It was a love fest of the headliners on Saturday (8/8) when Charli xcx took the stage with The Strokes at Outside Lands.
“We’ve got a special little guest; a big guest. Well, a superstar,” Strokes singer Julian Casablancas said before Charli appeared on the Lands End stage.
"We had a great battle. You defeated us. Your new queen of everything, Charli xcx,” he announced as she began to sing their smash hit, "Take It Or Leave It," which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary.
What defeat was Julian referring to, you might ask?
Well, both artists released new albums on July 24, and Charli’s Music, Fashion, Film debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, while The Strokes’ Reality Awaits debuted at #2.
Yes, the British pop star and the New York rockers sounded shockingly fantastic together, but Charli had already performed her Outside Lands headlining gig on that same stage the night before (8/07).
One would have thought she would have jetted off somewhere else. But alas she stuck around for the party, and everyone benefited from it.
When Charli has joined others or invites surprise guests, it's typically with artists of her own genre and has rarely strayed, making the Strokes collab unique.
She opened for Coldplay in 2012 and then Paramore in 2013, for example, but never popped on their stages during those tours.
This duet with The Strokes may have been unusual, but what a sound they made together.
It's much better than what happened when Lady Gaga joined Metallica for the 2017 Grammys.
Although Mother Monster could keep up with the metal masters, it felt forced. Almost like Gaga had to prove she had the chops for the outfit. Her time with Tony Bennett, however, fit her much better.
Charli didn't have that issue with The Strokes. They're both unconventional singers trying to push the boundaries of alternative music, while being popular.
In 2013 Katy Perry joined The Rolling Stones to cover their hit "Beast of Burden" during a show in Vegas. Katy opened the concert that night at the MGM.
"I just did gyrated on Mick Jagger. What?!” Perry tweeted afterwards.
One of the replies mentioned her poor grammar, Perry snapped back, tweeting, “I noticed that. I guess I was too excited. Sorry mom.”
During that same 50 & Counting Tour, Taylor Swift joined the band for their classic "As Tears Go By."
While it was better than Katy's, it still felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable for both parties.
It only brings home the point that Charli and The Strokes should consider joining forces again.
Maybe next time they should try one of her tunes. Something that sounds faintly Strokes-y like "No One Lasts Forever" from her latests LP, Music, Fashion, Film.
Tell me you can't hear Julian being able to fit into that pocket beautifully.
Sadly though the two camps will not be at the same festival this year again. But you can still get tix to The Strokes' tour which heads off to Japan for a few dates before coming back to the States for Just Like Heaven in a few weeks in Los Angeles.
Get tix on the Strokes' website.
The Strokes Reality Awaits 2026 Tour
8/14 Summer Sonic 2026, Tokyo, Japan
8/16 Summer Sonic 2026, Osaka, Japan
8/22 Just Like Heaven, Pasadena, CA
8/25 Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend, OR
8/27 Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC, Canada
8/28 Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
9/12 Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
9/13 Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL
9/17 Truliant Amphitheater, Charlotte, NC
9/18 Shaky Knees Festival, Atlanta, GA
9/20 Sea.Hear.Now Festival, Asbury Park, NJ
10/02 Flushing Meadows Corona Park, New York, NY
10/06-10/07 The O2, London, England
10/11 Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands
10/13 PSD Bank Dome, Düsseldorf, Germany
10/15 Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany
10/17 Unipol Arena, Bologna, Italy
10/20 Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
10/22 Accor Arena, Paris, France
10/25 Utilita Arena Newcastle, Newcastle, England
10/26 Co-op Live, Manchester, England
10/28 3Arena, Dublin, Ireland
11/20 Estadio San Marcos, Lima, Peru
11/22 Corona Capital, Mexico City, Mexico
Charli is now off to Reading and Leeds before coming back to North America to continue her tour. Grab tix on her website.
Music, Fashion, Film Tour 2026
08/28 Reading Festival, Reading, United Kingdom
08/29 Leeds Festival, Leeds, United Kingdom
09/11 Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
09/14 Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
09/15 Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
09/21 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON, Canada
09/24 TD Garden, Boston, MA
09/28 Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
10/02 Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX
10/06 State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
10/09 Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX
10/14 Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
10/17 Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
10/18 Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
10/21 Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, AZ
10/23 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
