Jazz Fest Weekly Artist Spotlight – The Strokes

The Strokes @ Lolla 2010 - Photo by Eric Voake SPIN.com

I know I’m goin’ to hell in a leather jacket

The last year or so has been very exciting in the world of The Strokes. Amazingly, it’s been almost a decade since the highly influential New York-bred/Brit-Rock-styled and post-punk revivalists released their seminal, overnight success debut LP Is This It. After last summer’s first American appearance in over four years at Chicago’s Lollapalooza, a critically acclaimed solo release from front man Julian Casablancas in ’09 (Phrazes for the Young – an excellent and highly recommended album), and a new album called Angles out later next month (March 22nd), the buzz surrounding The Strokes is arguably as high as it’s been since the fever pitch it hit in the early 2000s. Like the previous night’s headliner Arcade Fire, The Strokes have hit the uncommon trifecta of American festivals, having already secured appearances at Coachella, Jazz Fest, and Bonnaroo. This can only be attributed to the band’s broad appeal and marketability to three markedly different festival crowds.

Expect a sleek set design, high-fashion, and an acerbic, brash, and confidently swagger-ed performance on Saturday, May 7th (probably at the Gentilly Stage opposite Jimmy Buffett – not too many cross-over fans I expect). For a straight-laced, no frills rock show (a rarity in today’s over-synth’d modern rock world) at Jazz Fest 2011, The Strokes are your best bet.

Recommended Tracks - Is This It?, Juicebox, Last Nite, You Only Live Once, Automatic Stop and Out of the Blue (Julian Casablancas solo)

The Strokes have released the first single from Angles called “Under Cover of Darkness”, a new song dripping with Casablancas’ cooler-than-thou nonchalance.

And here’s that new single –

The Strokes – Under Cover of Darkness

Despite all this talk about a rock-star brashness, this recent SNL Digital Short makes it abundantly clear that The Strokes don’t take themselves too serious –

Julian Casablancas with Andy Sandberg (Lonely Island) –

About the author

Wesley grew up in coastal Georgia and is a former resident of The Music City and The Big Easy where he helped get LMB NOLA off-the-ground after launching in January 2011. Over the past few years, he has also contributed steadily to JamBase and Relix Magazine. Recently, Hodges moved on to L.A. where Abita Beer is hard to find, costs about $6 if located and impromptu parading in the streets will most likely get you arrested on the spot.

 

Tags: Jazz Fest, The Strokes