Metric brings The Art Of Doubt, as well as Zoe and July Talk, to a Fillmore Philly V-Day party

Metric | photo by Michelle Montgomery for WXPN | michellemontgomeryphotography.com

A triple bill featuring Metric, Zoé, and July Talk brought a fantastic show to The Fillmore on Valentine’s Day. Pairing up two Canadian bands with one band from Mexico, it was a showcase of popular rock sounds of our North American neighbors, with each bringing a distinct style and energy to the stage.

Alternative rock band July Talk opened the night with a short set of their high-energy guitar driven music compiled from their two albums: 2016’s Touch and the previous year’s self-titled. The band put on a great performance, and lead singers Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay were especially animated as they moved around on stage and interacted with the crowd. Throughout the set, Fay encouraged the crowd to sing along, at times leaning over the barricade holding out her microphone towards the front row. What a great start to the night!

Next up was co-headliner Mexican rock band Zoé. The Latin Grammy Award-winning band brought an upbeat set of their psych rock inspired music to The Fillmore stage for their Philadelphia debut in support of their latest LP, 2018’s Aztlán. They mostly played new music off Aztlán, but the band also pulled in some old favorites from their extensive back catalog into the mix. There was a large Zoé fanbase in the crowd singing and dancing along, and from their solid performance, I’m sure the band gained some new fans.

Canadian indie rockers Metric closed out the night with an awesome set in support of their newest album, last year’s The Art of Doubt. Opening up with “Love You Back,” frontwoman Emily Haines led the show with a ton of energy and confidence as she sang, danced across the stage, and occasionally rocked out on synth during the set. Guitarist James Shaw, bassist Joshua Winstead, and drummer Joules Scott-Key gave an equally awesome performance. Most of the setlist was comprised of the band’s newest songs with a few fan favorites like “Breathing Underwater,” “Gimme Sympathy,” and “Gold Guns Girls” interspersed.

Throughout the set, Haines maintained a really nice rapport with the crowd that she made clear they were genuinely grateful for. From talking about the different and conflicting meanings behind the lyrics of “Breathing Underwater” to the band’s evolution over time, Haines’ connection to the audience gave an extra special touch to the show. Although the show took place in a large space, it definitely felt more intimate and special than many concerts I’ve attended at The Fillmore.

The band briefly left the stage after closing out their set, and much to the crowd’s excitement returned to the stage for a three song encore. Metric wrapped up the night with an excellent performance of an old favorite, “Help I’m Alive,” complete with the crowd dancing and singing along. Check out Metric’s setlist and photos from the show in the gallery below.

Metric setlist
Love You Back
Youth Without Youth
Risk
Dressed to Suppress
Breathing Underwater
Art of Doubt
Artificial Nocturne
Seven Rules
Cascades
No Lights on the Horizon
Black Sheep
Gimme Sympathy
Sick Muse
Dead Disco
Gold Guns Girls

Encore:
Dark Saturday
Now or Never Now
Help I’m Alive