Metric Live at Fox Theater Pomona

The once legendary Fox Theater Pomona has been reinventing their history for a new generation with a never-ending rotation of A-list headliners performing at the newly refurbished venue since its reopening in 2009. On Sunday, December 9, a sellout crowd of long time devotees from all ages and creeds arrived in mobs, some in limos, and all pouring out affection for the French-Canadian electro-pop band, Metric. 

The opening band played a 45 minute set consisting of songs from their new EP. 5 piece band from Ventura, The Neighborhood, performed a lo-fi set of mellow indie rock to a packed-in crowd of supporters. Employing the standard drum, vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, and bass guitar line-up, the boys in the band flaunted their meticulously clean cut look. While they psychically resemble the boy bands of the ’90s, their music is reminiscent of the early ’80s shoegaze roots. Although obviously nervous on the large Fox Theater stage, this was masked well by the romantic and artsy stage presence embodied by The Neighborhood.  Their debut full length album drops April 2013.

As a house lights faded, the deafening darkness was replaced by faint blue lights, illuminating the entire audience as a roar swept through the theater. Emily Haine took the stage and opened with “Artificial Nocturne,” the intro track to their new album, Synthetica.  The band proceeded to perform the album nearly in entirety, peppering in a few older and more uptempo favorites along the way. As Haine bounced around the stage with the energy a superball and the charm of a natural diva,  the 3 piece band flowed seamlessly through their 2 hour set with all of the well-rehearsed experience you would expect of the 5 album veterans. Closing with a grand crescendo, the band left the stage smoking hot and the audience beaming with complete aural satisfaction.

All photos by Tuna Bora