'SNL50' concert blitzes New York with Cher, Lady Gaga, Nirvana in musical celebration
NEW YORK – If you’re going to throw a musical party to celebrate a half-century of existence, why not enlist Lady Gaga? And Cher. And Ms. Lauryn Hill. And Jack White. And Miley Cyrus. And Backstreet Boys. And so very many more stars.
Such was the wealth of talent that paraded into Radio City Music Hall Friday night for “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” a nearly 3½-hour extravaganza that played to, as host Jimmy Fallon cracked, “thousands here (in New York) and hundreds at home.” That would be on Peacock, which streamed the concert commemorating five decades of “Saturday Night Live,” well, live.
Outside the venerated venue, fans lined the surrounding blocks, screaming at every black SUV that stopped to deliver another star (Amy Schumer was greeted with cheers).
The packed theater of about 6,000 included “SNL” legends (Chevy Chase, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler) and a sleigh full of celebrities, some with ties to the show (Paul Rudd, Jon Hamm, Tom Hanks, Martin Short, Meryl Streep) and some there for the entertainment (Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano).
The musical marathon raced through genres from rock, reggaeton, hip-hop, country and pop thanks to Arcade Fire, Bad Bunny, Snoop Dogg, Jelly Roll and Robyn.
Though occasionally imbued with a ramshackle spirit – as is the “SNL” way – the show also recalled some of its most enduring nonperformance musical entries in the pop culture encyclopedia.
Bill Murray returned as “Nick Valentine,” the ruffle-shirted lounge singer, accompanied by Paul Shaffer and a trio of the show's most musically gifted cast members (Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph and Cecily Strong) singing “You’re All I Need to Get By." Plus, Rudolph teamed with Fred Armisen for their spot-on impersonations of Beyoncé and Prince.
But the most welcome homecomings were Andy Samberg and a needling Lady Gaga jousting on faux-boy-band masterpiece “D--- in a Box” and Gasteyer and Will Ferrell resurrecting puritanical music teachers Bobbi and Marty Culp. The endearing couple shared their special renditions of Sam Smith’s “Unholy,” Cardi B’s “WAP,” and most brilliantly, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” stretching out the “A minor” line with exaggerated, innocent glee.
The blitz of performances rotated among three stages: a central one boasting the impressively chameleonic Roots, who backed the majority of performers; and two small stages crafted to mimic the arced train station entries as seen on the “SNL” set.
As for the performances, here are some highlights:
Eddie Vedder, ‘The Waiting’
A few artists opted to pay tribute to deceased musicians who had performed on “SNL,” and Vedder was the first to conjure an homage. He credibly inhabited Tom Petty’s distinctive nasal tone on “The Waiting,” but it was his remembrance of show cast members who have died – Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley and John Belushi among them – that resonated.
Backstreet Boys, ‘I Want it That Way’
If the response to the fivesome stepping out of stage doors and onto the set is an indicator, expect to see their newly announced Sphere residency continue far beyond this summer. In their black outfits tailored to suit their personalities – a cowboy hat for AJ McLean, backward baseball cap for Brian Littrell, trench coat for Kevin Richardson, leather-ish jacket for Nick Carter and streamlined look for Howie Dorough – the guys barely had to nudge before a full singalong of “I Want it That Way” erupted.
Brandi Carlile, ‘The Joke’
Following a personalized (and, of course, hilarious) introduction from Kate McKinnon, Carlile and her band strummed the recognizable chords of “The Joke” amid sparkly aqua lighting. This is Carlile’s most potent song and her visceral vocals complemented by the background sounds of SistaStrings, brought pathos to the show. Her final note elicited a deserved roar from the crowd as Carlile humbly smiled.
Mumford & Sons, ‘The Boxer’
Following a rollicking performance of “I Will Wait,” the band welcomed veteran lap steel guitarist Jerry Douglas to join them on a reverent rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” The very New York song has a history with the show: Simon & Garfunkel played the ballad on the third episode of “SNL” and Simon chose it to open the show’s return after 9/11 in 2001. Marcus Mumford and the band captured its smoky beauty with grace.
Bonnie Raitt and Chris Martin, ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’
This unusual but inspired pair turned the lights down low for the song Raitt dedicated to “anyone with a hurting heart.” Over Martin’s delicate playing, her aching rasp resonated to the rafters, a melancholy shudder that still sounded comforting. As they exited the stage, Martin wrapped Raitt in a warm embrace.
Nirvana and Post Malone, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’
Even though Nirvana reunited a couple of weeks ago at the FireAid benefit concert in Los Angeles with gutsy female rockers handling lead vocals, it was still smile-worthy to hear them introduced as Post Nirvana. Yes, that would be Post Malone, who convincingly simulated Kurt Cobain’s phlegmy yowls, rocking the mic as Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Krist Novoselic thrashed and crashed around him.
Cher, ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’
We would really like to see any other 78-year-old don mesh tights and a high-cut leotard, stutter step across a stage and belt an anthem with the same cheeky confidence as when it was recorded more than 35 years ago. Go ahead, we’re waiting. That’s what we thought. There is only one Cher. End of discussion.
Lady Gaga, ‘Shallow’
As soon as this sleek award-winning ballad begins, audience members start craning their necks to see which male singer or actor might stroll out for Bradley Cooper's part. Lady Gaga demonstrated, yet again, she is perfectly capable of a heavy lift all by herself. In her black gown and headdress, Gaga played her black baby grand piano, her stunning voice ringing pure. As she exited the stage, she quickly touched hands with nearly every audience member situated in the pits flanking the main stage, a star until the end.