The Strokes played Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Following the release of their new album Reality Awaits in July, the Strokes played their largest hometown show to date and tapped Beach House, TV on the Radio, and Fcukers to open.

It's kind of hard to believe that The Strokes might be more popular than ever before, but it certainly seemed to be the case as they sold out Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens on Friday night (although the killer set of opening acts might have tipped the scales a bit) and the hometown heroes made sure to treat the event like the homecoming event of the season.

Just after 5:00 p.m. fellow New Yorkers and the reigning icons of Williamsburg, TV on the Radio took to the huge stage that was set up in the shadows of the Unisphere and the New York State Pavilion Observation Towers which have served as landmarks in Queens for over half a century. As they slowly eased into an emphatic "Young Liars," it was the first feeling of just how special the night would be. After a slow burn, the groove picked up for "Golden Age" and the crowd began to cut loose as the band hit a funky stride. Featuring L'Rain on bass, it was cool to see an artist inspired by the band get to play with her heroes and they looked thrilled to have her in tow. Of course the timeless hit "Wolf Like Me," which has seen a recent boost in popularity due to the latest Spideman movie, was one of the day's first climaxes, a moment that helped unite the crowd and push the day towards its first new frontier, unlocking more magic that would soon follow suit. "Repetition" crushed with post-punk guitars after chants of "Free Free Palestine" and "FUCK ICE" and made the crowd shine with energy. They dedicated "Killer Crane" to all of those in their lives who had departed our astral plane, cooling things down for a bit before ending things with a rambunctious "Staring at the Sun." In their final moments on stage, the band wailed their hearts out and left it all in their performance, clearing the way for the remaining two acts of the night.

After a brief, but consistent rain that lasted for nearly the entirety of the set change, Beach House emerged on stage like a balm. I wouldn't call the rain a cleanse per se, but the elegant music of the Baltimore duo directly following the water did seem to be refreshing and set a new beginning for the night. As the glowing synths of their bountiful dream-pop roared from the speakers, it was clear that Alex and Victoria (along with their drummer) were ready to maximize their sound and take things to levels you'd never imagine their band to reach. From the instant they rolled into "Dark Spring," the stage was lit up in a rainbow of colors and prisms of glare sparkled on the massive screens that flanked the stage. This was loudest I've ever heard the band and their most powerful performance as well, their command and control inspiring and hypnotic. "Lazuli" flowed with a majestic sense of lingering melodies that wafted over the field while "Drunk in LA" channelled more of a Lynchian vibe. The rush returned for "Superstar" and things began to levitate during the enchanting rendition of "Somewhere Tonight." Reaching back one more time to their classic record Teen Dream, "Walk in the Park" was another enthralling tune that pulled you in with its emotional gravity and alluring appeal. The Tik Tok favorite "Space Song" was the clear crowd pleaser of the evening and the band made it worth it for the long-time fans who maybe would prefer a different deep cut at this point, but it's also hard to be upset with anything this band puts forward so even at their most hyped, they still transcend. Closing it out with "Myth" was another crowd-pleaser and their final blow-out spectacle of the night. As the darkness had descended, Beach House dazzled the crowd with one final anthem, sending us to the heavens just in time to set in for the headliners.

Of course The Strokes wouldn't throw themselves a massive homecoming affair without a few tricks up their sleeves. At first, it seemed like the stacked line-up was actually enough to satisfy without any more treats thrown in for the audience so it was a legit thrill when Queens' very own Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was welcomed to the stage. As is her natural ability, she empowered the crowd, acknowledging the 40,000 people in attendance, and spoke about healthcare, affordable housing, and autonomy for all. The crowd was fired up, but things erupted when she asked Bernie Sanders to join her on stage. As the Vermont Senator took to the mic, the crowd was beside itself and as he spoke of the band being one of the greatest rock bands of all time, he encouraged us all to get out to vote and to make it a point to be an active part of our communities. It was rather emotional and impactful moment and was the spark that ignited the band's set towards greatness. Starting off with a new one, "Lonely in the Future" crept in with its slick, slinky riffs before the band exploded with the supreme banger "Reptilia." As the surging riffs carried out over the sprawling crowd, you could feel the night become alive as everyone gave in to the music and let the pumping rock and roll guide us forward. Jumping across their discography, they went from "The Adults Are Talking" to the rumbling "Heart in a Cage" before another sleek track in "Dine N’Dash." Throughout it all, the crowd was fully locked-in, the younger members of the audience thrilled with the new tunes while the elder millennials raved for the classics. The sleeper hit of the summer, "Going Shopping" was the live hit you knew the studio version was destined to be and "Going to Babble On" took on a similar realization. Yet when the roaring feedback of "New York City Cops" began to fuzz, the masses raised their fists in the air and everyone began to rock out with absolute joy. A unifying rally cry, the track was electrifying and as the band fired on all cylinders, their impact on the ranging generations felt more apparent than ever. Another near sleeper hit, "Juicebox" was another track that restored the energy of the night and pushed things further, it's chugging riffs that turn into adrenaline-fueled choruses a guarantee to make the crowd get another push to keep rocking. The classic rock riffs of "Gratisfaction" was another pleasant surprise and another track that felt enriched onstage, the riffs full of swagger and feathered flare. The original YOLO, "You Only Live Once," also had the crowd in awe, everyone swaying to the blissful melody and rolling rhythms as hands waved in the air for as far as one could see. Digging back to their roots, they pulled out the stops as the night drew to a close with "Meet Me in the Bathroom" feeling larger than life now that a whole scene has been associated with the name. When they ripped into "Someday," the night reached its pinnacle, the generational anthem putting it all into perspective: twenty five years after delivering one of the all-time greatest debuts, The Strokes are playing to the biggest crowds of their career and they're delivering shows that prove that not only have they earned it, but they're still up for the task. "Take It or Leave It" ripped with authority as Casablancas let out a ragged howl, his vocals reaching their limits, but still sounding as cool as ever. Just as they're at newfound heights of popularity, they're also still up for some unexpected twists and for Day 1 fans, ending with "Ode to the Mets" felt a bit out of left field, but as an impressive fireworks display lit up the sky, it was hard to look back on the day as anything other than the most fitting end to one of the best summers New York City has seen in quite some time.

TV on the Radio set list:

01 "Young Liars"
02 "Golden Age"
03 "Dreams"
04 "Crying"
05 "Wolf Like Me"
06 "Could You"
07 "Repetition"
08 "Killer Crane"
09 "Staring at the Sun"

Beach House set list:

01 "Dark Spring"
02 "Silver Soul"
03 "Lazuli"
04 "Drunk in LA"
05 "PPP"
06 "Superstar"
07 "Somewhere Tonight"
08 "Walk in the Park"
09 "Girl of the Year"
10 "Space Song"
11 "Lemon Glow"
12 "Myth"

The Strokes set list:

01 "Lonely in the Future"
02 "Reptilia"
03 "The Adults Are Talking"
04 "Heart in a Cage"
05 "Dine N’Dash"
06 "Hard to Explain"

07 "Automatic Stop"
08 "Going Shopping"
09 "Going to Babble On"
10 "New York City Cops"
11 "Tyrants of the Mellow Moon"
12 "Juicebox"
13 "Gratisfaction"
14 "Call It Fate, Call It Karma"
15 "You Only Live Once"
16 "Meet Me in the Bathroom"
17 "Someday"
18 "Take It or Leave It"
19 "Under Control"
20 "This is Not" [Blonde Redhead cover]
21 "Ode to the Mets"