Turnstile performed their Saturday Night Live debut this weekend, becoming the first hardcore band to appear on the late-night sketch comedy show in 45 years. The band performed “BIRDS,” with drummer Daniel Fang opening with a drum solo, followed by a medley of “I CARE”/”DULL” staged in front of a wall of phones with an accompanying light show.
SNL’s historical aversion to hardcore stems from FEAR’s 1981 performance, which featured slam dancers including Ian MacKaye and Harley Flanagan. The four-song set caused $20,000 in damage to NBC Studios at Rockefeller Center, establishing a four-decade reluctance to book hardcore acts. Other notable SNL incidents include The Replacements’ 1986 drunken performance, which resulted in a lifetime ban, and Elvis Costello’s 1977 appearance, when he stopped mid-song to play “Radio, Radio” against label and network wishes.
Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance on the episode, presenting host Dakota Johnson with a birthday cake.
Turnstile 2026 Tour Dates:
- October 5 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Zoo Amphitheatre
- October 6 – Lawrence, KS @ The University of Kansas on The Hill
- October 7 – St. Louis, MO @ Arsenal BG Ballpark
- October 9 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
- October 11 – Arcosanti, AZ @ FORM Arcosanti
- October 14 – Ventura, CA @ Ventura County Fairgrounds
- October 15 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Amp at Craig Ranch Regional Park
- October 18 – Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory Festival Grounds
- November 14–15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Dodger Stadium – Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival
See Turnstile live
Upcoming Turnstile events with tickets available:
- Oct 5, 2026 — The Criterion – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Get tickets
- Oct 6, 2026 — University of Kansas – On The Hill, Lawrence, Kansas · Get tickets
- Oct 7, 2026 — Arsenal BG Ballpark, East St. Louis, Illinois · Get tickets
- Oct 15, 2026 — Amphitheater At Craig Ranch Regional Park, North Las Vegas, Nevada · Get tickets
- Oct 18, 2026 — The Observatory Grounds – Santa Ana, Santa Ana, California · Get tickets
Tickets are sold by GetUrTix. Code GTIX20 takes 20% off the ticket price at checkout — no minimum, no expiry.
Source: Consequence
