The Strokes @ The Gaelic Club,23/11/05

Fri 25th Nov, 2005 in Gig Reviews

‘Dude, we’re about to see The Strokes!’ This excited sentiment echoed streets, homes, bars, pubs and clubs of Sydney. Those lucky enough to score a ticket to the small showcase at the Gaelic Club give an all-knowing ‘Yeah, that’s right! We’re going to see The Strokes!’ nod to the people they see also proudly displaying the red wristband that conveniently also acts as an awesome tool for making people jealous.

The thought of reviewing this show has been nothing short of daunting. The hype alone given to this show had me tempted to throw the responsibility at someone else. Yes, throw. I’m not quite sure how one throws responsibility, but I’m willing to learn. My heart tells me it is the girl way, complete with wrist flick.

The knowledge that the majority of the crowd camped out to buy tickets on dirty, stinking, excrement covered streets from ridiculous hours of the morning just to be there shows a real commitment and love of the band and definitely lent an air of electricity to the night. A committed few with tickets were rumoured to have waited outside the Gaelic Club from 11 in the morning, just to make it to the front of the show.

The Strokes have been a band followed by a shadow of praise; anticipation and a kind of questioning mentality (Are they really worth all the hype? Can they follow it up? etc) since their critically acclaimed debut album Is This It in 2001 and 2003’s follow up Room on Fire, which received mixed reviews. Now it’s time for the music world to once again hold its breath awaiting the release of The Strokes third album First Impressions of Earth in early 2006.

I only had two complaints of the show, so I’ll get them out of the way first. 1. The opening song Heart in a Cage was too distorted and I couldn’t understand a word Julian Casablancas was singing.  2. Most of the time I had no idea what Julian was saying as he spoke to the crowd, but the general gist is that we are great.

The sound problems subsided by the end of the opening song and made way for a punch in the face of Strokes awesomeness that lasted for over an hour. Rumours that the New Yorkers would play an eight song set were stomped on, like the floor of the Gaelic Club, and quite a few feet – my note taking plans were quashed by crowd rowdiness and a fear of my pen becoming lodged in my arm.

Something that became very noticeable was what a bigger part Nikolai Fraiture’s bass played in the new songs, adding an overall heavier Strokes sound. A standout of the new tracks was 15 minutes – a slower song, reminiscent of the departure from usual Strokes style in Room on Fire’s Under Control, with Julian almost crooning to the audience. A couple of minutes in the band reach a crescendo where the volume, intensity and all-round rock of the song take centre stage.

Nick Valensi and the eternally cool and well dressed Albert Hammond Jr. are a dynamic duo on guitars. Valensi’s guitar work continually leaves me wondering when a keyboard was introduced into The Strokes and why I hadn’t received the memo.

There’s no doubt after hearing Juicebox live that it was an awesome choice for a single; with Fraiture’s throbbing bass line and Fabrizio Moretti’s messy sounding, but totally tight drum sound and hi-hat roll that builds up to the chorus where Casablancas reaches impressively higher than his normal range. He expresses more emotion in his voice as he questions ‘Why don’t you come over here?  We’ve got a city to love.’ And accuses ‘You’re so cold.’

These five good looking and sharply dressed men had the crowd in the palms of their hands. When they began to play Hard to Explain there were squeals of excitement from the crowd and a sudden decrease in personal space. Among material played that is more well known to fans was New York City Cops, The End Has No End, Last Nite, Reptilia and as an encore What Ever Happened? and Take It Or Leave It.  Awesome.

So let us wait for the release of First Impressions of Earth and discuss how cool The Strokes are and compare Is This It to Room on Fire and listen to our….uh…illegal downloads from the new album and debate whether they are worth all the hype while I pray that I never use the word ‘excrement’ in another review, unless it’s of the Pussycat Dolls.