Metric with special guest Venus & The Flytraps

In 1998, songwriting & production duo Emily Haines & Jimmy Shaw formed Metric and left Toronto for NYC in search of like-minded artists. In 2001/2002, they were joined by drummer Joules Scott Key & bassist Joshua Winstead, and found themselves at the center of the city’s burgeoning alt-rock scene alongside bands like LCD Soundsystem, The Strokes, TV On the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol and more. Unlike their peers, Metric resisted major label offers, releasing albums that pushed boundaries on their own terms. Metric’s relentless pursuit of timeless songwriting and fiercely independent ethos have cemented their place as one of the most essential and ahead-of-the-curve bands of the last two decades. By constantly upping themselves across nine unpredictable and adventurous studio albums, the trailblazing Toronto outfit founded by Emily Haines & Jimmy Shaw is proof that you can amass an untouchable catalog without signing to a major label or changing your lineup. Their latest LP, Formentera II, out October 13 via their label MMI & Thirty Tigers, is a testament to their singular purpose. It stands among their best and most genre-defying work and closes the 18-song cycle started by 2022’s critically acclaimed Formentera. 

Venus & the Flytraps is the indie-pop scene’s annoying little sister. Hailing from Nashville, they create playful and sharp music about love (or the lack of it), mommy issues, and the perils of growing up. Its core members are Ceci Tomé and Brenna Kassis, two best friends whose love for each other informs every musical step they take. Their sound is nostalgically influenced by the early 2000s music of their childhood. Venus & the Flytraps recently independently released their new EP, Venus in Love.