@bware._23

Last night’s performance by The Brokes at Reggie’s was genuinely one of the most fun and memorable concerts I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending.

For some context, The Brokes were formed in Toronto in 2022 as a note-for-note tribute to the Strokes- they’re for those who are ‘too broke to Stroke’. Despite being a tribute act, the show features five incredibly talented musicians who brought phenomenal energy and fantastic stage presence.

The band played through both deep cuts and greatest hits, truly sounding like a faithful imitation of The Strokes. In fact, when I sent my friend “Last Nite”, she had a hard time differentiating between the cover and the real thing. Lead singer, Marlon Chaplin, clearly dedicated his time into studying Julian Casablancas’s craft, capturing the frontman’s essence down to the fingerless glove on just one hand and his signature raspy tone.

In fact, I had the chance to speak with Chaplin between sets. He told me “Never in a million years did we think we’d play more than one show, but three years later, here we are in Chicago and it’s one of our favorite places to play.”

I attribute his affinity for Chicago to the crowd’s energy; the room was electrically high-spirited, with audience members (myself included!) screaming every lyric to every song. The momentum peaked during the encore when the band ripped into “Reptilia” and “You Only Live Once”. The already-high energy was brought even higher, sparking in an impromptu mosh pit on the floor. It was so swift, I got punched in the stomach before I was able to clear out of the way. Honestly, though, with that level of adrenaline and excitement, I barely even took notice of it.

Go see The Brokes next time they come to town- I promise you won’t regret it!