We knew the Arctic Monkeys were pretty big fans of The Strokes, but it seems that such is their love for the New York band that, when they hear that they’re playing a slot over at Hyde Park’s British Summer Time, they have no qualms with standing around in a field like peasants and screaming lyrics at one another.
Frontman Alex Turner has been keen to promote this image of him as an aloof throwback to rockstars of old ever since he met Josh Homme and started using Brylcreem in his hair, but that facade can only remain intact for so long, and it has slipped irreparably now we’ve seen him bellowing the lyrics to ‘Barely Legal’ at former Last Shadow Puppets collaborator Miles Kane in the crowd of the Hype Park festival.
Also See: Josh Homme and Eagles of Death Metal Played to Alex Turner and Iggy Pop at London’s KOKO
The video footage, recorded by a fan standing next to the pair, sums up the scenario rather adeptly:
HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU CONCENTRATE ON THE STROKES WHEN ALEX TURNER AND MILES KANE ARE DANCING NEXT TO YOU????? pic.twitter.com/1Y8fIa0v20
— Josh Saunders (@_JoshSaunders) June 18, 2015
We doubt we’d be able to concentrate, too, if Alex Turner was doing his best impersonation of a 19-year-old who’d heard their favourite song blasting through the speakers at 4am in some shitty club on the outskirts of the city. In truth, this makes him look a lot more appealing than his Yorkshire Elvis act does – or at the very least it’s better than him piping on about the “cyclical nature of rock ‘n’ roll” after doing a few bumps in the Brit Awards’ toilet.
The real question here, though, is why no one seems to have noticed that Alex Turner is standing next to them? Either his return to a lengthy hair style threw them off, or everyone decided to just let him have his fun with his pal. If that’s the case, then that’s pretty commendable of them. Well done London, and well done Alex Turner for not being afraid to look like a bit of a dork.
