Turnstile have taken hardcore back to Saturday Night Live for the first time in 45 years, making their debut on the US institution with three tracks from NEVER ENOUGH.
The Baltimore band appeared as musical guests on the October 3rd episode, hosted by Dakota Johnson, kicking off with “BIRDS” before returning later in the night for a medley of “I CARE” and “DULL” (Per Billboard).
It made Turnstile the first hardcore band to perform on SNL since Fear’s notoriously chaotic appearance in 1981, a fitting bit of history for a group whose last few years have seen them continually push into spaces hardcore bands rarely reach.
Johnson had even leaned into the booking during the week’s promos, joking that she was ready to start a “wall of death” for Turnstile.
The booking was big enough to force a change to their touring schedule. Turnstile were originally due to play The Criterion in Oklahoma City on October 3rd, with the show moved to Monday, October 5th to make room for the New York appearance.
Their SNL debut lands in the middle of another huge year for the band.
Released last June, fourth album NEVER ENOUGH followed 2021 breakthrough GLOW ON and went on to become the band’s biggest record yet. It also delivered major recognition at the 2026 Grammy Awards, with NEVER ENOUGH winning Best Rock Album and “BIRDS” taking out Best Metal Performance.
Turnstile were also nominated in the rock and alternative fields at the same ceremony.
The band expanded the album again in August with NEVER ENOUGH: VERSIONS, a 22 track reinterpretation featuring collaborators including Elton John, Hayley Williams, Slayyyter, Julien Baker, Four Tet, Blood Orange, Faye Webster and Alex G.
For all the crossover success surrounding them, the SNL performance didn’t involve sanding down Turnstile for television. “BIRDS” arrived with the intensity expected from one of their own shows, while the “I CARE” and “DULL” pairing gave one of mainstream American television’s longest-running stages a concentrated dose of the band’s current era.
Turnstile now head straight back on tour, beginning with the rescheduled Oklahoma City show on October 5th.
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