (Fillmore)
* Download Festival: The Cure saves the day
* The Cure - rescheduled 2008 Tour Dates (Sasqhatch Fest)

What else?

Metric @ Webster Hall, NYC - Sept 21, 2007 (CRED)

When Emily Haines wasn't talking about giving up the music life to do cooking shows, she was leading her ferocious dance-rock band Metric in a blazing performance at Webster Hall. [Sonic Parthenon]

Continue reading "METRIC played Webster Hall + new EMILY HAINES video"

DOWNLOAD: Les Savy Fav - What Would Wolves Do
DOWNLOAD: Les Savy Fav - The Equestrian
DOWNLOAD: Grand Buffet - Dark Autumn (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sure Juror - Ex-Cuties (MP3)

Foo Fighters @ Irving Plaza (Fillmore), NYC - Sept 20, 2007 (CRED)

Metric @ 9:30 Club, Washington DC - Sept 20, 2007 (photo by BAO)

Most Serene Republic @ Osheaga, Montreal - Sept 9, 2007 (CRED)

* Les Sav Fav, Cheeseburger & Fatal Flying Guiloteens are at MHOW
* Grand Buffet are at Mercury Lounge
* Super Furry Gruff Rhys is at Hiro Ballroom
* Chemical Brothers are playing Hammerstein Ballroom
* Spank Rock is DJing at the Apple Store
* Ulrich Schnauss is playing Bowery Ballroom
* Heavy Trash is at Luna Lounge
* Handsome Family are at Maxwell's
* Super Diamond & Tragedy @ Irving Plaza
* Metric & Crystal Castles are at Webster Hall
* The Most Serene Republic & High Places are at Union Hall
* Sure Juror & Jukebox the Ghost are at Pianos
* Sure Juror are giving away all their music for free
* Zach Galifinakis, Fred Armisen & others @ Knitting Factory

What else?

Citysol 2007 (MORE)

As has been said, and will probably be said some more, the idea of Les Savy Fav being added to the bill of Arcade Fire & LCD Soundsystem @ Randall's Island is pretty awesome (and true). Tickets for the October 6th show are still on sale - as are tickets to Les Savy Fav's other two upcoming NYC shows.

In related news: I posted something last week about upcoming Metric shows, and how Emily haines contributed some piano (yes, just piano) to the new Les Savy Fav record. Well, since then her tour dates became more official and announced, so those (along with the latest Arcade Fire tour dates) are below....

Continue reading "LES SAV FAV opening for ARCADE FIRE & LCD SOUNDSYSTEM + updated METRIC Tour Dates"

UNRELATED: Nations who have not yet adopted the metric system

Bang Lime (not to be confused with NYC's Drop the Lime) is the "the two-man side project from the rhythm section (and American half) of the band Metric." Their debut album 'Best Friends in Love' comes out on Last Gang Records on August 14th. You can hear some songs from it streaming @ their MySpace, and they're touring in August - they'll play Union Pool & Mercury Lounge.

I don't love what I'm hearing from Bang Lime, but I do love Metric (live especially), and Metric will also be going on tour - in September with Crystal Castles. Tickets go on sale Friday for a show at Webster Hall on September 21st. Metric recently released their "lost debut of sorts" Grow Up and Blow Away. As Pitchfork points out, "The album has been available on the internet for years, but this marks its first hard release, and it showcases Metric as a two-piece, before bassist Josh Winstead and drummer Joules Scott-Key became permanent members." I think Metric has been recording a new-new album as well.

Emily Haines also has a new EP out - a tribute to her dad called 'What is Free to a Good Home?'. She contributed some pianos parts to the new Les Savy Fav album as well. All known tour dates below...

Continue reading "METRIC & side-project BANG LIME playing shows (2007 Tour Dates) + a new EMILY HAINES EP"