The Strokes headlined Friday night on the What stage, and it played out like a band completely at ease with its own legacy.
Eighteen songs, about ninety minutes, pulling from every studio album plus the upcoming Reality Awaits. They opened with Killing Lies, a song they had not played live since 2022, and debuted Falling out of Love in full for the first time ever. Last Nite, Someday, Reptilia, Hard to Explain, Take It or Leave It, all the ones you came for, plus the deep cuts for the lifers.
Julian Casablancas spent the whole night roasting everything in sight. Kanye West, NFTs, and his own songwriting, at one point mocking the high vocal parts he wrote years ago like they were someone else's problem. Nick Valensi is on a touring break, so Longwave's Steve Schiltz filled in on guitar and the band did not miss a step.
They last played the Farm in 2011. Fifteen years later they walked back in like they owned the place. Because they kind of do.
Photo: Photo by Noland Live via Pexels
Source: ROMBO Magazine
