By: Erin St. Denis
On Friday Feb. 14, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert was live streamed on Peacock from Radio City Music Hall. The three-hour-long show celebrated Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary with powerful music performances and unexpected collaborations.
Friday's concert acted as a way to get viewers engaged for the Sunday Feb. 16 special where SNL’s sketch comedy was celebrated. The concert opened with a vibrant set from the host of the night, Jimmy Fallon, who got his start in comedy as an SNL cast member from 1998-2004. He was singing and dancing while accompanied by The Roots who played instrumentals. The Roots went on to accompany nearly every musical performance of the night. The camera panned to the audience during Fallon's performance to reveal the crowd that was full of previous SNL cast members and guests each there to celebrate the following performers.
The first set came from Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard who covered “This Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen. In the following Sunday’s SNL50 sketch episode, Cyrus and Howard performed “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Prince but famously covered by Sinead O'Connor. This song choice surprised me as SNL and O'Connor have a bumpy history. While a musical guest on the show, O’Connor unexpectedly used her set as an act of protest against experienced religious abuse. SNL went on to ban her from the show but continuously poked fun at her in future sketches. It seems that with Cyrus and Howard's performance, SNL may be tipping their hat to O'Connor and admitting their faults in the situation.
Back at Friday’s concert, Cyrus performed her recent single, “Flowers." She called out the crowd asking, "Are you all going to do the Grammys thing where you're famous and don't sing along?" That seemed to work as later on when cameras panned to the audience, most of the celebrities watching were up on their feet singing and dancing. She took quick breaks from singing to call out some of her favorites in the crowd like Paul Rudd and Adam Sandler. Not only did these remarks add some fun to the performance, but they also proved that she wasn’t lip-syncing.
Bad Bunny showcased two very fun songs of his called “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” and “DtMF”. Bad Bunny’s performance greatly highlighted Caribbean music and its deserved place in mainstream music.
Switching genres, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam then performed “The Waiting” by Tom Petty. He also referenced Elvis Costello’s 1977 SNL performance where Costello began playing one song before stopping very abruptly and switching to a different one. Vedder recreated this scene Friday night before diving into a cover of Pearl Jam’s “Corduroy”.
Next, the B-52's illuminated the stage with “Love Shack,” one of my all-time favorite songs. The bands voices sounded no different than on the recording version, which is something not many artists, especially those performing the song 40 years after its release can say. Member Kate Pierson caught my eye with her color coordinated outfit of a sequined red dress, dyed red hair, red peace sign earrings, and fun gold accents. I adore that through their older years, the B-52's still embrace the energy and fun that comes with the creative process. Two current SNL cast members, Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman, made an appearance on stage mid song. The camera at one point turned to the drummer, who happened to be Fred Armisen, a very celebrated SNL alum. SNL consistently makes an effort to blend newer and older generations of artists whether it be in their skits or in musical performances, and seeing it on stage with this group was super fun.
Backstreets back! The Backstreet Boys graced the stage next with a performance of “I Want It That Way.” As the camera panned to the crowd, you could immediately see excitement and nostalgia hit them. Member Brian Littrell eventually made his way into the crowd mid performance and got Jerry Seinfeld to sing a couple of lines. I appreciated how many sets sprinkled in brief audience engagement like this.
The band Devo then took the stage with Fred Armisen on drums again. The sets backdrop was an image of a checkerboard tunnel that mimicked a typical optical illusion. The band was cluttered in one area of the stage, and they were all wearing bright yellow jumpsuits that fell apart throughout the song. Along with their new wave sound, this set design showcases their legacy of pushing against the norm and encouraging uniqueness in the music world.
Following Devo, Lady Gaga began “Shallow” on the piano. The camera then turned to comedian Andy Samberg who began singing Bradley Cooper's part before they went on to perform a song from a past skit. Gaga left and Samberg was joined by Chris Parnell where they did a hilarious mix-up of a song from a previous SNL skit and “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar all while accompanied by dancing cupcakes.
Bad Bunny along with a few other artists topped it off with an opera rendition of songs from previous sketches. Later, SNL icon Will Ferrell joined the stage with Ana Gasteyer who combine comedy with music in a medley of modern songs including “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan and “CATFISH” by Doechii. I love that skits were included within musical performances this night. It is the perfect blend of what SNL episodes consist of.
Legend Lauryn Hill began her performance with a short film. She was then joined on stage by Wyclef Jean who took control of the crowd telling them to put their hands up throughout the song. Hill then dove into a rendition of “Killing Me Softly with His Song” before leaving the crowd in awe. After Hill, Jelly Roll honored Johnny Cash in his performance as he sung “I Walk the Line” before joining Snoop Dogg in “Last Dance with Mary Jane.”
Brandi Carlile slowed the night down with a powerful acoustic set of her song “The Joke.” Mumford and Sons picked the room back up with their lively song “I Will Wait” before bringing out musician Jerry Douglas to slow things down again. In their second set, Mumford and Sons sang “The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel, likely making a nod to member Paul Simon.
Simon opened Sunday's SNL50 skit episode singing “Homeward Bound” with Sabrina Carpenter. Their distinct voices beautifully melted together in the duet and I highly encourage you to check it out.
David Byrne of Talking Heads and St. Vincent came together for a colorful performance. The stage was full of pink and red, making a nod to the holiday that the event happened to fall on. After their performance, Bonnie Raitt sang two love songs, again embracing the date being Valentine's Day. Later in the show, Byrne joined Swedish singer Robyn to sing her song “Dancing on my Own.” The pair matched in oversized suits while they danced around the stage. Then, Byrne and Robyn sang “This Must be the Place” by the Talking Heads. The duo was coordinated on subtle movements throughout the song, adding a uniqueness to the visual performance. This pairs vibrant set worked to bring up the energy of the room before the final performances of the night were delivered.
Post Malone and Nirvana merged sounds with Adam Sandler introducing their set as “Post Nirvana”. The bands surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear were accompanied by Malone’s vocals on “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Of course, Grohl's drumming was out of this world and Post Malone's vocals rocked the stage. This marks Nirvana’s second recent reunion, sparking hopes in fans of a reunion tour. Following his shift from rap to country, Malone proved himself yet again as a pro in many different genres. After hearing those vocals, I’m hoping for a Post Malone rock album in the future.
Cher started to finish the night off with “If I Could Turn Back Time.” The crowd erupted as her name was announced and by the end of the song, everyone in that room was on their feet.
Lady Gaga returned to the stage for a solo version of “Shallow.” Her strong voice accompanied by the softness of a piano provided a haunting performance. Lady Gaga is making her way back into mainstream pop with new releases like “Abracadabra” and “Die with a Smile.” This year, her appearance in award shows or events like this one has greatly increased and she is even headlining Coachella this year. Gaga was an icon of the 2010’s, and I am so glad to see that continue into the 2020’s as well.
Last but not least, Jack White of The White Stripes finished off the night with “Rockin' in the Free World” and “Seven Nation Army.” White rocked the room with heavy instrumentals and a bold voice. “Seven Nation Army” opened with that all too familiar bassline and as the drums picked up, you could feel the energy of passionate rock and roll through the TV. At one point, he pointed the microphone to the crowd, asking them to sing. White ended the night with an obvious and contagious appreciation for music that reminded viewers what the night stands to celebrate.
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert was filled with iconic names and even more iconic performances. One of my favorite recurring moments from the night was whenever the singers pointed the microphone to the audience and encouraged them to sing along. Seeing authenticity in celebrities like that was so fun as a viewer. The remarkable blend of genres on this night is not to be ignored either. In a time where country music is expanding, pop music is having a resurgence, and rock legends are mentoring young stars, SNL is embracing community within the music industry and honoring all types of music and artists. To view the rest of these performances, head to Peacock and stream the concert as well as the sketch special.
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