Alex Metric Live At Marine Parade's Christmas Party. Brighton Coalition, Sunday 20th December

It takes something very special to make leaving the house on Sunday evening an enjoyable venture. Especially when the (normally one minute) walk to the bus stop is festively transformed into a death defying five minute uncontrollable slide. Marine Parade's Christmas Party was certainly special enough to make it worthwhile.

In support of the local label a hefty group of people had made the treacherous journey to the Coalition and were greeted on arrival by Nico warming ears with a seasonally confusing mix of jolly balkan beats. She relinquished the decks to label master Adam Freeland who proceeded to hype the home crowd up with some rowdy, bass-heavy, 4/4 fun. This was, however, merely a precursor for the evening's highlight.

Alex Metric has, until very recently, been a producer of breakbeat influenced electro. In the last year he has secured a show on Radio 1 as part of the 'In New DJs We Trust' programme, developed some new French Touch style productions and most importantly created a live show. It would be understandable for someone so used to being behind the scenes to lack confidence or wall themselves in with an array of keyboards and computers. Metric, however, bounds around stage energetically, rushing between his central solo microphone, drum machine and assorted synthesisers. He's joined on stage by a bassist and guitarist who, for the most part, stick to their live instruments. The noise they create is exactly what you'd expect a live take on Metric's productions to sound like. Buzzsaw synths rip jaggedly out of the stacks threatening to bring the ceiling down by cleaving through its supporting pillars, pounding drums punch chunks out of the brickwork and huge bass lines menacingly rumble mortar loose. It's Alex's vocal that makes sure these waves of sonic destruction aren't dealt directly for the dance-floor. If instrumental sections begin to lose distinction between what's being played live and what's been pre-produced, the lyrics remind us that we're watching a band, not just a producer. Not that this is registering with the crowd who have wholeheartedly thrown themselves into the action with arms raised and only a little confusion over whether they should be dancing furiously or rocking out.

The band power through live interpretations of Metric's back catalogue including 'In Your Machine' and his remix of 'All Alone' by Splittr. It's his more recent output that shows his development, however, as latest single 'It Starts' best exploits the live set up. It harnesses Alex's newly found pop sensibilities. Uplifting vocal harmonies, a frantic bass line and guitar stabs dance over his trademark squealing electro. Set closer 'Gusto' gives up on trying to bring the roof down and blows it off instead. Slow-mo guitar grinds against its synth counterpart in an instrumental that would leave MSTRKRFT gasping and Adam Freeland scratching his head for what to play afterwards.

Of course, that's not really an issue. The stage is cleared and filled again (this time with enthusiastic members of the audience), Boy 8-Bit's 'The Cricket Scores' is dropped and the rest of the evening dissolves into the bottom of a vodka bottle.

Alex Metric - It Starts on Spotify

Thanks to Tom Chambers for the photo.