Announced only just over twenty-four hours before, the billing of ‘Venison’ (formerly known as ‘The Shitty Beatles’) at London’s intimate Dingwalls venue in Camden provoked some serious interest. For this little known pseudonym was that of The Strokes, and marked their much-awaited return to these shores, and their smallest show here in years.
With tickets appearing online for crazy amounts of money, it was the hottest gig in town and I think I might have lost a few friends by getting on my mate’s +1 – I love being a +1.
The Strokes at Dingwalls was their warm-up return gig in the UK, the first in four years and ahead of their headline slot at the Isle of Wight and RockNess festivals this weekend. The excitement was palpable; the first strum of ‘‘New York City Cops’ was like a punch to the face
For songs that we all know and love it was like the band were singing them for the first time and the audience were at last getting to hear their favourite band perform live. You know when a crowd sings the guitar parts you are in for a good night. The band appreciate the need to give the crowd what they want – the hits – what they know and love and what some bands might shy away from. From the stage I could see smiles and sweat from a band who look like they have not only fallen back in love with each other (whether or not they had actually fallen out of love in the first place) but also fallen back in love with the songs they wrote.
It was hotter than the sun in Dingwalls and you wouldn’t want it any other way. It was so hot one man was mopping the ceiling above the sound desk to prevent any kind of technical hitch. Sweat was dripping from the chizzled jaws and toned arms of the band, especially guitarist Nick Valensi. But every audience member witnessed a band that have been off and doing their own thing reconvene and pull of a gig like this. Top marks.
It was interesting to see Nick unleashing a guitar solo as he swept to front of stage to stroke the head of his guitar like a piece of silk.
Julian Casablancas was on fine voice, piercing through the other instruments to deliver his inimitable tone and coolness. Albert Hammond Jr was almost levitating on ‘Vision Of Division’ – you forget that it’s five men each with one instrument to play – and play they did.
Oh Strokes, where have you been? It’s so good to have you back and feeling like you are glad to back. You feel that being in the audience. One of my best gigs of the year so far.
Words by Edith Bowman
Photo by Flickr user brit_chick
Set list:
‘New York City Cops’
‘The Modern Age’
‘Hard To Explain’
‘Reptilia’
‘What Ever Happened?’
‘You Only Live Once’
‘Soma’
‘Vision Of Division’
‘I Can’t Win’
‘Is This It’
‘Someday’
‘Red Light’
‘Last Nite’
‘Under Control’
‘12:51’
‘Juicebox’
‘Heart In A Cage’
