There’s no denying that both of The Strokes’ Coachella sets were a remarkable success, with devoted fans at home dying to catch a glimpse of their performances through the laggy YouTube livestream. They caught the restless crowd's attention with their generational, get on your mate’s shoulders-worthy hits ‘Someday’ and ‘Last Nite’, and satisfied the barricade warriors with rare tracks including ‘Ode To The Mets’. There’s only one song from the two headlining sets that has struck the world’s attention, and it was their closing song, ‘Oblivius’, the second live performance of this track since its release on the ‘Future Present Past’ EP in 2016, striking up endless discussion online.
Now, this discussion isn’t solely because this deep cut was played, which honestly would’ve still been news to many other Strokes admirers, but the context as to why it was played, along with the visuals chosen for this standout finale to their Coachella run. This track simply oozes with indignation and resentment, the chorus repeating the question, "What side are you standing on?". Visuals of universities being blown up in Gaza and Iran appeared on the screens when this lyric hit, as well as images of world leaders that the CIA has been accused of overthrowing. The montage includes leaders, including former Iranian prime minister Mohammed Mossadegh, former Bolivian president Juan Torres, and former Chilean president Salvador Allende, with captions outlining their deaths. There was truly no better way to finish up a set at a festival owned by Philip Anschutz, who has faced an abundance of abuse online for his very conservative viewpoints. Many online have been calling out the irony of influencers posting The Strokes performance, whilst only being at Coachella through a brand deal with the likes of Coca-Cola and staying silent online about the genocide and ongoing conflicts, and instead posting festival outfit videos in clothes costing thousands and claiming their free unicorn frappuccinos in the desert sun - a reality check was undoubtedly needed.
The Strokes haven’t always been the most political band in the world, and have had their fair share of controversies within the past 25 years. Although their stance at Coachella was widely positively received, many wouldn’t listen to a word out of Julian Casablancas’ mouth, as he has been flamed in the past for being a "nepo baby" to billionaire father, John Casablancas, inventor of the supermodel. It’s no secret that this is a band based on privilege, meeting at a Swedish boarding school after all, yet there’s no shame in utilising your platform to its full extent, which is exactly what the band decided to do. After all, music is and has always been political, something we’ve seen from generations of different artists.
Although this performance has had a massive response, it isn’t the first viral instance of political performances recently. Last year's Coachella saw Irish rap trio Kneecap project the words “Israel is committing a genocide against the Palestinian people”, resulting in their US visas being revoked. Even on a smaller scale, artists are letting their audiences know exactly where they stand. Back in November, Lorde headlined the O2 in London, where she projected Palestinian colours during her song ‘Team’, a subtle yet powerful sentiment. Coachella may aim to censor performances like this one, making it almost impossible to find on YouTube; however, fans took to social media to share videos of the performance, refusing to be silenced. Following every major festival, we’re seeing more and more cases of artists using their platform to make a statement and releasing music concerning current affairs and conflicts. Who knows, maybe we’ll even see an ‘Oblivius’ part two on The Strokes' upcoming album, ‘Reality Awaits’, out June 26.
Amy Porter
Image: 'Reality Awaits' Official Cover
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