Each good show has its own distinct flavor. The best shows happen though, when there is either an exquisite level of artistry which astounds the senses, or when the artist simply exhilarates the audience with their performance. In some cases, an artist can have both– an electrifying performance mixed with music that is truly gorgeous. The Strokes proved itself to be one of those artists who can not only produce an extraordinary sound, but also rock the pants off their crowd, at Cornell on Sept. 17.

It should come as no surprise that the Strokes are able to pull off this feat– one of the factors behind the brilliance of their music is their intensity. One would assume that this intensity would also shine through in their live performance. And it does.

The audience can see the music in their faces, can see it with every touch of the instrument. Singer Julian Casablancas’ voice rings with this passion. He screams with an honesty, which helps separate the Strokes from other mediocre bands, such as the opener, Call for Chaos.

Call for Chaos is a manifestation of the “scream cause I’m so angry” genre that had its heyday a couple years back. Their performance was meager at best– they did not come across as anything more than the stereotype of their genre. None of their songs seemed to be even somewhat intriguing; it was easy to lump them all together as one song. The audience did not hide their dislike at all for this weak and grating screaming with their booing of the band.

Another element of a Strokes show that makes them so popular is that the music is fun. It is music that the audience can and does dance to. While the show did start off somewhat slowly with “Ize of the World,” from their album “First Impressions of Earth,” the Strokes quickly picked things up so that the crowd was rocking out…. in that indie sort of way. They maintained their upbeat tempo throughout most of the show, leaving the audience dancing with “Take It or Leave It,” one of their “classics.”

Their approximate hour and a half set was mostly comprised of songs off “First Impressions of Earth,” their third and latest album, and “Is This It?” their first album. They also performed a cover of “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed. Surprisingly enough, the cover suited the band well. Their version kept the basic elements of the original, but they added their own edge to it. As Casablancas mused during the show, “I guess this is as close as we get to jamming.”

Additionally, this is a band that knows what it means to be professional. When they perform there is no question about their level of skill. They know their shit, no ifs, ands or buts about it. There is simply not going to be any technical mishaps, such as the drum debacle during the set of Call to Chaos.

But, what truly sets the Strokes apart from other “hip” bands is their fervor. It is this fervor which quivers with every note they make. It is this fervor which is projected to the crowd, a feeling that they can then share with the band. That is what makes a Strokes show so incredible– that for an hour or so the audience can be a part of that intensity… as long as they don’t mind giving up some personal space.