If you believed recent overseas reports, it would seem it's been a bumpy road The Strokes have travelled to their headlining Splendour In The Grass set on Saturday night.
Earlier this month, it was hard to ignore headlines about frontman Julian Casablancas' “worrying” behaviour and “disdain for the crowd” at international festivals. Some even speculated if they’d “witnessed the end of The Strokes” at Scotland’s TRNSMT.
It fuelled concerns whether The Strokes - who’ve admitted to coming close to imploding over the years - would even make it Down Under. Or perhaps treat the Splendour crowd to some bizarre banter, loose covers, or something spicier.
This kind of drama has often been an ingredient in the era-defining band’s story. But as is often the case, the rumours of their demise have been greatly exaggerated.
The Strokes are here, and in short, they sound f**king great.
From the jump, the five-piece's instantly recognisable sound is as sharp as ever, showing no signs of touring wear-and-tear. They only lurch and snag everywhere they should - like the vaguely menacing 'Juicebox' or haywire 'Heart In A Cage'.
The Strokes are bona fide New York City musical royalty. They helped kickstart the ‘00s indie rock revival with their seminal 2001 debut album Is This It. It’s arguably been the benchmark they’ve been measured by ever since.
Unsurprisingly, that album provides the setlist's biggest and most resonant moments.
The chipper 'Someday', the stylish 'Hard To Explain', the scrappy 'Take It Or Leave It' -- it's hard to fault songs so embedded in the indie rock songbook.
The rain politely holds off all night, enhancing a dazzling light and video display that takes full advantage of being 'Under Cover of Darkness' (as a song missing from tonight's set goes).
'Reptilia' is another huge moment, with the band awash in green light (naturally) and it's a thrill to see guitarists Albert Hammond Jnr (superbly tailored as ever) and Nick Valensi bat all those famous riffs back and forth. You know it's a hit when the crowd is singing the guitar hooks as loud as the vocals.
Meanwhile, Casablancas doesn't do much showboating but still commands attention with his singing.
The frontman has a reputation for being effortlessly cool with a DGAF swagger, but he's genuinely focussed on delivery a great vocal performance tonight: eyes closed, adjusting his timbre to match the recorded versions. There's nothing sloppy about his presence... just his awkward stage banter.
"Was it Dolly Parton who said you can't have a little rainbow without the rain?" he asks early on. Later he aborts an attempt to "sincerely and pathetically sorry for all the shit with the storms, the mud, and the cancellations and whatever."
"For what all that's worth, hope you all enjoy tomorrow. Tyler's going to be fun," he adds half-heartedly.
The band don't move much. But again, they sound fantastic. It's a stark contrast to the crowd-pleasing antics of acts on the same stage earlier, such as Glass Animals and Jungle Giants, who work the crowd hard.
It's easy to interpret as disinterest - Casablancas' approach could not be more opposite to Jack Harlow's charm offensive a few hours earlier.
Instead, The Strokes rely solely on their music - a stylish sound that hasn't lost its punch even as it has aged and gone in and out of fashion.
Their chic, era-defining sound is difficult to replicate. There was a window in the early '00s rife with Strokes clones but then music trends moved on while they stuck with it and weathered the changes.
The result means they have a timeless quality, masters of a domain they ushered in. It sucks to think how great the Yeah Yeah Yeahs would've been for sections of the audience that remember their live exploits the first time around.
The Strokes have done this slot before - they headlined Splendour in 2016 and 2010 - but the big difference is newer material from 2020’s The New Abnormal.
That album, the group’s first in seven years and considered a return-to-form (not least by Billie Eilish), also won them their first ever Grammy (for 2021 Best Rock Album).
'Bad Decisions' is a great way to open the set, while 'The Adults Are Talking' is a welcome addition. They also dip into some of First Impressions Of Earth's best songs - 'Heart In A Cage' and 'You Only Live Once'.
But smartly, they once again rely on the classics to get them to the finish line, rounding out with a return to Is This It's 'The Modern Age'.
As the deathless 'Last Nite' rings out through the night, amplified by nearly 30,000 ecstatic voices, it's a reminder that no matter The Strokes' sometimes frustrating reputation as a live act, there's a reason they remain near the top of the rolodex when festivals need to call in a headliner.
After Splendour In The Grass, the NYC band play sideshows later this week. Don’t miss them.