So these songs aren’t good enough for Julian Casablancas? That’s some serious hubris on this evidence. The economy and sparkle of Albert Hammond Jr’s solo record Yours To Keep in comparison to The Strokes’ ultimately overcooked First Impressions Of Earth would suggest Mr Casablancas might be best advised to let Hammond have greater input next time around. Live, they sound fizzy and vital.

In his trademark figure-hugging waistcoat, white drainpipes and frizzy bonce The Strokes’ coolest dude ambles onstage and greets a shamefully half-empty venue with a sleepy New York drawl. Whether the poor turnout is post-Oxegen blues or bad weather-inspired lazyitis, the huddled acolytes in attendance gaze longingly toward their hero and are treated to an intimate and thrilling set.

Most surprising of all is how rocking his band proves to be. The three guitars add muscle to the spindly, breezy vibes heard on record, giving the whole affair a driving, new-wave cogency. A ripping interpretation of The Cars’ ‘Don’t Cha Stop’ confirms that is exactly where Hammond’s heart resides, while a cover of Frank Black’s ‘Old Black Dawning’ nods to his college rock tendencies.

He may be a less than loquacious frontman, but when the piercing melodies shine through as bright as they do, a polite, post-song “thanks guys” is all the adornment they need. The familiar, needling tones of his nipple-high white strat render ‘Back To The 101’, the greatest Strokes single that never was, is immense, with Hammond’s crisp, craning voice lifting it somewhere beyond the slacker anthem it may have otherwise been. Parting with an unnamed, “half-finished” new song that suggests there’s a wealth of the good stuff in reserve, his Brooklyn bros best make sure this year’s hiatus is just that because Hammond clearly has a decent safety net in place when that party ends.

Photograph by Will Stern