I saw Metric in Toronto, then watched the livestream: Which is better?

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Canadians have always had a significant impact on the music industry, but one of my favourite eras has to be the indie resurgence of the early to mid-2000s. Artists like Arcade Fire, Bedouin Soundclash, Feist, Hot Hot Heat and Broken Social Scene were on heavy rotation on my iPod Nano at the time, and I’m happy to report that many of these bands are still touring today. 

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Toronto-based Metric is one such group currently on tour, and they recently performed at Budweiser Stage for a retrospective of their 2009 Juno Award-winning album Fantasies. I was at the show in person, but if you missed the event, there’s still a way to watch from home. 

A VEEPS All Access subscription is your chance to catch the performance, along with 3,000+ hours of pre-recorded concerts, artist interviews and stand-up comedy shows. Read our complete guide to the streaming service that just launched in Canada, and get 30 per cent off a VEEPS All Access subscription with an exclusive deal for our readers. 

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Curious how the online Metric concert stacks up against the real thing? Keep reading for the full comparison. 

What: Metric playing Fantasies and Greatest Hits Live From Toronto
Price: $14/month or $140/year (Regularly $19.99/month or $199/year)
Where to watch:VEEPS

Metric live in Toronto

I’ve seen Metric live before, but it’s been more than a decade since I attended one of their concerts. This time I was seated in section 301, which at the Budweiser Stage venue is about halfway between the stage and the rear lawn section, and a little to the right. Tickets for the show ranged in price from $55 – $315 per person. 

The concert kicked off with opening performances by The Dears (a new-to-me artist) and Sam Roberts Band (another Canadian act that made it big in the early aughts), both of which were a great way to start the evening. For me, however, Metric was the biggest draw. I was just about to graduate from high school when the album Fantasies was released, so the concert was a unique opportunity to transport myself back in time and do a little reminiscing. 

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Lead singer Emily Haines’ vocals and performance were every bit as electric as I remembered them to be from the first time I saw Metric perform. This was a unique show since the band played one of its albums in its entirety, then rounded out the rest of the setlist with some of their biggest hits, including “Monster Hospital,” “Dead Disco,” and a beautiful, mellow version of “Breathing Underwater,” among others.  

Metric in concert online: How to watch with VEEPS 

If you missed out on the Metric show in Toronto, you can find a recorded version exclusively through the VEEPS app, which offers two ways to watch concerts from home. The first is through a livestream that’s broadcast at the same time as the actual concert, and the second is by watching the concert recording that gets added to the VEEPS concert archive. 

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VEEPS livestream concerts

If you’re interested in watching events in real time, you can stay on top of upcoming livestreams under the VEEPS Schedule page. Clicking on the concert or comedy show in the upcoming schedule automatically adds it to “My Shows,” or your curated content library. 

Be sure to pay attention to the start time, since the livestream begins as the performers come on stage. In the case of the Metric concert, the in-person event began at 7 p.m. EST as the opening acts took to the stage. However, the VEEPS livestream only started at 9:20 p.m. EST when Metric began their set. Unfortunately, the opening performances aren’t included in the VEEPS livestreams – just the headlining performances. 

While I can’t speak to the quality of the Metric live stream (I was, after all, watching in person and wanted to stay in the moment), I did go back home and watch the concert again once it was added to the concert archive. 

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VEEPS concert archive

VEEPS is continually adding to its library of concerts, comedy shows and interviews. Concerts are uploaded to the library soon after the livestream ends, with the added flexibility of being able to pause, rewind and fast forward through the recording.

I went back to watch the Metric concert recording and was impressed by the variety and the quality of the camera angles. From where I was sitting, I didn’t even notice any of the cameras or the operators that were offstage capturing the footage. But watching the concert back, I was able to get an up-close view of all the members of the band as there were cameras recording the lead singer, drummer, guitarist and bassist individually. There were even some unique shots that regular concert-goers would never get, like a GoPro view from lead singer Emily Haines’ keyboard. 

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In addition to the clear visuals and unique looks at the performers on stage, another benefit to a VEEPS concert viewing is the price. At just $14/month or $140/year, a digital subscription rings in at a fraction of the cost of attending a concert in person. If you’re looking for a way to add more live entertainment to your schedule without breaking the bank, a VEEPS All Access subscription could be the way to go. 

Final thoughts: Live concert vs. VEEPS recording

While I’m a fan of attending live concerts, in recent years it’s become extremely expensive (at least in Toronto) to attend more than two or three major shows a year. I love that with a VEEPS subscription, there’s another way to access performances from my favourite artists, while reserving my budget for those can’t-miss concerts. It’s also a great way to catch performances from outside my city that I likely wouldn’t travel to or have access to otherwise. 

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A VEEPS online recording obviously is not the same as being there in person, but it’s an affordable way to access concerts – often with a better view than you’d have in person, thanks to the multiple camera angles. The biggest downside is that you aren’t able to get the full concert experience with opening acts, as the VEEPS recording only includes the headlining performer. However, for live music fans on a budget or those who just weren’t able to get tickets to see their favourite artist, even a virtual version can become the main event. 

What: Metric playing Fantasies and Greatest Hits Live From Toronto
Price: $14/month or $140/year (Regularly $19.99/month or $199/year)
Where to watch:VEEPS

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kmendonca@postmedia.com

instagram.com/kate.mendonca

Love concerts, but can’t make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.

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