Julian Casablancas, playing at a secret show with his band The Voidz, performed a karaoke-style rendition of Queen and David Bowie‘s ‘Under Pressure’ alongside Danielle Haim – with the Strokes frontman apparently unable to recall any of the words.

The show was mainly put on for friends and family at the HVW8 Art + Design Gallery in Los Angeles last night (December 14). After The Voidz performed their brand new single ‘Did My Best’, Danielle came out to duet with Casablancas on the Queen and Bowie classic hit. Watch the footage below.


In the clip, the Haim guitarist makes a valiant effort to perform the Freddie Mercury vocal part, albeit with reference to a hastily-searched lyric sheet from her phone. Casablancas took on the Bowie part, but appeared to to only know the vocal melody to the Thin White Duke’s middle eight section.

Reggie Watts was also on stage, to whom Casablancas repeatedly offers the microphone, only for the American comedian and musician to offer a heavy metal take on the vocals.

Casablancas fared somewhat better last month (November 18) when he joined The Raconteurs onstage last night to deliver a special rendition of The Strokes‘ ‘The Modern Age’. Check out fan-shot footage below.

The Jack White-fronted group, who released their long-awaited album ‘Help Us Stranger’ this summer, performed in Mexico City. During the encore, White and co. welcomed Casablancas to the stage as they launched into ‘Is This It’ highlight ‘The Modern Age’.


Towards the end of the energetic performance, Casablancas clambered up onto a speaker stack before bowing down to White. After the song ended, the singer quickly departed the stage to rapturous applause.