Reaction: This is it! The Strokes will headline Rock Ness

The organisers big back and throw a New York City curveball

United Kingdom | by Daniel Fahey | 02 December 2009

The one announcement I wasn't expecting to hear when I came into work this morning was The Strokes confirmed to headline Rock Ness.

The one announcement I wasn’t expecting to hear when I came into work this morning was The Strokes confirmed to headline Rock Ness.

Muse for Glastonbury? Sure. Guns N’ Roses at Download? Quite possibly. But the New York garage rockers on the shores of Loch Ness? Definitely not. The festival is slowly creeping up as the gem of the Scottish Highlands and T In The Park isn’t the only big-pulling event north of the border anymore. So what’s changed?

The introduction of Rock Ness is, of course, the big factor but it never looked as if it was started up as a direct competitor to T In The Park. Instead it seemed like it was aimed at the aging rave generation with Fatboy Slim appearing at the first party in 2006 alongside local boy Mylo and Balearic bookshelf Carl Cox. Since then it has expanded and grown quietly, evolving into a boutique bash that draws some of the biggest dance names in history: The Prodigy, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers…

But as well as the dance behemoths, it has slowly built the calibre of the live acts too with Razorlight, Manic Street Preachers and The Charlatans all performing in its short history. The Strokes, however, were never the next obvious choice to continue the pattern – they were always seen as a Reading and Leeds-type of band.

The last UK Festival that Julian Casablancas and Co played was T In The Park in 2006 when the band was on their third album. Since then they’ve been on a hiatus, working on solo projects and alternative bands. But every year they’re away, the group are always rumoured to return to Balado – so Rock Ness comes as a complete surprise and a genuinely great shock too.

So, This Is It! The Strokes are set to play Rock Ness. But what do you think? Rock Ness ticket-holders, are you happy with the booking? Strokes fans did you want to see them at Reading? Will this make you buy a ticket?

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