METZ

Although not the evening's actual headliners, the announcement earlier in the day that the local noise rockers METZ had signed to Sub Pop gave their short set an added weight. Inspired by the rabid admiration of the crowd, or perhaps just happy to finally make their good news public, the trio ripped through selections from their forthcoming self-titled debut with visceral precision. The crowd, whipped into a frenzy, crashed against the stage again and again, regularly knocking over singer-guitarist Alex Edkins's mic. Yet even when it smacked him in the face, knocking out the lens of his glasses, Edkins, sporting a Jesus Lizard T-shirt (a group METZ are regularly compared to), didn't seem the least bit bothered. These guys play around town a fair bit, and it's their ability to make each gig feel like an event that keeps us all coming back for more.