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The Strokes Plan "Secret" Tour

Rob Kleckner reports:
Hot on the heels of Coldplay's recent tour announcement douchebaggery come some new touring shenanigans from the Strokes. Get this: the failed rock saviors have announced some secret shows. That's right, the Strokes have announced that they will be playing secret shows. Some secret, huh?

Well, the venues and times are still clandestine, but not the cities or approximate dates for this buzz-gathering jaunt promoting the Strokes’ upcoming third album, First Impressions of Earth, due on January 3. According to Billboard.com, the secret tour began in Tokyo on Monday, and will continue to small clubs in Sydney, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Milan, and Madrid, wrapping up in mid-December.

Guitarist Albert Hammond told the site, "We'll do eight new songs and leave, just like how it was with the first record, with no one knowing any of our music. We thought it would build some excitement."

The week the album is released, the band will play more secret club gigs in U.S. cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, sayeth wise, all-seeing oracle Billboard.com. The jaunt will then morph into a regular ol' un-secret tour across the rest of North America from February through April.

First Impressions has a cut called "Ask Me Anything" that features just Master Stroke Julian Casablancas and a Mellotron. While they aren’t planning on including the ditty in the secret show sets, Hammond told Billboard, "When we start the main touring, we're definitely going to throw that song in. It will be a nice break from all the loud music."

The Strokes recently completed the video for First Impressions of Earth’s first single, "Juicebox". Far more entertaining than the song itself, the clip features David Cross as a clueless radio disc jockey, hot guy-on-guy and girl-on-girl action, and vomiting.

* Pitchfork Review: The Strokes: Room on Fire
* Pitchfork Track Review: The Strokes: Juicebox
* Pitchfork News: Strokes Confirm Album Title, Release Date, Tracks
* The Strokes: http://www.thestrokes.com

This was marked as read... weird.
Thanx Tom.
I would sell my soul to go... I need other hobbies. =/

As the Jan. 3 release of their third RCA album, "First Impressions of Earth," draws near, the Strokes are about to set off on a worldwide promo tour that will feature secret club shows in several cities. The outing will begin Monday (Nov. 14) in Tokyo and proceed to Sydney, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Berlin, Milan and Madrid through mid-December.

"We'll do eight new songs and leave, just like how it was with the first record, with no one knowing any of our music," guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. tells Billboard.com. "We thought it would build some excitement."

The club blitz will continue in North America the week the new album comes out, with shows being eyed for New York, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles. The Strokes' "proper" North American tour will then get underway in February and run until the end of April.

And while he doesn't expect it to be played during the upcoming club shows, Hammond is looking forward to performing the new song "Ask Me Anything," which features only vocalist Julian Casablancas singing along with a Mellotron melody played by guitarist Nick Valensi.

"When we start the main touring, we're definitely going to throw that song in," Hammond says, noting that the Strokes have never utilized keyboards in a live setting. "It will be a nice break from all the loud music."

Hammond admits it is a bit strange to have the next year-and-a-half of his life already planned out, but acknowledges, "At the same time, this has been my life for six years. I like it. I know what's going on, and then after [each touring leg], I have three weeks to hang out somewhere and not think about anything."

The new album's first single, "Juicebox," is No. 13 in its sixth week on Billboard's Modern Rock airplay chart. Its accompanying video clip was delivered earlier this week to MTV for airplay consideration.

I know... but knowing that they'll be a secret show doesn't mean I get to go. Like I said, I would sell my soul!

im definitely gonna see them this time around.... thats all there is to it, im fucking going!

DO IT!
They're amazing on stage! I've seen them on every tour and it gets better and better every time. I can't wait.

I heard it's going to be a free street concert in West Hollywood to coincide with Gay Pride Day!

Did you find out about it from your Farmer Gay newsletter???

everybody can see me, nothing is easy... hangin out in WeHo, riding on a gay float.. i said now why wont you come over heeeeere....