Late Night Performances
Ben Folds Serenades a Sucky Year with “2020” Performance on Colbert: Watch
At this point in 2020, it’s hard to even glance at any information source without deepening this sustained sense of despair. Imagine what it’s like for someone like Stephen Colbert, who has to actually put a smile on and joke about this dumpster fire of a year every night. Yet power to him, the late-night host continues on cheerily, even when a musical guest like Ben Folds comes on to remind him of how crappy everything is with a performance of “2020”. Folds delivered a #PlayAtHome performance of his new single on Thursday night’s Late Show. Colbert introduced the waltz by saying it “really captures the spirit of the moment” before the piano pop master took over from his (shockingly white) office. Sitting behind his keyboard, Folds asked, “How many years will we cram into one?” while ...
My Morning Jacket Perform “Spinning My Wheels” on Fallon: Watch
It’s been less than a week since My Morning Jacket dropped their excellent new album, The Waterfall II. On Wednesday night, the band celebrated the record’s release with a quarantine performance of “Spinning My Wheels” on The Tonight Show. Album opener “Spinning My Wheels” is sensual and introspective. It relies on piano and slide guitar flourishes to provide a backdrop of beauty for the ennui of the lyrics. For the first live performance behind the LP, frontman Jim James selected what seems to be a teal peacoat, and he arranged his flowing hair and beard into a lion’s mane around his head. Filming took place with a red curtain directly behind James, and blank walls on either side. This allowed the camera cuts to provide visual interest, without requiring the band to do anything other...
The Chicks Perform “March March”, Talk Dropping “Dixie” on Colbert: Watch
When the pandemic hit and lockdown was initiated, Stephen Colbert was forced to abandon the iconic Ed Sullivan Theater. His last guests scheduled to appear at the New York City landmark were the then-named Dixie Chicks, but they were understandably bumped in favor of CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta. On Thursday night, the group now called just The Chicks were finally able to make up that missed appearance on The Late Show with a remote performance of “March March” and a discussion about their new moniker. Asked why they’d chosen now to drop “Dixie” from their name, lead singer Natalie Maines said a change was always in the works. “Well, it’s because of everything that’s going on in the world. It was about time; we’ve wanted to change it for a long time, actually,” she explaine...
BLACKPINK Perform Record-Smashing New Single “How You Like That” on Fallon: Watch
Hours after unveiling their new single to the masses, the K-pop phenoms BLACKPINK performed it live for the first time on Friday night’s The Tonight Show. Appearing remotely via a soundstage, and accompanied by a troupe of backing dancer, BLACKPINK delivered “How You Like That” with the energy and choreography you’ve come to expect from the K-pop group. Catch the replay below. In the first 24 hours of its release, “How You Like That” set a number of world records. Most notably, the single was viewed 82.4 million times on YouTube, smashing the single day record previously held by BTS’ “Boy With Luv” (74.6 million). Additionally, a total of 1.65 million people tuned in to watch the video’s live premiere on Friday, topping BTS’ previous record of 1.54 million. As of publication, “How You...
Bright Eyes Play “Mariana Trench” on Colbert: Watch
On Monday night, Bright Eyes delivered their first performance together in nearly a decade. The Conor Oberst-led group appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert to perform their new song “Mariana Trench”. The beloved indie outfit went on hiatus after 2011’s The People’s Key, with Oberst embarking on a solo career and eventually launching Better Oblivion Community Center with Phoebe Bridgers. Now, Bright Eyes are back, and it’s great to see Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott all in one place — even with the corona-conscious social distancing. For their performance of “Mariana Trench”, Bright Eyes eschewed split-screen and other quarantine camera tricks, keeping the presentation simple. The band members were dressed down, joined by backup singers Lucius in their bright ...
Christine and the Queens Performs “I Disappear in Your Arms” on Fallon: Watch
Christine and the Queens stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday night to play “I Disappear in Your Arms”, a bonus track off this year’s La Vita Nuova EP. Héloïse Letissier, the artist behind the moniker, used the opportunity to turn the song into an emotionally moving performance in the middle of an empty venue — a stark reminder of all the concerts the coronavirus pandemic has canceled. In the live performance, Letissier belts out the lyrics to “I Disappear in Your Arms” while the booming synth percussion from the Christine and the Queens track echoes behind her. She finds herself standing in a shadow-laded venue, completely alone, while dolled up in a frilly white blouse. That’s when she begins pacing around the empty room, locking eyes with the camera, before she co...
Grace Potter Performs “Eachother” with Jackson Browne, Marcus King, and Lucius on Colbert: Watch
Last month, Grace Potter released “Eachother”, featuring soaring vocals from Jackson Browne, Marcus King, and the gals of Lucius. On Friday, Potter re-assembled that superstar ensemble for a social-distance performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “Eachother” is an uplifting ballad for the time of coronavirus, with imagery of empty streets, bare shelves, and neighbors who talk, “but we don’t get too close.” The first time that all the voices join together in bewitching harmony, it’s like a streak of sunlight bursting through the clouds. Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius blend their tones unselfishly, while Marcus King steals the show with his smoky, searing tenor. Jackson Browne, fully recovered from COVID-19, grounds the proceedings with his bluesy lower register. Grace Pot...
Brian Wilson Performs “God Only Knows” and “Love and Mercy” on Colbert: Watch
Brian Wilson popped up on Thursday night’s episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The Beach Boys singer-songwriter performed two of his most timeless ballads — “God Only Knows” and “Love and Mercy” — remotely from his grand piano. “Hi, this is Brian Wilson everyone,” the old bard announced over his keys. “I just want you guys to know that we’re all in this together.” From there, he dove right into the crescent waves of his veteran falsetto — as angelic as ever. Watch the replay below. Don’t forget: On June 19th, Wilson and legendary songwriter and arranger Van Dyke Parks are reissuing their first collaborative album, 1995’s Orange Crate Art. So, if you’re looking for some rays, well, there you go. In related news, his embarrassment of a cousin Mike Love recently...
Lil Nas X, Kacey Musgraves Sing Classic Sesame Street Songs on The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo: Watch
With the launch of HBO Max on Wednesday, the streamer debuted a number of new original series. Among them is the children’s answer to late night comedy programming, The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo. Just like the Jimmy Fallons and Stephen Colberts of the world, the Muppet’s new show features musical guests, and the first three episodes see Lil Nas X, Kacey Musgraves, and The Jonas Brothers stopping by Sesame Street. Each popular superstar tackle a different song from Sesame Street’s vast repertoire of kids’ classics. Lil Nas X actually gets to “la la la” right alongside Elmo for a smooth hip-hop take on “Elmo’s Song”, even switching up the lyrics at the end to “Lil Nas X’s song.” Musgraves, meanwhile, holds the stage alone backed by nothing but bubbles to sing an acoustic version of “Rubber...
Courtney Barnett Performs “Sunday Roast” Remotely on Fallon: Watch
Courtney Barnett had been scheduled to embark on a European tour with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds this month. Instead, she’s stuck at home like the rest of us, keeping connected with her fans via video. Previously, the Australian indie rocker participated in a livestream supporting Oxfam alongside Sharon Van Ettern and Sheryl Crow, and in Australia’s “Music From the Home Front” benefit with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker and DMA’s. And last night, Barnett dialed into The Tonight Show to deliver a special acoustic performance of “Sunday Roast” from her 2018 LP, Tell Me How You Really Feel. Catch the replay below. Late last year, Barnett released a surprise MTV Australia Unplugged live album, as well as a cover of Loose Tooth’s “Keep On”. [embedded content] You Deserve to Make Money Even When ...
HAIM Perform “Don’t Wanna” from Quarantine on Corden: Watch
HAIM Zoomed into The Late Late Show on Thursday night to have a chat with James Corden and perform their new single, “Don’t Wanna”. After awkwardly fawning over the siblings while staring at both his computer and his cellphone, Corden asked the trio who was the worst at handling isolation. Este admitted it was probably her, as she’s gone a little crazy “during Quar.” (And we all shudder together at the “hip” abbreviation.) Apparently, she’s turned a pair of exercise balls into Cast Away-like friends named Ilana and Dunkiel, complete with wigs. Once the brief interview was over, HAIM sat crosslegged on their respective floors or beds to deliever their-first ever performance of “Don’t Wanna”. Much like they did when they played “I Know Alone” on Colbert last month, they e...
Wilco Debut New Song “Tell Your Friends” on Colbert: Watch
Wilco fans were treated to a brand new song during Wednesday night’s edition of the Late Show with Stephn Colbert. Each of the band’s members appeared virtually from their respective homes and were joined by their families for the premiere of “Tell Your Friends”. “We miss each other. So we wrote a song about it to sing with each other, to sing to each other,” Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy said in a statement. Proceeds from the song’s digital download, available now on Bandcamp, will benefit the World Central Kitchen, a not-for-profit and non-governmental organization providing meals to underprivileged communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with “Tell Your Friends”, Tweedy also delivered a solo acoustic rendition of Wilco’s classic track “Jesus Etc”. Replay both performances below. Wilco rel...
