Metronomy – ULU, London 31/10/08

03 November 2008, 16:11 | Written by Lauren Down

(Live)

Sweat, choreographed dancing, infectious obscure electro-pop music, spilt beer…and zombies? Well I guess that is just about everything you should expect from the incredibly talented London via Devon trio Metronomy on all on All Hallows eve. As they take to the stage the room packed full of students in Joker costumes or, more commonly, those who hadn’t really planned ahead and are just covered in fake blood instead. Metronomy open with previous single ‘Holiday:’ a track featured their latest album Nights Out and a familiar sound to those who have caught them live before. The abstract guitar noises that welcome Metronomy onto the stage quickly find their rhythm with the drum machine, which is shortly accompanied by a synth and the high-pitched vocals of the man mainly behind Metronomy, Joseph Mount.

When Metronomy launch into crowd favourite ‘Heartbreaker’ Gabriel Stebbing shows off his keyboard skills as well as his ghoulish costume to a crowd who sing along to every line. There is little danger of this crowd staying still for long, what with the choreographed dance moves to copy and the infectiously poppy synthesisers on track ‘A Thing For Me.’ The end repetition of the line “for me” has the entire crowd surging back, with arms raised high and feet moving to the sporadic, stuttering accordion notes. And on a night like this it is only natural that they should play their little-known song ‘Trick or Treat,’ which is a real treat for fans that don’t usually get to see this one live.

‘Black Eye, Burnt Thumb’ has everyone lurching in anticipation of the moment when the loosely strummed guitar combines with melodica-driven melody: it shouldn’t work but it just does, and so brilliantly. ‘Black Eye, Burnt Thumb,’ ‘My Heart Rate Rapid,’ and ‘Radio Ladio’ have always proved live favourites, with ‘Radio Ladio’ bringing out the best choreography of the night as the band light up their LED t-shirts in time with the music. Even dancers join the band on stage at a gig they are genuinely happy to be at, and as those of you who have seen them before know; this is not always the case.

Metronomy play a surprisingly short set before disappearing off stage, but not to fear, they return moments later having swapped their trademark white LED’s for glittery red ones. “We are the evil Metronomy!” they announce as they launch into ‘You Could Easily Have Me’ which sets the crowd swirling, ensuring by the end of the song everybody’s elaborately constructed Halloween makeup will have melted off.