Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined The Strokes on stage for their first New York City headline show since 2023, turning a 40,000-capacity Queens concert into a distinctly New York political and musical homecoming.
by Paul Cashmere
The Strokes turned their return to New York City into more than a hometown concert, with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joining the band before a sold-out crowd of 40,000 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
The October 2 show was The Strokes’ first New York City headline performance since 2023 and brought together several strands of the band’s identity: New York rock, political activism and a new album that marks their first studio release in six years.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez appeared unexpectedly to introduce the band, with Sanders using the occasion to connect The Strokes with causes he has publicly supported, praising the group for standing up for economic justice, fighting racism and recognising healthcare as a human right.
The appearance continued a relationship between Sanders and The Strokes that dates back to his 2020 presidential campaign. Sanders’ organisation promoted a February 2020 Get Out The Vote concert rally featuring The Strokes and Ocasio-Cortez in New Hampshire, establishing a political connection that has now resurfaced in the band’s home city.
For The Strokes, the setting made the return particularly significant. Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens provided a distinctly New York backdrop for a band whose identity has been tied to the city since its emergence at the beginning of the 2000s.
Beach House, TV on the Radio and Fcukers joined the bill, making the event a broader celebration of New York’s alternative music community rather than a conventional headline show.
The Strokes played across their catalogue before ending with “Ode To The Mets”, a location-specific choice given that the concert was held only a short distance from the Mets’ Citi Field home. They also acknowledged another New York connection with a performance of “This Is Not” by Blonde Redhead.
The political dimension continued during the performance. Labour organiser and Amazon Labor Union co-founder Chris Smalls and comedian and political commentator Lee Camp appeared on stage to congratulate the band and encourage political engagement.
Earlier in the day, Julian Casablancas moderated an S.O.S. – Earth Is A Mess event at the site featuring Smalls, Camp and political strategist and author Maya Rupert.
The New York concert also provided a substantial live showcase for Reality Awaits, The Strokes’ seventh studio album and their first since 2020’s The New Abnormal. The new record was produced by Rick Rubin, who also worked with the band on The New Abnormal.
The album’s recording process was unusually international. Initial sessions took place in Costa Rica with Rubin before the band and producer continued working in different locations around the world, following ideas as they developed.
The latest single, “Going Shopping”, has another New York-adjacent cultural reference. Its video pays homage to Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al”, with actor Walton Goggins taking the role associated with Chevy Chase in Simon’s original clip.
Goggins was working on a film in the Canary Islands when the collaboration developed. Casablancas and friends subsequently travelled to Tenerife in late May to shoot the video with him.
The Strokes had already introduced another Reality Awaits song, “Falling out of Love”, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May.
The New York performance now gives way to an international run that takes the band through Europe, South America and Australia. The European dates begin with two sold-out shows at London’s O2 before stops in Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Bologna, Barcelona, Paris, Newcastle, Manchester and Dublin. The Australian dates are set for February 2027.
Reality Awaits was released on July 24, 2026
Reality Awaits Tracklist
Psycho Shit
Dine N’Dash
Lonely in the Future
Falling out of Love
Going to Babble On
Going Shopping
Liar’s Remorse
The Fruits of Conquest
Tyrants of the Mellow Moon
The Strokes Live
October 6, London, U.K., The O2 [SOLD OUT]
October 7, London, U.K., The O2 [SOLD OUT]
October 11, Amsterdam, NL, Ziggo Dome [SOLD OUT]
October 13, Dusseldorf, DE, PSD Bank Dome [SOLD OUT]
October 15, Berlin, DE, Uber Arena [SOLD OUT]
October 17, Bologna, IT, Unipol Arena [SOLD OUT]
October 20, Barcelona, ES, Palau Sant Jordi [SOLD OUT]
October 22, Paris, FR, Accor Arena [SOLD OUT]
October 25, Newcastle, U.K., Utilita Arena [SOLD OUT]
October 26, Manchester, U.K., Co-op Live [SOLD OUT]
October 28, Dublin, IE, 3Arena [SOLD OUT]
November 20, Lima, PE, Estadio Universidad San Marcos
November 22, Mexico City, MX, Corona Capital
November 24, Quito, EC, Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa
November 27, Santiago, CL, Primavera Sound Fauna
November 29, Buenos Aires, AR, Primavera Sound Buenos Aires
December 2, Bogotá, CO, Coliseo Medplus
December 5, São Paulo, BR, Primavera Sound São Paulo
February 13, Brisbane, Australia, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
February 16, Melbourne, Australia, Rod Laver Arena
February 17, Melbourne, Australia, Rod Laver Arena
February 20, Sydney, Australia, Centennial Park
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