By the time The Strokes left the Coachella stage on Weekend 2, fans were not only talking about guitars and nostalgia. They were talking about politics, war, conspiracy claims, and a final video montage that turned the set into something far bigger than a festival performance.
Here’s how the night unfolded, and why clips from it are now spreading far beyond the California desert.
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Final set that turned into a political statement
The Strokes closed their Weekend 2 Coachella performance with something that looked nothing like a typical concert ending.
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As the band wrapped up their final song on Saturday night, massive LED screens behind them started playing a long video montage.
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The footage accused the CIA of decades-long involvement in regime changes across foreign countries. It walked through historical events in Latin America and beyond, presenting a strong critique of American foreign policy over time.
At one point, the montage escalated further, showing modern-day conflict imagery that included references to Israel’s bombing of Gaza and the United States’ strikes on Iran.
It was not subtle. It was not hidden. And it was clearly meant to be the final word of the night.
Mosque backdrop and screen captions
As the final number played, the stage design added another layer of symbolism.
The band performed in front of an illuminated mosque backdrop while the giant screens continued running the montage. The imagery switched between destruction scenes and captions that framed the narrative in very direct terms.
One caption claimed: “Over 30 universities destroyed in Iran.”
Another showed a large building in Gaza being destroyed in a controlled explosion, with the words: “Last university standing in Gaza.”
The visuals were timed with the music and built toward an ending shot of a bomber aircraft in flight. At that moment, the song abruptly ended, leaving the imagery hanging in silence.
CIA claims, historical references and controversial assertions
The majority of the montage focused on allegations and interpretations of US government actions across decades.
It claimed CIA involvement in overthrowing governments in South America and referenced the assassination of political leaders. The visuals included figures and events such as overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953, removal of Chilean President Salvador Allende in 1973 (spelled “Alende” on screen), overthrow of Bolivian President Juan Torres in 1976 and claims tied to plane crashes involving Panamanian President Omar Torrijos and Ecuador’s President Jaime Rondos.
The montage also pushed a more controversial claim connected to the United States and the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
After showing King’s image, the screen displayed a caption stating: “US govt found guilty of his murder in civil trial.”
This referenced a 1999 civil case, followed by the US Justice Department’s 2000 statement saying there was no evidence supporting the jury’s conclusion.
However, this is not entirely new territory for the band’s frontman. Julian Casablancas has previously shown support for Palestine and signed a 2021 “Musicians for Palestine” letter.
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