Here we are, the Final Four

I would say 3/4 of the bands were heavy favorites, with Interpol benefiting from a weak bracket. Are they the underdog? can Carlos D and Paul Banks pull off the upset? Probably not. Still, here we are.

Let’s take a look at the favorites – in doing so, I’ve asked a person to vouch for each band

The Strokes

“Easily the most influential band of our time, The Strokes set the tone for indie rock’s sound of the 2000s, so much that they’ve often felt like a foundational part of our lives – we all have memories of dance parties, road trips, and backyard barbecues soundtracked by their iconic tunes. As a result, they’ve become the only indie rock band that transcends matters of taste. If you’re voting in this poll, odds are there’s at least one or two (or five, or ten) Strokes songs that hold a very special place in your heart. No other band from this era of rock is anywhere close to being as universal.”
– Anonymous

LCD Soundsystem

“In 2011, I was there. Sort of. I went to New York City and attended a Strokes concert at Madison Square Garden, a show that was scheduled the night before LCD Soundsystem’s big farewell show at the same venue. At the time, I wasn’t an LCD Soundsystem fan so I didn’t bother trying to get tickets to that show (which I would later experienced on the big screen in their documentary, Shut Up and Play the Hits). That may be one of my biggest regrets in hindsight: seeing the Strokes during their Angles era while missing out on LCD Soundsystem at their peak. (I say this as a relatively big fan of the Strokes, by the way.) Years later, LCD reunited and I ended up catching them twice, both times among the best concerts I’ve ever been to. In a time when New York City’s music scene was overtaken by skinny jeans-wearing hipsters, James Murphy (a man who declared that he was losing his edge on his debut single) dared people to dance — skinny jeans be damned! LCD songs are classic rock anthems, dance numbers that will always get people excited on the dancefloor and the embodiment of a 2000s sound that they absolutely dominated while every other act in this bracket was busy vying to become the next breakthrough rock act.”
– Anonymous

Arcade Fire

Here’s Gary’s take
“As usual, I was late to the party. 2005 was no different. It was after I had moved to Toronto, on my way to a weekend tour in Montreal, when I first heard Arcade Fire’s debut album Funeral, released in 2004. I think my ears must have exploded 50 times over as Neighborhood #1 Tunnels sound-tracked that Greyhound ride. As they weaved their melancholy and defiant brand, I keep thinking about Zorba the Greek, and how wonderful it is to hold these two in the same thought congruently, never skipping a beat. All the while that fucking bus skip over potholes like some dead gopher that failed to find cover from rifle bullets in some no-name prairie. Big sounds, fast ideas, tempered anger, and universal nihilism. That is what I always find comforting about Arcade Fire. From Antichrist Television Blues (in “brackets”, no less!), Rococo, Keep the Car Running, or even Rebellion/Lies, you will never find a minute of khaki beigeness. Dressed in high-gothic musical styling (or was it Victorian?), they are always transportive even if you can’t make out the cutting social and domestic commentaries. And once you do… well, that’s going to need another whole new paragraph.”

Interpol

We couldn’t find a human to vouch for Interpol, but our favorite celebrity dog BACON had something to say!

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A post shared by Bacon ???? (@baconthedoggers) on Feb 21, 2020 at 6:32am PST

RUFF RUFF GRRR RUFF RUFF ANTICS RUFF RUFF AHRRRRRRRROOOOOO Obstacle 1 RUFF GRRRR GRR ARROOOOOOOO RUFF GRRR RURR SLOW HANDS RUFF GRRR

Can’t argue with that one.

Last but not least, what would a race be without a heart felt concession speech!

Franz Ferdinand

Here is our photographer, Elizabeth Isles, showing some Franz Love

“Ricky asked me to write him a paragraph about Franz Ferdinand, should they make it through to the next round of this attempt to amuse ourselves and pretend that any of our opinions matter within a universe hurtling toward its inevitably fiery end. I said I didn’t expect them to make it through, but that I would write him a paragraph anyway because I am that much of a disciple of the church of Franz Ferdinand. Like, I even own a copy of Blood – the dub remix of their third album – on vinyl. It’s unreasonable.

I could go down a rabbit hole of reasons for why they are my faithful number one band, but my biggest argument in the pro-Franz camp is their live show (which is a sad thing to think about given the current circumstances, but I digress). This owes a lot to their stage presence, but also to the fact that they write hits! hits! hits! for the dancefloor. Maybe not chart-topping hits, if we’re talking in technical terms, but by golly do they know how to maintain a tempo. An investigation of their catalogue over the last 16 years reveals an absolute bounty. May I point you in the (chronologically released from their five albums to-date) direction of: “Michael”, “The Fallen”, “Ulysses”, “Stand on the Horizon”, and “Always Ascending”. I remain endlessly thankful that they’re still making music, and I like to think that they’ve managed to influence the cultural atmosphere and musical direction, in their own understated way. They don’t take themselves too seriously and don’t stir up much controversy, but they’re still really good at what they do! What a nice story. My heart swells with pride.”

CLICK HERE TO Vote

I already wrote all my shit about these bands in round 2, so for round 3, here is each band performing a song on a late night tv show.

Vote here

Arcade Fire on Letterman

What an introduction to the world. Imagine you had never heard them before and that was the performance. So good

White Strips on Letterman

So weird to see Jack White in his White Stripes outfit. Someone once told me Meg White playing drums reminded him of Pebbles from the Flintstones and ever since, I can’t get that image out of my head.

Interpol on Letterman

Interpol + bright lights don’t work, which is weird because their album was called Turn On The Bright Lights. Not the most excited performance, but I guess that’s Interpol’s MO

Arctic Monkeys on Jools Holland

Man, you forget the Arctic Monkeys were KIDS when they released their debut album.

The Strokes on Letterman

These guys, as always, look like they just came out from a marathon run at some dive bar and are about to go right back.

Franz Ferdinand on Conan

Some tidbits from me about Franz Ferdinand:

1. When I heard it for the first time ever, I immediately played it again just to be like, what the hell did I hear?
2. After I heard that song, I retroactively added it to my best of 2003 mp3 compilation and sent it out again to my friends. Why? I don’t know.

LCD Soundsystem on Letterman

I love how the rest of the band was clapping during this performance.

Flaming Lips on Letterman

Where are the mascots?