iding the high of their recent album release and subsequent tours in Europe, South America and Asia, British electro-rock band Metronomy made its way to Chicago for a show at Thalia Hall. Upon first listening to Metronomy, the music might seem simplistic but seeing the band live elevates the songs to a level that demands dancing. The combination of rock and electronic elements has kept fans coming back since its founding in 1999. The line to get in wrapped around the building just twenty minutes after doors opened despite the brutally cold temperatures in the city.
The night started off with Charlotte Adigéry, an electro-pop artist with Belgian and Caribbean influences. Singing in English and French, she captivated the audience in a way that is often rare for an opening set. By the time she was finished, everybody was dancing. She left the stage promising to be back to Chicago soon.
When it was time for Metronomy to take the stage, madness ensued. The set started with the instrumental album opener “Wedding” as the band walked onto the stage they were bathed in a sea of pink, yellow and blue as the brightly colored lights flashed on their matching white jumpsuits. They launched into an epic 21-song set, performing pieces from nearly all of their albums. The audience was very receptive to some new music from its 2019 album Metronomy Forever.
Lead singer Joseph Mount commented towards the end of the set on how much energy everyone had for a Tuesday night. “I don’t even want to know what this place is like on a Friday,” he said during the nearly sold-out show. It was clear how touched the band was to see everybody having such a good time.
The set wove together instrumental tracks like “Lying Low” which featured some dueling synths. Some audience favorites included “The Look” and “Love Letters” which everyone sang along to. One particular highlight was when drummer Anne Prior took the reigns and sang “Everything Goes My Way” from behind her drum kit. This song, from the 2011 album The English Riviera is sweet and catchy and had the audience completely enthralled. Early into the set, Mount said Chicago might have been the best crowd of the North American Tour. Based on the shaking floor and sweaty, smiling audience on the way out, it seemed to be a fair assessment.
