You can bet that Santa is glad that The Strokes are playing Belfast before Christmas. Tickets for this surprise show (announced Tuesday, takes place Sunday) sold – according to promoters – at a quicker rate that even Oasis managed in their Morning Glory prime. The big guy would have some indie kid hearts to break on Christmas morning.
Given the time of year and the fact that this is the opening gig on the band’s crucial European comeback tour, the atmosphere in The Ulster Hall couldn’t be more festive if balloons were dropping from the ceiling.
How cool then to find that The Strokes have risen magnificently to the occasion.
Tonight it’s obvious that we’re dealing with an altogether more fascinating and thrilling band than the likeable bunch of young turks on the make who caused such hysteria two years ago. The three-pronged opening blitz of ‘Reptillia’, ‘Automatic Stop’ and ‘What Ever Happened?’ verge on the ferocious – reminding us that The Strokes have with Room On Fire developed the kind of complexities you want to sit down and unravel. These are songs that envelope you like a panic attack – nervy, wiry, constantly looking over their shoulders. And it’s a condition that’s done strange things to the posture of their older material. ‘Last Nite’, ‘Hard To Explain’ and the graceful, gorgeous ‘Someday’ all get a reintroduction. But they’ve gone compellingly jittery on us and, in places, actively convulsive.
Julian’s voice has also developed. The wiseguy, 4-in-the-morning romantic is still present, but there’s a desperation there too and a poignancy that, dare I say it, from time to time (‘Under Control’, ‘What Ever Happened?’) reminds you of nothing less than the days when Liam Gallagher was imploring us to Live Forever.
It’s thrilling stuff – barely taking time to compose itself (‘The Modern Age’ segues into ’12:51’ in one particularly breathless moment) and by the time ‘I Can’t Win’ and a demented ‘Take It Or Leave It’ wave us on our way home, the prospect of The Strokes finally turning into the band they were originally sold as zooms enticingly into view.
Ho Ho Ho.

[Photographs: Amberlea Trainor]