The Strokes have pushed the release of their new album Reality Awaits back by a month, with the long-awaited seventh record now set for July 24. At the same time, the band announced a special hometown concert at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens on October 2.

The date change lands as fans are already tracking the band's next run of shows, and the new Queens date gives New York listeners another reason to watch the calendar. The concert will be The Strokes' first in New York City since 2023, and support comes from Beach House, TV on the Radio and Fcukers.

Reality Awaits has been positioned as the band's first full-length release in six years, so the shift to July 24 resets the timeline for one of their most closely watched returns. The Queens show is being billed as a hometown date in support of the album, tying the release to a city that has long been central to the group's identity.

What makes the timing harder to ignore is that the album moved later even as the live schedule widened. The Strokes have already filled 2026 with stops at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, Outside Lands in San Francisco, Summer Sonic in Tokyo and Osaka, Just Like Heaven in Pasadena, Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, and a fall stretch through London, Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Bologna, Barcelona, Paris, Newcastle, Manchester and Dublin.

Tickets for the Queens show go on artist pre-sale Wednesday, June 17 at 10:00 a.m. EST, before general sales open Thursday, June 18 at 10:00 a.m. EST. Fans can choose from GA, VIP and VVIP tickets, while Queens residents in the 11368, 11355, 11375 and 11367 zip codes will get 20% off GA tickets through August 30, 2026, or until sold out.

For listeners waiting on the record, July 24 is now the date that matters. For New York fans, October 2 is the rare chance to see The Strokes back home before the album arrives on the road.