Metronomy’s concert at Store Vega is their first headline set in Copenhagen in five years. It seems that the city has missed them. The venue is not sold out, but it’s reasonably full for a Tuesday night and for a space far larger than they’ve played here before. The band have the following day off and have declared it a Friday night.
The audience are willing to comply. Encouraged by the dancing on stage — best directed by bassist Olugbenga Adelekan — the crowd are moving. Half the songs for the evening come from their new album, Metronomy Forever. The band are practiced enough to pace the set, all but alternating song for song between new and old. The effect is perfect: The band are energized by the new songs and the crowd is stoked on the familiar.
While Metronomy aren’t big on pageantry, there are oddities that make there show a unique experience. The keyboardists have their rigs on wheels, and, when left alone on stage for “Boy Racers,” slowly creep them from opposite ends of the stage to meet in the middle. There’s a surreal bit where, to match atmospheric music, frontman Joseph Mount suggests that there could be animal calls to match the mood. “We’re near the sea. You might hear a whale. Or a seal,” he suggests with a keyboardist supplying the appropriate sound effects. What the audience call back is an odd cacophony of what may or may not be animal sounds. But everyone seems pleased with their contribution.
It’s interesting that Metronomy, now 20 years on from Mount’s initial concept of the band, still feel like they’re playing with new ideas as performers. Band members switch up instruments and drift on and off stage as they’re needed. Half the band are wearing white, Neu! inspired jumpsuits and the rhythm section have coordinating chambray shirts. And there’s enough dancing on stage of various levels of slickness to prevent the energy in the room from even dipping. The band have remained reliable in terms of their output, but as they’re playing bigger stages it feels like they’re still looking for ways to push themselves.
On a final note, when Adelekan was introduced by Mount, a woman in the front row ran her hands down his leg. Adelekan took it in his stride and the woman appeared to be quite inebriated. Nevertheless, and just in case it needs saying: Don’t grope performers on stage. It’s never okay.
Photo by Mai Vanilli.
