The Strokes « Reality Awaits North America »

New York’s The Strokes bring their Reality Awaits North America tour to Rogers Arena in Vancouver on August 28, 2026. Formed in 1998, the quintet — Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti — forged a lean sound at the crossroads of indie rock, garage rock revival and post-punk. Interlaced guitars, a direct rhythm section and a vocal delivery that often stays cool and restrained set the tone from the start. The Modern Age EP and the debut album Is This It (2001) laid the blueprint, followed by Room on Fire (2003) and First Impressions of Earth (2006). After a break, Angles (2011) and Comedown Machine (2013) opened the door to clearer new wave and synth-pop touches. The band then released the EP Future Present Past (2016) and returned with The New Abnormal (2020), produced by Rick Rubin. On stage, The Strokes stretch across their catalogue, from early, concise cuts to later, more melodic or synth-tinged tracks, keeping a tight link to their New York roots while playing with the contours of their own formula.