Yesterday, ahead of a full slate of cash-in reunion gigs at huge summer festivals, the Strokes took to the 500-person capacity London venue Dingwalls, under the assumed name Venison, to play their first gig since 2006. And if this shaky video of the band ripping through set closer “Last Nite†— with the gushingly eager crowd just about drowning Julian Casablancas out — is any indication, it was really fun! Over the eighteen-song set, no new tracks were played, which could either be taken to mean that (a) the band is being hyperprotective of stuff from LP No. 4, ambiguously scheduled for release “soon,†and doesn’t want low-audio-quality versions of their surely mind-blowing new jams out in the wild, or (b) inter-band tensions not so subtly hinted at by Mr. Casablancas back in March have overtaken the recording sessions, and there is not now, nor will there ever be, new material from the Strokes. Let’s hope it’s the first one!
[Via Pitchfork]