The New York‑based rock band The Strokes closed their second‑weekend performance at Coachella with a far‑more overt political statement than any of their previous shows. By pairing their 2016 track “Oblivius” with a 10‑minute LED montage of world leaders allegedly toppled or killed by U.S. intelligence, frontman Julian Casablancas turned a mainstream festival into a platform for a sweeping indictment of American foreign policy.
While the Coachella festival have uploaded all the performances on their official YouTube channel already, they failed to include this one track’s video.
A Montage of Allegations
The video began with the photo of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and quickly swept across continents, highlighting Patrice Lumumba’s 1961 execution, Guatemala’s Jacobo Árbenz’s 1954 CIA‑backed overthrow, Bolivia’s Juan José Torres’ 1971 ouster and subsequent assassination, Chile’s Salvador Allende’s 1973 coup and suicide, and the 1953 coup against Mosaddegh. Casablancas then thrust the United States into the spotlight with a caption reading, “What side you standing on?”
The montage included a contested reference to the 1999 jury verdict that found the U.S. government “guilty” of assassinating civil‑rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.—a conclusion that the 2000 Department of Justice investigation has repeatedly denied. The screen then cut to the deaths of Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos and Ecuadorian president Jaime Roldós, both in 1981 plane crashes whose causes remain officially attributed to pilot error.
The final slides shifted from historical allegations to present‑day devastation, depicting U.S.‑Israeli airstrikes that have destroyed more than 30 Iranian universities and the last university in Gaza. The montage ended with footage of a bomber on a darkening horizon, echoing the looming spectre of war that the band’s performance seemed intent to expose.
Casablancas and the “Lego” Controversy
During the set, Casablancas quipped that he was “tempted to come out tonight with a laptop and show you guys some of those Iran Lego videos,” a reference to AI‑generated footage circulated by pro‑Iranian groups aimed at mocking former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. He then blamed “f**king YouTube or government or whatever” for the removal of the Iranian channel Explosive Media after YouTube cited spam, deceptive practices, and scams.
Festival Politics and Fan Reactions
Coachella’s organizers have historically courted controversy by allowing artists to use the stage for political statements. The Strokes are not alone; Gigi Perez recently called for a “free Palestine,” and Irish hip‑hop group Kneecap staged a protest with anti‑Israel slogans last year. The festival’s willingness to host such moments speaks to the growing intersection of music and activism in mainstream culture.
Fan reactions were mixed. Many applauded the band’s willingness to confront systemic issues, praising the “bombshell of reality” delivered at the end of the set. Others, particularly those aligned with pro‑Israel or conservative viewpoints, expressed outrage, arguing that the montage conflated legitimate criticism with unsubstantiated allegations and thereby undermined the credibility of the message.
Impact on the Band’s Trajectory
The Strokes have not performed “Oblivius” in concert since 2016, making its re‑introduction a deliberate act that signals a new political consciousness ahead of their forthcoming album, Reality Awaits (June 26). Whether this political pivot will broaden their audience or alienate segments of their fan base remains to be seen. The band’s upcoming North American tour, beginning in June, will likely be a litmus test for the reception of their new stance.
Concluding Thoughts
The Strokes’ Coachella performance served as a reminder that music festivals are no longer neutral stages; they have become arenas for ideological battles. For fans and critics alike, this performance will be remembered as a bold, if contentious, attempt to merge music with political discourse.
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