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Turnstile made its Saturday Night Live debut as musical guest on an episode hosted by Dakota Johnson, performing “Birds” and an “I CARE”/“DULL” medley. Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance during Johnson’s monologue and returned with a cake during the goodnights.
Turnstile made its Saturday Night Live debut as the musical guest on an episode hosted by Dakota Johnson, performing “Birds” and a medley of “I CARE” and “DULL.” Taylor Swift also appeared during Johnson’s monologue and again during the goodnights, making the episode a notable SNL appearance for the Baltimore hardcore band and a surprise reunion with Johnson’s friend.
Turnstile opened its first performance with a drum solo from Daniel Fang before playing “Birds.” The band then performed the “I CARE”/“DULL” medley in front of a wall of rotary telephones. Stereogum described the group’s playing as strong and noted singer Brendan Yates’ high kicks and spins during the set.
The phone display provided a visual cue during the second performance: the stage lights went dark, leaving one red blinking phone as Yates sang, “Deep in the night, I’m waiting for the call.” The detail connected the staging to the song’s lyric, though the episode report did not provide an explanation from the band about the design.
Johnson’s monologue included jokes about dating musicians, referring to her relationships with Chris Martin and Role Model. She introduced Swift, her friend and co-star in the “Patient Zero” video, as “my literal therapist.” Swift later returned during the goodnights carrying a cake. Stereogum said the cake’s design was difficult to make out; it was not clear whether it referenced Turnstile’s album NEVER ENOUGH.
Turnstile Reaches the SNL Stage
The booking brought a hardcore band to one of American television’s best-known live variety shows, giving Turnstile an audience beyond its touring and alternative-music fan base. Stereogum reported that the group was the first hardcore band to perform on SNL since Fear, whose appearance took place 45 years earlier that month, according to the episode’s promotional material.
The show also put Turnstile’s live presentation in focus: the performances paired a drum-led opening, energetic movement and phone-themed staging. Swift’s appearances added a separate pop-culture moment, but the episode’s musical booking centered on Turnstile’s debut and two performances.
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A Rare Hardcore SNL Booking
Turnstile’s SNL appearance followed wider recognition beyond the hardcore scene. According to Stereogum, the band had been nominated in the rock, alternative and metal categories at a single Grammy ceremony the previous year, and won Best Rock Album and Best Metal Performance.
The comparison with Fear concerns the band’s SNL performance, not every appearance by a hardcore musician on the program. Stereogum noted that Luis Aponte, then the drummer for Jesus Piece, played with Charli XCX on SNL in 2021. Turnstile had also played Austin City Limits Weekend 1 the night before its SNL appearance, before scheduled tour dates and a return to Austin for Weekend 2.
““My literal therapist.””
— Dakota Johnson, introducing Taylor Swift during her monologue
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What the Episode Did Not Confirm
The episode coverage did not establish whether Swift’s cameo was planned in advance or whether her appearance with the cake was intended as a surprise to the band. Stereogum reported that guitarist Pat McCrory appeared startled when Swift came out during the goodnights, but that observation does not confirm what he expected.
The cake’s design was also unclear, and no direct comment from Turnstile or Swift about the appearance was included in the source report. The “first hardcore band since Fear” description was attributed to the episode promos; it should not be read as a claim that no hardcore musician has appeared on SNL in any capacity since then.
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Turnstile Returns to the Road
Turnstile’s next scheduled commitments were three tour stops on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a return to Austin for Austin City Limits Weekend 2, according to Stereogum. The report did not specify the venues or set lists for those dates.
For now, the SNL episode stands as the band’s television debut on the program. No further SNL appearances or additional details about Swift’s cameo were announced in the source report.
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Key Questions
What did Turnstile perform on SNL?
Turnstile played “Birds” and a medley of “I CARE” and “DULL.” The “Birds” performance opened with a drum solo by Daniel Fang.
Why was this Turnstile appearance notable?
It was the band’s Saturday Night Live debut. Stereogum said the episode’s promotional material described Turnstile as the first hardcore band to play the show since Fear, whose performance was 45 years earlier that month.
What did Taylor Swift do on the episode?
Swift appeared during Dakota Johnson’s monologue, where Johnson introduced her as “my literal therapist.” Swift also came out during the goodnights with a cake.
Was the cake made to look like Turnstile’s NEVER ENOUGH album?
That was not confirmed. The report said it was hard to tell whether the cake referenced Turnstile’s NEVER ENOUGH.
What was Turnstile scheduled to do after SNL?
The band had three tour dates scheduled for Monday through Wednesday, then was due back in Austin for ACL Weekend 2. The source report did not list the venues.
Source: rss
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