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Review: Metric and Sarah Jaffe mesmerize the Bomb Factory throng

Seventeen years on the road and in the studio haven't begun to exhaust Emily Haines, the spitfire lead singer of the Canadian band Metric. Her beloved pop-rock group has found a way to keep longtime fans interested and newcomers intrigued, all while having as much fun onstage as possible. Haines' enthusiasm was undeniably captivating during Metric's show on Friday night at the Bomb Factory.

Stepping out in a light-up peacock suit to opening number "Lie Lie Lie," from the 2015 release Pagans in Vegas, Haines hogged the spotlight straight away. Jumping and head-banging to the beat, it was as though she was dancing alone in her room, unfazed by anyone watching. Her sweet, feathery vocals kept up with the quick-footed tempos, somehow overpowering cranked up keys and James Shaw's potent guitar work.

The throbbing beat of "Help I'm Alive," the lead single from Metric's popular 2009 record Fantasies, rippled through the excited crowd and gave Haines even more energy. Zipping all over the stage, the singer delivered the whisper-to-a-scream chorus with crashing momentum. In the first of many costume changes throughout the night, she left for a moment and glided out in a flow-y, glow-in-the-dark cape.

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Haines whips the crowd into a frenzy. (Allison Slomowitz/ Special Contributor)
Haines whips the crowd into a frenzy. (Allison Slomowitz/ Special Contributor)
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As the band made its way through a set list relying heavily on Fantasies, Haines mentioned how much of a trip it was to be playing songs from a 6-year-old record. Warm and relatable, the frontwoman easily connected with the crowd, peeling back the rock-star façade.

And two a cappella performances stripped down the band's sound -- a short intro of "Combat Baby" and a full encore rendition of "Gimme Sympathy." The hushed room gave both tracks the attention they deserved.

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Speaking of mesmerizing, singer Sarah Jaffe effectively warmed up her hometown crowd as the opening act for the evening. Jaffe's made quite the journey from her quiet, folksy beginnings to today's white-knuckled vocals and muscular, forward-thinking arrangements.

Her stunning voice was still the main attraction, though, especially in gorgeous tracks such as "Slow Pour." Jaffe was a perfect appetizer for Metric's charged-up main course.