Photo by PETE TROSHAK
A packed house witnessed an impressive double bill on Friday night in Camden. Metric came first, performing a short laser focused set of their best. Emily Haines alternated between jamming away at a bank of synthesizers and stomping around the stage wailing into a gold mic as the band delivered eight of their best songs. Highlights were a beautiful, ethereal “Breathing Underwater” and a stadium rocking “Gold Guns Girls.” Next came Paramore who are touring in support of their critically and commercially successful self-titled album produced by bad-ass bass player/Beck collaborator Justin Meldal-Johnsen. The band were almost derailed permanently following the departure of two founding members in 2010, but have found new life as a trio and have broadened their sonic palate with their current album featuring more groove, some ukulele work and even a gospel choir on one track. Joined by a drummer and two more guitarists, the group tore through an energetic twenty-one song set of hits and most of their new album. Spunky, diminutive firecracker Hayley Williams led the charge, bopping around the stage, leading the crowd through vocal excercises ala Freddie Mercury and climbing everything in sight while displaying an impressive vocal range. Stationed to her right, Bass player Jeremy Davis laid down a fierce low end with Taylor Young churning out guitar riffs and solos to her left. The group was joined by 20 red-robed choir members from local Neshaminy High School for the rousing Madonna-via-punk-rock new song “Ain’t It Fun.” Another highlight was powerful new song “Now” during which Williams knelt in front of the drum riser singing and rose up late in the song to drive the song to a thundering conclusion. The group closed their main set with their biggest hit, the driving kiss-off song “Misery Business.” York and Davis locked into each other delivering the runaway train spy movie riff of the song and Williams picked out a crowd member to sing the second half of the song with her. The guest was up to the challenge; she knew all the words and even made lasso motions with the mic cord while Williams stood with her belting out the song and leading the crowd to their loudest cheers of the night. — PETE TROSHAK