Joseph Mount stands as the architect of his own career, guiding Metronomy with a calm, steady smile and a firm grip on the wheel. He may not be the flashiest frontman in the world, and one audience member once joked that he resembles Oriol Junqueras wearing a wig. Yet in concert, he crafts a vivid, exuberant live music experience built on bright, sophisticated synthetic pop. That synthesis has become the band’s signature across seven pristine albums.
The latest, post pandemic collection Small World, was anticipated to debut at Primavera. Instead, circumstances shifted the plan, setting up a collision between their energetic Eurodance tendencies and the band’s lush, arena-ready sound. The 2011 record The English Riviera offered a different spotlight — hits like The Bay, Corinne, and Everything Is Going My Way, punctuated by Anna Prior’s driving drumming — and the group chose to lean into a kinetic, dance-floor-centric Euro influence as they prepared for larger stages and bigger crowds.
pop machine
What began as Mount’s nearly solo studio project finds a new, collective energy on stage. Olugbenga Adelekan’s bass anchors the set with a relentless pulse, while every member contributes bright moments that feel both intimate and grand. The live show evolves into a festive, electronic pop machine, nodding to idiosyncratic art-pop while weaving in nods to classic synth acts. The mood sits between Talking Heads’ restless experimentation and the crisp, danceable edge of mid-80s pop.
Mount greets the crowd with warmth, inviting listeners to sing along and share the moment. In a playful moment during Salt Caramel Ice Cream, a communal chorus lights up the room as keyboards dart and a chorus of phones lights up the venue. Songs like Love Letters and You Can Take Me Anywhere anchor a progression toward a spirited finale that blends punk guitar edge with polished, pop-forward musicianship. The outcome feels well rehearsed yet fearless, a performance that honors craft while inviting a sheer sense of revelry.