Charli XCX Makes Surprise Cameo With The Strokes at Outside Lands
The Strokes closed out Outside Lands on August 8th with an unannounced guest: Charli XCX walked onstage during the New York band's headlining set at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to duet on 'Take It Or Leave It,' the closing track from The Strokes' debut album 'Is This It.' According to Far Out Magazine, Charli wasn't on the festival's lineup — the appearance was a last-minute addition.
What happened onstage
The Strokes played a set spanning their 25-year catalog, from 'Is This It' through their newest album 'Reality Awaits,' before frontman Julian Casablancas introduced Charli as "a big guest. A superstar." He then addressed their recent chart rivalry: Charli XCX's 'Music, Fashion, Film' and The Strokes' 'Reality Awaits' came out on the same day, and Charli's album sold well ahead of theirs. Casablancas called it a great contest, congratulated her on the win, and dubbed her "the new queen of everything."
It's the second time the two have worked together — Casablancas previously contributed a remix of 'Mean Girls' to Charli's 'Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat.'
Why it matters for Asia-based fans
The Strokes' next stop is Japan, where they're booked for Summer Sonic in both Tokyo and Osaka. The source article doesn't specify exact dates, ticket prices, or whether Charli XCX will make any appearance there — so if you're hoping for a repeat performance overseas, that's not confirmed.
What's not announced yet
- Summer Sonic Tokyo/Osaka: dates, venue details, ticket prices and on-sale times not stated in the source
- Charli XCX: headlining Reading and Leeds Festival in the UK on August 28-29
- Charli XCX: opens her US tour September 11th at Philadelphia's Xfinity Mobile Arena
- No word on whether the Outside Lands duet will be repeated at any of these dates