Bleachers made their Saturday Night Live debut last night, serving as a last-minute replacement after rapper Roddy Ricch bowed out due to a COVID exposure. The project–which is led by Jack Antonoff, whose former band Steel Train were a 2005 Relix On the Verge subject—-performed two songs from their 2021 studio LP, How Dare You Want More, “How Dare You Want More” and “Chinatown.” With live band members Mikey Freedom Hart and Mike Riddleberger unable to take part in the taping after testing positive to COVID themselves, Antonoff recruited bassist/singer-songwriter Blu DeTiger, guitarist and indie solo act Claud and former Mainland drummer Joey Sulkowski to fill out his group’s lineup. His father “Little Ricky” Antonoff, who studied blues guitar when he was younger, also played guitar on their first selection.

Though the performance marked Bleachers’ first time on SNL, Antonoff performed on the program in 2012 with his band fun. and played piano with Lorde in 2017. For more on Antonoff’s Bleachers project and roots in the jam and punk scenes, please read our recent interview.