LOL! Not sure why it wasn’t until now that I saw this Azzaro “Decible” perfume commercial starring Mr. Julian Casablancas. Thanks Product Shop NYC!

Also watch the making of the song, “I Like The Night”:

Just the thing to brighten up this dreary Friday in NYC — a brand new Strokes video! The music vid is for my favorite song off of Angles, “Taken for a Fool.”

The only way I can think of to describe the video is to call it a Strokes merry-go-round. I never want this ride to end!

Some amazing moments from the video screen capped:

So many Julian Casablancases, so little time.


OMG, Jules killed Fab!


Jules and Niko’s bromance.

I believe it’s a vintage 1990′s era Houston Oilers snap back hat. The team was briefly known in the mid-90s as the Tennessee Oilers, but are now known as the Tennessee Titans.

Julian Casablancas just wore the hat again on Conan tonight:

Where can you get mad swag like JC? Well the bad news is I’m pretty sure that baby blue is vintage, so you’re gonna have to go digging … or you could be the lucky one to nab what looks to be the identical style hat up for bid on eBay right now. Current price is $29.99.

I have no affiliation with the person selling the hat so I can’t confirm it’s the exact same one, but it sure looks like it.

Although… this one is all sorts of awesome too…

Video of The Strokes performing “Juicebox” live at Coachella 2011

I kind of want to live by these words.

I wonder what that would look like…

Thnx Julian Casablancas and your wonderful stage banter! What a perfect Casablancasism.

BTW, “Under Control” is pretty much one of my favorite Strokes songs ever:

This week has been completely insane — I witnessed over 9 hours of LCD Soundsystem (yup, I was at the LCD MSG show as well), and one glorious night of The Strokes all in one week. I think I sweated off my body weight about three times over, dancing myself clean, moshing in multiple pits, and just freaking out in anticipation.

I’ll admit, it’s hard for me to try to figure out what to say that hasn’t already been said. Probably by now you hard core fans have already read all the reviews, you know the set list, you’ve heard what happened at the show.

I love how happy Julian looks in this photo. He’s stoked he’s singing with Elvis Costello!

Yes, Elvis Costello opened up for The Strokes with a surprise 15-minute set playing “Pump It Up,” “Radio Radio,” and “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love And Understanding.” And yes, before playing “Taken for a Fool,” Julian mentioned the song’s chorus had an Elvis Costello-quality to it, and that he should probably just come out and sing it — then immediately defusing any expectation of him making a second April Fools’ appearance by laughing and saying “April Fools’! I’m kidding, he’s not doing it, but he should have. Next time.”

Then of course the joke was on all of us when Elvis DID actually come out and perform the song with the band! So crazy!

Rolling Stone video

Seriously, how FUN was that?

Another absolutely incredible moment was when Julian decided that hey, “Juicebox” really should be sung from the middle of the general admission pit. He was up on top of the side stage speakers when all of a sudden he was gone and WHAT? he was running through the middle of the crowd!!

Oh HAI Julian Casablancas running literally all over the pit! Love that he not only brought it to the front, but also ran to the back as well — disturbing those poor people who were just hanging back minding their own business. Hahah!

These videos capture a lot of what it was like to be in the middle of the chaos as Julian made his rounds — people politely singing around him, crazily no one really shoving or pushing anyone in an aggressive way. Just fans having funz singing along, laughing, back slapping Julian, and jumping up and down. Amazing stuff, guys!

This video is hysterical. Julian is literally in this girl’s face and she can’t help but giggle and squeal, “OMG HE’S IN FRONT OF ME!!!”

Oh and remember my description of the “Take It Or Leave It” crazytown? Check THIS out:

If you missed it before, my on personal crazytown:

S’more shots of the guys:

Nikolai Fraiture. Bassist extraordinaire.

Albert

I love that half the people in this photo are not looking at Julian. What is going on over there on the left?

PREVIOUSLY: The Strokes Return to NYC @ Madison Square Garden (MSG) – 4/1/11

Oh, it’s just Nick Valensi being a ROCK GOD. No biggie.

Classic Casablancas

There hasn’t been a greater week in New York City in a LONG TIME. As I mentioned in my previous post about the Strokes MSG show, between LCD and the Strokes, I have seen SO many old friends out and about — folks I haven’t seen in years because we are all old and never go out. Just standing in the hallway and aisle at MSG last night, I ran into three different sets of people who I stopped to embrace.

It really really made me nostalgic and happy. There was a time when I was going to shows all the time and I would know just about every one in the front rows of ever concert I went to. I wouldn’t have to worry about going to a show alone because I knew I would always know someone there. Now when I go to shows, that’s less and less true. There are kids there who are probably wondering why the old lady next to them looks so sad all by herself. Kids so young that if I started talking to them I would probably come off as some creepy weird old cat lady.

But this week was a total return to 2001-2003, down to going to dancing the night away at parties and then heading to Veselka at 4am to eat pierogies. (You OGs know what I’m talking about.) I know this post is supposed to be about the Strokes show at MSG (I’ll get to that soon), but all this reminiscing is a part of WHY this week’s shows were so special to me. These two bands represent a special time in my life, when I was just really getting heavy into music, going to shows, and meeting so many of the wonderful people who I can now say I’ve known for nearly a decade.

I think people who move to New York all have similar experiences in that when you move to this city, you can feel totally overwhelmed by what’s going on — it’s not an easy town to live in — so your friends become SO important to you. They are basically your life lines and support systems. For those of you who don’t live here, you don’t understand, THIS TOWN HAS NO MERCY. Just by the mere fact that these shows were happening I have re-connected with SO many people who I know, but have fallen a bit out of touch with over the years. THAT is why these shows mean so much — yes, we all love the music and the fun at concerts – but really what I love the most is how these events have brought me together with folks that I love.

I wouldn’t nearly have had as much fun at any of these shows if it hadn’t been for the presence of some truly amazing, kind, and big-hearted people with whom I’ve been lucky enough to come in contact. I’ve even made some new friends, met incredibly sweet strangers, and basically had my faith in the human race restored.

THANK YOU Strokes fans for being so genuine, pure, and incredibly enthusiastic. Many times during the MSG show I found myself looking at these groups of young kids just singing their little hearts out. There was this one young kid who got up on his friend’s shoulders on the show and he looked like he was having the BEST TIME EVER. I saw him later on the way out and I just said, “Good job!” and gave him a high-freakin-five. YESSSSS!

THANK YOU LCD Soundsystem fans for wanting to dance the night away. Thank you for sharing all of your back sweat, your fist pumps, your elbow throwing with me. Thank you for letting me shove some of you dudes out of my way and into the pit — and even the couple times I was picked up and tossed were kinda scary, it was all part of the experienced of just freaking the eff out. Thanks for letting loose.

I know I’m kinda sounding like a fan girl right now, but I think it’s important for me to say all of this. When I go to shows like the ones I attended in this past week, I’m going as a FAN. I’ll say it, I’m super annoyed by folks who just show up to these things because it’s the “cool” thing to do, but are so scared of looking like an idiot that they don’t want to dance, they don’t want to shout out song lyrics, and they don’t want to have fun. I’m also super annoyed by folks who are so focused on musical perfection (oh, Julian messed up during such and such song? So what?) that they’re completely oblivious to that unquantifiable element that makes going to see live music special.

MORE: New York Times, BV

So there’s the band called The Strokes. They are originally from right here in New York City, and you may have figured it out by now, but I really like them.

They played their first public hometown gig in over five years and this was definitely a heroes welcome. The guys were in fine form and everyone (the crowd and the band) was pretty freaking pumped up after the show. Smiles all around.

I had an amazing time/night, and it truly felt like old times. Never have I thought I could recreate those feelings and memories of 2001-2003, but tonight certainly came close. I saw so many old friends, sang along to so many classic tunes, fantastic all the way around.

I want to thank YOU GUYS for making it such a fun show – so many of the faces I saw were of young folks — kids who weren’t old enough to even ride a two-wheeler when Is This It came out, but there you all were up in the front, smiling, so happy, and enthusiastic about seeing The Strokes. You kids are so awesome. You totally rock!

The birds are tweeting outside and the sun is coming up, so I’ll try to jot down some stuff before my eyes fall out of my head:

I’ll start with the end — The very last song, in typical Strokes fashion, was “Take It Or Leave It” — but this time singer Julian Casablancas took it upon himself to bring the music to the people – well, specifically to the people in the seated section stage left. Climbing up on the stage left speakers, and then grabbing onto the side railing, Julian positioned himself in the midst of the raised seated floor section, where upon everyone started grabbing on to him from behind.

At one point, Julian jumped down to the floor, and the barricade felt as if it were going to tip over — terrifying me because that’s where the handicapped folks were sitting. Luckily, Julian moved back up and further over into the crowd, bringing the rest of the song to the front section of the room, and a bit to stage right at the end, finally finishing on the stage.

You can check out the entire song below — excuse the sort of crazy Cloverfield-style look of the middle — I could never be a war correspondent with that kind of sloppy camera work, but the beginning is pretty awesome if I do say so myself:

VIDEO: “Take It Or Leave It” – The Strokes @ MSG – 4/1/11

The tone of the night was set when “mystery” guest Elvis Costello performed a 15-minute set as an April Fools’ joke on all of us. Julian had been tweeting about “accidentally” running into Elvis three times that week, so it was a semi-surprise to see the man himself get on stage and actually start singing. What a great way to start the show!

The songs played were:

Is This It
Reptilia
Under Cover of Darkness
Hard to Explain
Last Nite
Juicebox (Julian jumps into the GA pit audience)
Someday
You’re So Right
Under Control
You Only Live Once
New York City Cops
Games
Whatever Happened
Taken For A Fool (with Elvis Costello)
-
Ask Me Anything
The Modern Age
Gratisfaction
I Can’t Win
Take It or Leave It (Julian sings in the audience)

Well folks, today is the last official day of Strokes March Madness. *Sniff sniff* It’s been a wild and crazy journey through the last 10 years of Strokes memories. I want to thank everyone for being so kind and encouraging me through this insane exploration into fandom. You’ve all been oh so nice and supportive.

Above is a photo of the first ever Strokes t-shirt that I bought, at my first ever Strokes show. It’s still my favorite Strokes shirt, and luckily I can still get into it. It’s a comfy piece of clothing that’s quite timeless — just like The Strokes.

Tomorrow I’ll be at the first public Strokes show in New York since 2006. I’m going to predict that it’s going to be pretty effing awesome.

Here are some of my favorite posts over the last month:

• The Shitty Beatles perform at Mercury Lounge
• Signed set list from my first Strokes show
• Photos I took after sneaking backstage in 2001
• Julian Casablancas has crazy laser eyes
• First Alone, Together (Strokes official fan club) newsletter

I thought it would only be appropriate to revisit The Strokes‘ previous set of shows at the sister venue to Madison Square Garden — the Theater at MSG.

In 2003, the band did three sold out shows to promote their newly released second album, Room on Fire.

I distinctly remembering complaining about having to watch Regina Spektor, who I was not enamored with at the time (think I called her a Tori Amos wannabe), three nights in a row.

Kings of Leon were the second openers, and although I did like some of their songs, never again did I ever want to see them three nights in a row — especially with their ridiculous Stillwater hair and mustaches.

During this time period Julian had a preference for gas attendant shirts.

The second night was chock-full-o’ celebs: Drew, Liv, Mos Def, David Cross, and Julian jumped into the audience.

By the third night I’d lost my steam, choosing to hang back in the surprisingly roomy back area of the GA pit.

Rounding out the final week of Strokes March Madness. This one is a scan of one of the picture pages in the first issue of Alone, Together, the now defunct official Strokes fan club.

So many Bag Heads. It’s hard to choose your favorite.

My brain exploded twice in one week when both the Strokes and the White Stripes played a double headlining bill first at Irving Plaza (August 14, 2002) and then at Radio City Music Hall (August 15, 2002) in New York City.

The Irving Plaza show was insane of course, with the White Stripes opening, and Strokes playing to the hometown crowd. At that time Julian Casblancas had an injured knee, so he did both shows sitting down on a stool. During the Radio City show Jack White came out during “New York City Cops” and did the guitar solo. Mindbogglingly weird!

According to my blog entry after the Irving Plaza show, even though the White Stripes were one of my most favorite bands ever, they couldn’t compare to the five guys from NYC:

I’m sorry, I really can’t explain it, but as much as I love the White Stripes, it was really all about The Strokes last night. Totally. It’s the first show they’ve done in New York in… 8 months… and it’s just… *sigh* dunno. Great.

Anyone else remember these two epic nights in music history?