OZ Beat: Music That Matters

The Strokes/ The Barbs/ Miscellaneous

The Strokes have been getting plenty of UK press lately... Last week's NME had an eight page glossy centrespread full of Strokes pics, all seen before in the paper but never pulled together or printed on glossy paper.

This week's mag gives a review of on of the Japan gigs, and a review of a few rough mix versions of tracks that are to be on the new album due in Oct (yeah....right! Christmas appears on record company release schedules Nov 2!). Mojo magazine has The Strokes on the cover - dunno about the actual content yet cos I didn't pick up a copy, but will do soon.

Spent Saturday at "Parklife", a local free festival put on by Medway Council. You might have heard of King Adora, Easyworld, Sexton Ming and Chumbawumba, all of whom performed. However, the stars of he show were The Barbs, whose singer is a local lad. I'll post a snippet of their soon-to-be-released debut single so you can make your mind up. Kinda B52s meet Pixies via the Rezillos, if you ask me.

All the best,
NeilM

The Strokes show: stoned amazed brilliance

I don't have anything close to the words or sobriety to write what I want in a sentence or two. The Strokes are so clearly the band against which all new music must stand. Julian--completely sober, standing back while his band turns it up a notch. He doesn't look bored or impatient. He is having a great time appreciating the genius (and it is ) of the musicians standing behind him. Two songs into the set and all I can think is that this can't be possible--this fucking talented group of kids has grown up (all the way) in one year. I hear debates about the new material--there is nothing to debate. They did 6 new songs. They have the ability to play new material and get the crowd to react like they have heard the songs all their lives. They play the old material and the kids are screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs, Every second of the show is well planned out and the band continues to take you up another notch. Sweating, drunk and stoned, I think about passing out and then decide to jump on the guy in front of me. He is cool and he holds me up for awhile.

The show didn't wind down. When they are doing the end of the set there is no doubt that an encore is NOT coming. I like a carefully thought out encore (ala Buttholes)--but The Strokes have smashed the expectation that every good show should end with an encore. They give it all during the show. Doesn't really seem to be a reason for them to do an encore.

I have never seen Julian (or imagined him) anything like tonight. Too much praise is just bullshit --I'm trying not to go there. But the 6 new songs are Julian presenting himself and the band in the most natural (kind of nothing to prove way) that I have ever seen him or them. The new material allows the band to go way outside of song structure and kick ass live. Last time I saw Julian I doubted whether he respected the people he was playing with. There is no doubt. And, the band repaid that respect with their performance.

The "new" Julian has matured into a great rock and roll front man. He wasn't swigging beer and falling down. He let it be known that he was serious when he says that it is the music matters. And he was a boy on a mission--getting it across. The Strokes in Chicago tonight were brilliant, overwhelming with the familiar material, but most impressive presenting the new material.
--Dem