Best or Worst (or whatever) SNL Music Performers

[SinceThe70s]

Just read an article about 50 years of Saturday Night Live musical performances and the ones that stuck out for me the most weren't mentioned. What were your most memorable?  I'll start with Devo

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvqnC5GRcvw

 

Edited February 15 by SinceThe70s

[PastaJoe]

Bruce Springsteen 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

 

[Wacka]

Remember seeing it live in an "altered " state. We went "did ne just stop the song?"

[Wacka]

11 hours ago, SinceThe70s said:

Just read an article about 50 years of Saturday Night Live musical performances and the ones that stuck out for me the most weren't mentioned. What were your most memorable?  I'll start with Devo

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvqnC5GRcvw

 

Wasn't that song but they played a video that had someone in a baby mask in a large playpen sticking a fork in a toaster. Was altered then too.

Edited February 15 by Wacka

[Wacka]

Or wren Frank Zappa was on. He did Conehead sketch where it as so obvious he was reading off of cue cards. He ssang "I am the slime" while they had slime coming out from the top of the monitors on the stage.

Edited February 15 by Wacka

[muppy]

oh my gosh. Back in the day when SNL was in his hey dey we used to wait until it had aired before hitting the clubs. Showing up fashionably late  in Erie county when the bars are open until 4am was not that uncommon.

 

But I have fallen off from watching it. I have a funny anecdotal story about one specific episode. Basically my sons neighbor and friend Darius Christian played on an episode. I'll post it. Of all people the star of the evening was Elon Musk. The artist was Miley Cyrus.

 

He is the trombone player playing backup in her band that night. He was an interesting guy. LOVES cats. lol anyway. to answer the OP I'd need to research and be refreshed memory

 

 

https://www.dariuschristian.com/

[SinceThe70s]

10 minutes ago, Wacka said:

Or the Frank Zappa was on. He did Bonehead sketch where it as so obvious he was reading off of cue cards. H esang "I am the slime" while they had slime coming out from the top of the monitors on the stage.

 

I saw that after the fact. As I recall the performance included Don Pardo and for sure the slime coming out of the TV monitors. As a huge Zappa and SNL fan that's one I wished I'd have seen live.

[muppy]

"performers" as in actors or musical artists. Of course I thought music. I love this band and this was their early stuff. You can tell because Billy has hair lol

 

 

 

as far as actors I'm also old school. Dan Aykroyd was my fav.

[SinceThe70s]

15 minutes ago, muppy said:

oh my gosh. Back in the day when SNL was in his hey dey we used to wait until it had aired before hitting the clubs. Showing up fashionably late  in Erie county when the bars are open until 4am was not that uncommon.

 

But I have fallen off from watching it. I have a funny anecdotal story about one specific episode. Basically my sons neighbor and friend Darius Christian played on an episode. I'll post it. Of all people the star of the evening was Elon Musk. The artist was Miley Cyrus.

 

He is the trombone player playing backup in her band that night. He was an interesting guy. LOVES cats. lol anyway. to answer the OP I'd need to research and be refreshed memory

 

https://www.dariuschristian.com/

 

SNL was must-see TV when I was growing up, but I think it ran from 11:30 PM - 1:00 AM EST so  maybe a different perspective if you were on the left coast.  In general, once I hit clubbing age I stopped watching SNL  

 

On topic - and I'm 100% cool with sidebars - another one I liked was Pure Massacre by Silverchair. Can't find a link, SNL seems very protective of it's content  

 

 

[PastaJoe]

 

[Rico]

“Rocking In The Free World” - Neil Young

 

/thread

[BillsPride12]

13 hours ago, muppy said:

"performers" as in actors or musical artists. Of course I thought music. I love this band and this was their early stuff. You can tell because Billy has hair lol

 

 

 

as far as actors I'm also old school. Dan Aykroyd was my fav.

Their early stuff was phenomenal...that entire concert in on YouTube and sooooo good  

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Rage Against the Machine.  They only got to play one song before they were banned, but the Bulls On Parade was an epic performance.  Steve Forbes was the guest host.  😂 

[K D]

The worst is anybody since I've become middle aged. "Who's that?" is what I'm usually asking. I don't know if it's a me problem but I just don't enjoy any of the current musicians. The rappers for instance don't even try and rhyme anymore, they just mumble. I guess that's what the kids are into.

[US Egg]

Rolling Stones ‘78 performance was awful.

[Doc]

I remember seeing "Florence and the Machine" and thinking "who cancelled at the last minute?"

[Sweats]

When i was younger, the first time i was ever turned on to David Bowie was his performance on SNL......that performance was revolutionary and innovative for its time and still stands out as one of SNL's best shows.

 

There was even a little controversy as he took the stage as an androgynous Ziggy Stardust. Lorne Michaels had asked him to "tone it down" before the show and Bowie took it as a challenge and hit the stage even more ambiguous than ever.

[ChevyVanMiller]

The Band performing the Ray Charles classic was a great moment. 

 

 

 

[UConn James]

On 2/15/2025 at 10:52 AM, PastaJoe said:

 

They did “Homeward Bound” and “Here Comes the Sun” and it was fantastic. All four of the Beatles coincidentally happened to be in NYC that night. This was the night that Lorne offered $1M if all four showed up to reunite and play. Only George came — a testament to his willingness to put aside whatever arguments and just play and be together. They didn’t need the money. Anyway, after George showed up, Lorne & Paul Simon did a short improv scene in the backstage where Paul acted as if he were upset that he was being upstaged. Funny stuff. I’m not sure if they knew each other prior, but they laughed and got along famously and Paul & George duetted together. It was a really beautiful moment of two giants sitting down and making music. Their harmonies / backgrounds are wonderful without having much or any prep time.

 

On 2/16/2025 at 12:08 PM, Doc said:

I remember seeing "Florence and the Machine" and thinking "who cancelled at the last minute?"

Was this the one with Jason Segal (? from How I Met Your Mother) as the host? Florence’s voice was pretty shaky to start on “Shake it Out” as it seems nerves got to her. Improved as she went on. But, I dunno. I liked how emulated the lyrics of the song, to keep on going through a rough patch. Downloaded it to my library and it was a bit anthemic for me through a rough patch of my own.