The Strokes make powerful, political comeback at Coachella

This past weekend, American rock band The Strokes rounded off the second weekend of Coachella with a stellar musical performance accompanied by a display of protest music of such magnitude and scope not seen in decades. They closed out their set with a performance of their 2016 song “Oblivius” to a background of a politically charged slideshow showcasing alleged CIA-backed assassinations and coups in Latin America and beyond. 

The slideshow began with the toppling of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, who was overthrown by a partially American intelligence-backed coup triggered by a nationalization of Iran’s oil deposits. From there, the montage continued to echo current political tensions. While displaying photos of the Congo’s Lumumba, Bolivia’s Torres and Chile’s Allende, the song’s chorus “What side are you standing on?” echoed throughout the venue. The historical weight of the images and allegations display was definitely made clear to the crowd. 

The most polarizing aspect of the set was the showcasing of alleged domestic interference by American intelligence services, culminating in a series of slides surrounding the 1999 civil trial where a jury held the American government liable for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (Disclaimer: It’s well-documented that King and his family were surveilled by the FBI and CIA, though a 2000 internal investigation turned up no evidence of government involvement). Closing out their set, footage showcasing the rubble of universities in Gaza and Iran accompanied the powerful final crescendo of “Oblivius.”

Reactions were immediate, especially for the protest occurring on such a global scale, with it spreading across X, Facebook and Instagram rapidly. Many saw it as something on brand for the band and a reasonable extension of many of their tracks’ political influence, while others attacked the full veracity of the montage’s claims, especially regarding direct American involvement in the assassination of foreign premiers.

In any case, this display of political protest is not something that should come as a surprise for longtime fans of The Strokes. Lead singer Julian Casablancas has been an outspoken political advocate for years, signing numerous petitions surrounding subjects like Palestine, wealth inequality and other topics that have been at the forefront of politics. The only surprise here is that this set somehow made it through Coachella’s vetting — the festival is not known for being a politically charged one, and I’d highly doubt The Strokes will be invited back for a while.

On another note, the band is gearing up for their summer release of their first album in six years, “Reality Awaits,” and a display of such magnitude and reach is sure to garner a good amount of hype for their upcoming tour. 

No matter what side of the political spectrum you find yourself on, I think we can all appreciate that displays of free expression, especially in music, truly keep the key tenets of our constitutional rights alive. It’s refreshing to see headliner bands like The Strokes break the mold and actually express themselves in spite of contracts and other constraints preventing such expression that could affect the bottom lines of their agents and promoters. The Strokes have broken their yearslong hiatus with a powerful comeback.