Turnstile took over SNL this weekend and closed a chapter of show history that’s been open since 1981. The band opened with“BIRDS,”powered by a Daniel Fang drum solo that had no business going that hard on network TV, then returned with a medley of“I CARE”/”DULL”backed by a wall of phone lights and a full production setup. It was the first time a hardcore band had played SNL in 45 years, a stat SNL’s own Ben Marshall pointed out.
The reason for that gap goes back to FEAR’s infamous 1981 set, which caused $20,000 in damage and made the show wary of hardcore for decades. The Replacements’1986 ban and Elvis Costello’s 1977 switch to“Radio, Radio”only deepened the legend. Turnstile even joked in their promo that they’d keep the studio intact. They kept their word.
The same episode delivered a surprise Taylor Swift moment, with Swift presenting Dakota Johnson with a birthday cake. Turnstile’s tour continues with an October 5th stop at The Zoo Amphitheatre in Oklahoma City. What’s the one band you’d love to see get a long-overdue SNL debut?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.