'It feels so good to be back' Metronomy aptly sing out to the crowd as they return to Bristol's O2 Academy for the first time in three years on Wednesday.
The five-piece electronic group led by Joseph Mount has consistently been synth-heavy, evolving to be on the lighter side of pop. But existentialist record Small World marks a more mature sounding body of work as the lead singer opts for an acoustic guitar.
The crowd is first warmed with an impressive set from four-piece post-punk outfit Goat Girl whose touring band benefits from an additional synth player. They closed their slot with a wonderfully haunting rendition of 'The Crack' from their second record.
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Goat Girl seemed appreciative of a good turnout before the main event on Wednesday evening (May 4). Truth be told, a late arrival means you're either crushed against the back bar or forced to stand at the back of the balcony level of the Bristol venue.
Relinquishing my place in the pit for a pint I seize a spot on the steps to watch keyboardist Oscar Cash, bassist Olugbenga Adelekan, drummer Anna Prior, Michael Lovett on guitar and frontman Joe calmly take the stage - they're no novices to live performances after almost two decades since Metronomy was first conceived, although perhaps their on-stage serenity is an excellent mask for nervousness.
But let’s not forget this show was initially intended as part of a postponed tenth anniversary tour for The English Riviera, a brilliant breakthrough album written as an ode to the British coastline where singer Joe grew up. The record put Metronomy on the map and still carries some of the band’s most recognisable songs over a decade later - a set without ‘The Bay’, ‘The Look’ or ‘Everything Goes My Way’ would most likely enrage any Metronomy fan old or new.
Fans don’t have to wait too long for 'The Bay' which limbers the crowd up quickly after they kicked off a track from their new record 'Love Factory' - imagine Steely Dan meets The High Llamas for this. The band confidently played new tracks from Small World which stood up well against their back catalogue, much to my surprise.
The ascending hook paired with the gloomy lyrics of 'Things will be fine' feels quite poignant - Joe is a brilliant lyricist - but admittedly it almost feels like a cover, quite different from their electronica sound. Scissor Sisters-esque 'It's good to be back', however, harks heavily back to their synth-pop days. It is 'Insecurity', however, from their previous record Metronomy Forever that reaps one of the warmest receptions - it's interesting how a simple guitar riff paired with lyrics on toxic masculinity really gets people going.
They play out to crowd favourite 'The Look' which had everyone calling the famous synth-heavy melody back to them, and a slowed, acoustic rendition of 'The Upsetter'. After the usual demands for an encore, Joe and the band resurface for a further three tracks, closing the set with the chaotic instrumental intro song from their debut album.
There is no time for chit chat on Wednesday evening aside from a few utterings of "it's good to be back in Bristol" during this 20-song set superbly showcasing their sterling career, although I felt a pang of disappointment with the absence of their synchronised dance routines. The band has incredibly underrated talent from their percussion section with Anna often drumming a quick, yet assured rhythm and Olugbenga carrying an off-beat bass riff.
Their seven-album repertoire means lots of top songs get the cull - for me, the set is missing 'Night Owl' and other crowdpleaser tracks from Summer 08. My question is, where do they go from here? They show no signs of faltering. Perhaps the band will continue to dip their toe into other genres but I can't imagine them fully breaking away from their electronic roots.
Metronomy's seventh studio album Small World is out now released through Because Music
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