The Strokes End Coachella Set With Video Condemning U.S. and Israeli Bombings in Iran and Gaza

Apr 19, 2026 7:14am PT The Strokes End Coachella Set With Video Condemning U.S. and Israeli Bombings in Iran and Gaza

By Chris Willman

Plus Icon

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

ChrisWillman

Latest

• The Strokes End Coachella Set With Video Condemning U.S. and Israeli Bombings in Iran and Gaza 3 hours ago
• Livestreaming Coachella 2026: A Complete Guide to the YouTube Schedule for Weekend 2 2 days ago
• Paul McCartney Goes Deep Inside ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’ at Secret L.A. Listening Session — Including Unveiling His First True Duet With Ringo Starr 2 days ago

See All

The Strokes ended their performance on weekend 2 of Coachella on a note of political protest, capping the set with a video montage that accused the CIA of enacting regime change in foreign countries over the decades, finally concluding with footage of Israel bombing Gaza and the United States bombing Iran.

These several minutes of video commentary came as a surprise to audiences viewing at home as well as in the desert, since it bore no resemblance to how the group rounded out its set the previous weekend. The song that accompanied this statement, “Oblivius,” had not been performed by the Strokes in concert at all since 2016; it included singer Julian Casablancas repeating the statement in the chorus, “What side you standing on?”

Related Stories

Guadalajara Film Festival’s Co-Production Meeting Program Extends a Lifeline to Argentina