Celebrating New Year’s Eve with the Strokes

When the Strokes had to cancel their Governors Ball set earlier in the year because of inclement weather. I had yet to see the iconic NYC band at that point. So I was thrilled to get a re-do when the group announced a New Year’s Eve show at the Barclays Center. The audience at the sold-out event turned out for what would likely be a brilliant concert.

During the performance, the Strokes skipped over tracks from the 2010s, avoiding playing anything from Comedown Machine or Angles. At one point, Casablancas vehemently cast aside the notion of playing anything from the latter. He noted that the group took the 2010s off (Casablancas and others did have side-projects), and now they “were unfrozen and we are back”. That made a lot of room for earlier hits like “Last Nite”, “Reptilia”, “Someday”, “New York City Cops”, and “Hard to Explain”, amongst others. The drop of the ball also gave them a moment to share something new, as they performed a new song “Ode to the Mets” and announced that a new album will appear in 2020.

Alongside openers Hinds (who were very appreciative of the chance to play on that stage), Mac DeMarco, and surprise addition Kirin J. Callinan (who puzzled much of the front row), the Strokes made the most of a hometown New Year’s Eve celebration with friends, adoring fans and a few drinks. It seems like the band will make more of the new decade than the last. Check out the video of the new song below as well as photos from the performance.

Hinds, Kirin J. Callinan, Mac DeMarco

The Strokes

SET LIST

Heart in a Cage
You Only Live Once
The Modern Age
New York City Cops
The Adults are Talking
Hard to Explain
Ize of the World
Reptilia
Barely Legal
Last Nite
Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men
Ode to the Mets
Juicebox
What Ever Happened?
Someday