The Strokes ended their Weekend 2 performance at Coachella with an unexpected political statement, using the closing moments of their set to screen a montage addressing global conflicts and historical US foreign policy.
As the band finished their final song, visuals appeared on the stage screens featuring a mix of archival and recent footage. The sequence included references to CIA-backed interventions in foreign nations and ended with images linked to bombings in Gaza and Iran, accompanied by on-screen captions highlighting destruction of educational institutions and civilian infrastructure.
The presentation marked a shift in tone from their earlier Weekend 1 set, which concluded without any political messaging. One of the final musical moments featured ‘Oblivius’, a track the band had not performed live since 2016, with frontman Julian Casablancas repeating a lyric questioning political allegiance.
The montage went on to reference several historical events, including claims of US involvement in regime changes across Latin America and the Middle East, as well as controversial assertions regarding domestic American history. It also displayed imagery related to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr alongside disputed legal references concerning his death.
The festival appeared to continue normal broadcast coverage of the performance, with no interruption to the live stream.
The Strokes have not issued further comment on the performance.
