The Strokes Make Political Statement at Coachella
The Strokes seemed to take aim at the U.S. government during their set at Coachella’s second weekend, wrapping up their performance with a provocative video montage. This montage, played while they performed their 2016 song “Oblivius,” showcased clips that alluded to CIA-backed interventions around the globe, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and conflict zones in Gaza and Iran.
The video outlined several world leaders allegedly overthrown by the CIA, such as Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953 and Chilean President Salvador Allende in 1973. It also included an image of King alongside the statement: “The United States government has been found guilty of murder in a civil trial.”
This is presumably a nod to the 1999 civil case King v. Jowers, which involved a jury concluding that there was a conspiracy behind King’s assassination involving government agents. However, a subsequent investigation by the Justice Department in 2000 found no credible evidence implicating government agencies directly in the act.
Further, the montage illustrated themes of slavery, Black Lives Matter protests, and featured images of foreign politicians such as Ecuador’s Jaime Roldoz and Omar Torrijos of Panama, who both tragically died in separate airplane accidents in 1981. Following these images, text suggested the CIA was “suspected” of involvement in their crashes.
The video culminated with footage showing U.S. military actions in Iran and Israeli strikes in Gaza, highlighting the destruction of buildings and universities, with poignant captions like “More than 30 universities destroyed in Iran.” It concluded with a powerful shot of a devastating strike in Gaza, described as “Last remaining university in Gaza,” before fading out to images of fighter jets.
The performance of “Oblivious” at Coachella included the thought-provoking chorus: “Which side are you on?” This marked the first time they played the song since 2016, and only the second overall concert rendition.
The crowd for The Strokes’ main stage act, held before Justin Bieber’s performance, was substantial. Fans were able to watch the show globally through Coachella’s official livestream on YouTube.
After the show, reactions across social media varied. Some applauded The Strokes for their bold stance and speculated that this might be their last Coachella appearance, while others took issue with the political content of their performance.
Interestingly, during their first weekend set, there was no mention of either the song or the video montage. However, frontman Julian Casablancas did make some casual political comments at that time, humorously referencing a possible draft on stage, saying, “Are you guys excited about the draft? Oh, wait – it’s not the NFL draft.” He later added, jokingly wishing to lead a military unit at Coachella.
Currently, there is no military conscription in the U.S., the last being back in 1972 during the Vietnam War. Nevertheless, men aged 18 to 25 are still required to register for the Selective Service System.
Casablancas has consistently expressed his political views in interviews and performances, often critiquing U.S. foreign policy. He even made headlines in late 2024 for choosing not to vote in the presidential election, expressing frustration with the political system.
The Strokes, consisting of Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Freitl, and Fabrizio Moretti, showed their support for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders during the 2020 Democratic primaries. They are set to release their new album, “Reality Awaits,” on June 26 and have planned a world tour for the summer and fall.
