By Alee Hoffman
This Halloween, so-called garage rockers The Strokes didn’t have any tricks up their sleeves for the audience at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell.
No random covers, no surprise guests, and as always, they don’t do encores. But a consistently solid rock show with tight performances from every member on stage was enough of a treat for the crowd, who was left yelling for more.
For fans, it’s been a series of up and downs when it comes to the band’s live show. The buzz of a rock band that had something quite special happening began to spread a few years ago in the Lower East Side’s dimly lit clubs and bars. One major record label deal later, unusually manic and nearly rabid hype from London and New York music rags began to pop up, without many of the readers ever hearing The Strokes before. With that pressure on their back from the start, the band had a lot to live up to with the tour of their first album, 2001’s “Is This It.”
Whether from frazzled nerves or too many backstage party favors, there were more than a few shows where attendees complained of pretentious guitarists who merely looked miserably down at their Converses and a haggard lead singer who was too inebriated to do little more than shout a few choice words before falling off the stage.
Yet, when it was good, it was really, really good. Seeing The Strokes on night when they had it together was something to behold, something that lived up to the wide-eyed music critics salivating about “the saviors of rock,” Now touring in support of the excellent “Room on Fire,” released last week, the band proved that they improved with age.
Coming to the stage without any build-up or fanfare, the group appeared refreshed, jovial and perhaps even a bit more sober than usual. The theme of the night was simple and sweet, as the band performed a direct and sharp play list against a very plain stage set-up.
With ROF’s “Between Love” and “Hate” lead guitarist Nick Valensi was able to showcase his awe-inspiring talent on an intricate blues-rock flavored solo. Even more impressive was his ability to perform said solo with a lit cigarette dangling dangerously loose from his lips. Fab Moretti’s drumming has often been thought to be the work of a drum machine on hits such as “Hard To Explain.” There was no mistaking what is simply a really good rhythm section when he and bassist Nikolai Fraiture shined on the pulsating “What Ever Happened?” It seemed as if they knew they had nailed it when a knowing smile was shared between the two, with the notoriously stoic Fraiture even busting a move every so often. Like a good front man should, Julian Casablancas nearly stole the show.
“I’m not your friend, I never was,” Casablancas sang plaintively from the stage.
Maybe not, but as long as the band keeps up this new tradition of excellent performances, writing great records may just be enough for those who love them.
