The Strokes returned to London for the first of two nights at The O2, delivering a career-spanning set that suggested the New York band has rediscovered its joy. The show marked their first UK appearance in just over three years, following a headline slot at All Points East in 2023.
Frontman Julian Casablancas was in a particularly playful mood throughout the evening. When a fan shouted out a song request early in the set, he responded with a mock threat: «If you want us to never play a song, request it.» He added, «I'm like The Hulk – I feed on your rage.» The moment set the tone for a performance that felt looser and more spontaneous than some of the band's past arena shows.
That playfulness carried into the music itself. Casablancas began «Going Shopping» by ad-libbing new lines and announced mid-verse that he would attempt a «Walton Goggins imitation» in a nod to the track's music video. He twisted lyrics throughout the night, turning the final word of «Juicebox» into a good-natured expletive, and slowed down fan favorites to catch the audience out as they sang along at the original tempo. During «Gratisfaction», parts of which he delivered with a Dylan-esque rasp, he turned to drummer Fab Moretti and asked, «You like that old-time rock'n'roll, Fab?» When Moretti didn't respond, Casablancas bent down to peer at him through the drum kit.
The setlist drew heavily from the band's two-decade catalog. Early hits like «Reptilia» and «Heart In A Cage» sat alongside a thrashy «New York City Cops» and an incendiary «Take It Or Leave It». Newer material from their July album «Reality Awaits» — including «Dine N'Dash» and «Tyrants Of The Mellow Moon» — allowed the five-piece to venture into more intriguing territory. A cover of Blonde Redhead's «This Is Not» was unexplained but pretty, while set closer «Ode To The Mets» made a last-minute bid for highlight of the night.
There were some jarring elements. Guitarist Nick Valensi is currently on a «temporary break», and his absence took some adjusting to, though Longwave's Steve Schiltz filled in respectably. The crowd also gave the band the full arena treatment, with a sea of phone flashlights rising for «Call It Fate, Call It Karma», «Under Control» and «Ode To The Mets».
After «Gratisfaction», Casablancas handed the mic to bassist Nikolai Fraiture, who acknowledged the band's earliest London gigs at venues far smaller than The O2. In the 25 years since their first UK show, The Strokes have weathered ups and downs, including periods when it seemed they would rather be doing anything but playing together. On this night, however, they were firmly on a high — doing things their way and sounding as vital as they ever have.
The Strokes' two-night stand at The O2 continues, with the second show expected to draw another capacity crowd. The band's current form suggests that their latest chapter is proving to be one of their most engaging.