Saturday Night Live was back this week with host Paul Rudd for the NBC staple’s Christmas episode, but with a scaled back cast and crew, no musical guest and no studio audience, due to concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Recorded earlier in the evening, a departure from the typical live taping, SNL adjusted and made the most of the situation, with a blend of fresh and classic holiday sketches. The cast was limited to Kenan Thompson and Michael Che, and only two members of the Saturday Night Live Band on hand – Lenny Pickett (sax) and Tuffus Zimbabwe (piano).
The show began with an atypical intro, Tom Hanks walking out to introduce host Paul Rudd, and no cast montage to begin the episode. Rudd kept things light and soldiered on in his fifth appearance as a host, joining the Five Timers Club in the process, thanks to special guests and fellow club members Hanks and Fey.
Earlier Saturday afternoon, Saturday Night Live announced the changes for this week’s episode, which included Fey filling in for Colin Jost on Weekend Update. This brought Fey back to the Update desk, despite there being no actual desk due to a limited crew for this episode’s taping. Jost, along with Aristotle Athari, and Sarah Sherman had reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
The musical guest for the evening was slated to be Charli XCX, but shortly after the official word from SNL, Charli tweeted “Due to the limited crew at tonight’s taping of SNL my musical performance will no longer be able to go ahead. I am devastated and heartbroken. I am currently safe and healthy but of course very sad. Please look after yourselves out there,” along with a follow up clearing any confusion that she did not cancel or pull out of the show. Although Charli did not perform, she did take part in the digital short “Christmas Socks,” a take on “The Christmas Shoes,” as a bird named TJ Rocks.
Classic holiday sketches like “Dick in a Box” and “Christmastime for the Jews” (sung by the great Darlene Love) filled in where new material would normally be found. The brilliant “An Evening with Pete” looked at the career of Pete Davidson in the year 2054, a take on Raging Bull and Christmas movies of the past.
The fully decorated set found the five actors – Che, Fey, Hanks, Rudd and Thompson – on stage at the end of the episode for goodbyes, as well as socially distant hugging. Only Pickett and Zimbabwe stood on the stage playing the outro music as the credits rolled.
Tonight’s show marked the first time since October 11, 1986, when Sigourney Weaver hosted, without a musical guest in the show’s history. Madonna did appear that night to read a statement apologizing for the previous season, noting it was only a dream, ala Season 9 of Dallas. While not the musical guest, Buster Poindexter performed “Oh Me, Oh My,” “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (a duet with Weaver), and “Smack Dab in the Middle.”
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Zan and Dave Strumfeld,In the Valley and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Zan and Dave Strumfeld
Siblings Zan and Dave Strumfeld have joined forced to give us “Christmas in Wyoming,” off their holiday EP, Winter Songs. Zan Strumfeld is also the frontwoman of Zan and the Winter Folk. Their last release, “If I Had Known (Murder Ballad),” is based on a true story from 1850s Troy.
In the Valley
A folk-pop duo from Clifton Park, In the Valley is best known for playing wedding gigs. They released their most recent single, “Christmas Sweater,” on December 17th. The song features a groovy saxophone and a cozy jazz piano, more than living up to its name.
The Bitter Stars
Consisting of Clarke Hingeford and Kyle Pemrick, The Bitter Stars have returned with a new single. An eclectic mix of new wave music and modern trance, “Dance Me to Death” clocks in at six minutes long.
Psychomanteum
Made up of singer Matt Smith, drummer Pete Von Stettina, and guitarist and bassist Brian Slattery, Psychomanteum is a sci-fi metal band based in Albany. Their newest single, “Strange Voltage” debuted on December 10. In the field of parapsychology, a psychomanteum is a chamber in which one can communicate with spirits.
From 1986 until 2014, David Letterman would close out his final show of the year with a Christmas episode that featured the one and only Darlene Love. Over the span of those 28 years, Love would perform her holiday hit “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” one of Letterman’s favorites.
The appearance found its origins after Letterman saw Love perform the song at the Bottom Line, in a show called Leader of the Pack. He immediately had to have her on the show. Love told Variety in 2014:
He had David [were] down to see the show. [Letterman] said, “You know that song that girl sings? That Christmas song? That’s the greatest Christmas song I’ve ever heard. We need to get her on the show.” That was 1986, and so I’ve been doing it ever since.
The tradition spanned two networks over nearly three decades, appearing from 1986 until 1993 on Late Night with David Letterman, and later on the Late Show with David Letterman when Letterman joined CBS.
The song was originally recorded for the 1963 Phil Spector album A Christmas Gift for You, and while Love performed the song on Letterman’s shows, she told the New York Times in 2014 that she will not sing it for any other TV talk-show hosts moving forward.
For her final performance, the Late Show paid tribute to Darlene Love. Following her brief interview with Dave, the stage filled in with additional musician, including string and horn sections and several backup singers. These singers would not overshadow Love’s powerful voice, and sang her final last verse from the top of Paul Shaffer’s piano, with fake snow falling around her.
Recently, an animated version of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” has been released through Legacy Recordings. The short video follows a young Black girl as she walks home through a snowy neighborhood, accompanied by a happy snowman. Along the way, she stops to admire a Christmas tree and runs into her dog, who is singing along with a pair of carolers. The girl and her dog arrive home, where they are lovingly greeted by her parents. As the video nears its end, the girl opens up one of her presents to find a snow globe with the smiling snowman inside.
At the end of the music video, Love posted a message paying tribute to her late sister, Edna Wright Perry, who sang backing vocals on the track.
Featured on the show prior to Love’s show-stopping performance, Letterman annually welcomed comedian Jay Thomas, to share, as Letterman put it, “the best story I’ve ever heard.” Thomas would then launch into his true story about an encounter with Clayton Moore, the actor famous for playing The Lone Ranger. For 17 years starting in 1992, Thomas would come on the show and deliver the joke, much to Letterman and the audience’s approval. Watch the story unfold over the years.
After Thomas delivered the punchline, he and Letterman would alternate throwing a football at the meatball on top of the Late Show Christmas tree. To wrap up the show, Darlene Love would come out for “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and send the show into the night.
Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon brought their acoustic duo tour to Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Wednesday December 15. The venue has been a sought after performance destination by various artists since the 20th century. The original padded wooden seats help absorb a layer of sound. Listeners in even the deepest seats hear the effect of the entire room. Leo & Mikes acoustic bass and guitars resonated just right into acoustic ear candy at the performance on the Hudson.
Photo by Dave Decrescente
The visual and historic appeal of the Hall must not be overlooked in any discussion of its acoustic character. The ear and the eye are inseparable in the concert-going experience in Troy. The room with equivalent acoustics could not sound as good without also being visually vibrant.
Mike Gordon took note of the Hall’s history on his Instagram by saying
Classical performers consider this room to have the best acoustics in the country. I can’t believe I get to share a chair with Leo Kottke to play in it tonight. Heavenly.
Mike Gordon
Photo by Dave Decrescente
There is even a black and white shot of Leo on the Halls walls from 1996 along side all the other great performers to grace the stage. Leo took lead on alot of the numbers through out the evening. Mike had the best seat in the house next to Kottke as he listened with audience to his various tales coming off the band stand. Mike did jump in front for a cover of Hank Williams Jr “Old Habits”.
I hope you don’t mind how lost I am. I’m just having a real good time up here.
Leo told the crowd of American modernist composer Charles Ives and his struggles to get his work out. Overtime he hired Burlesque dancers to enhance attention on his Concord Sinata 2. After becoming acknowledged for his work someone told Ives over time… “I can tell it’s good music but it doesn’t sound very good” Ive’s reply:
Whats sound got to do with music?
Charles Ives
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Leo also read a passage of Sunday Morning by Wallace Stevens to the Troy Music Hall crowd.
All Pleasures and all Pains, remembering the bough of summer and the winter branch. These are the measures destined for her soul
Wallace Stevens
Photo by Dave Decrescente
The duo covered a lot of material from their 2020 Album Noon. They also brought the crowd back to their first album collaboration Clone by performing “From Pizza Towers To Defeat” In true Leo fashion the duo sat through the encore so that “we could all leave the room at the same time” They finished with “Invisible” off their Sixty Six Steps album.
The duo truly gave a history lesson on the shores of the Hudson. They split the bill down the middle in Troy for an evening of composition, and improvisation. The live performance that unfolds in front of you is credited it to the moment that we all can share in before leaving the room at the same time. The tour concludes in Plattsburgh’s Strand Theater on Sunday December 18 2021. The venue is 2.5 miles from where Mike performed at the Cilfford Ball in 1996.
Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, December 15 2021:
Set List: Rings, Living in the Country, Tiny Island, Old Habits, The Last Steam Engine Train, Airproofing, Ojo, You are My Flower, Twice, Flat Top, From Pizza Towers to Defeat, Invisible
This past weekend was a true party at The Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls. Western New York band Grosh had their annual tribute show as this year’s version was “funk night” Everyone had their dancing shoes on with 97 rock DJ Anita West leading off the show.
photo by Mike Miller
Normally Grosh is a four-piece band but for this event they transformed into a nine-piece with two special guest singers for one song. Grosh band members include Megan Brown (vocals), Grace Lougen (Guitar), Dylan Hund (Bass), Josh English (Drums) Alex McArthur (Vocals), Zak Ward (Guitar), Eric Wozniak (Sax), Tim Clarke (Trumpet), Harry Graser (Keys). The band played many cover songs throughout two sets of music including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire songs.
Grosh Setlist
Set 1: September, All Night Long, Soul Man, I Wish, Kiss, Shining Star, Shes a Bad Mama Jama, Baby Be Mine, Just As Long As We’re Together
Set 2: Give It To Me, Sir Duke, The Crunge, Brick House, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Stand, Mr. Rogers, Sign Sealed Delivered, I Want To Take You Higher
Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir will embark on a 13-city Spring tour as Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros. The tour kicks off at the Ryman Theatre in Nashville, and wraps up on March 30th at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse.
Weir will be joined by Don Was, Jay Lane and Jeff Chimenti, with special guests The Wolfpack, along with Barry Sless on pedal steel for this tour. Weir previously played the Landmark Theatre in 2014 and 2018 with the Wolf Bros., as well as performances with Ratdog. The group were scheduled to tour in 2020 but had the concert delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros. are also gearing up to release their forthcoming album Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros: Live In Colorado, which will be their first-ever vinyl collection of recorded material. The LP will be released on Feb. 18 via Third Man Records.
Pre-sale began on Wednesday, December 15 with general on-sale planned for Friday, December 19.
Bob Weir & Wolf Bros Spring Tour
Mar. 9 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn. Mar. 10 – Orpheum Theatre – Memphis, Tenn. Mar. 14 – Orpheum Theatre – Wichita, Kan. Mar. 15 – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland – Kansas City, Mo. Mar. 17 – Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, Wis. Mar. 18 – Chicago Theatre – Chicago, Ill. Mar.19 – Brown County Music Center – Nashville, Ind. Mar. 21– Palace Theatre – Columbus, Ohio Mar. 24 – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium– Asheville, N.C. Mar. 25 – Tivoli Theatre – Chattanooga, Tenn. Mar. 26 – Durham Performing Arts Center – Durham, N.C. Mar. 29 – Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, Pa. Mar. 30 – Landmark Theatre – Syracuse, N.Y.
The Alien Opera House hosted a Sunday farmer’s market with live music throughout the day on Sunday, December 12. The holiday festive green Sunday on the north side featured performances by Lil Cease, Ryan Mackie, Ebb n Flow with Mozay Calloway, Joe Driscoll, and DJ R Hop. Sound beats by Scott Gagnon.
The Sunday matinee headliner was the Frank White Experience with special guest Lil’ Cease of the original Bad Boy Record label. The ensemble consisting of Deyquan Bowens, Thomas Carter, Danielle Mitchell, Jay Lock, Emanuel Washington and Skribe Da God laid down a live studio session vibe to the music of Notorious B.I.G. Skunk City’s Emmanuel Washington held down the neo-soul beats on drums for the holiday event. He even had Byron Cage carry the groove on the kit for the encore.
Lil Cease has been in the studio for countless legendary sessions with Brooklyn artist Notorious B.I.G. He took some time before his set at The Alien Opera House to speak with NYS Music about the surroundings:
Matthew Romano: There’s a lot of artists here today all inspired by having you in the building on this 12 21 Sunday. Do you remember a specific session that just came out of nowhere to form something significant?
Lil Cease: Yea that happened to me while working with producer Harry Fraud and French Montana. It was the first time I started recording records on the spot. I would write my rhymes right there and they’d have the music ready to go. We cut a track in two hours tops. You got to take advantage of the moment, ya know? If I went home and messed with it I’d try to refurbish it and wouldn’t be the same. I did my best records like that. Sometimes you gotta take the energy of something around you and run with it. BIG used to do that with songs all the time, he would listen to people and conversations around him and bring it to the booth. We’d be in the studio smoking and he would just go record on the spot… Plans to leave, throw the keys to Little Cease (uh-huh) Pull the truck up front, and roll up the next blunt. It’s like yo we just did that… (laughter)
Writing about your surroundings is really powerful.
Lil Cease
MR: What kind of funk music is an influence on you?
LC: I mean I listen to a bunch of stuff. Is Earth Wind and Fire considered funk? I mean it’s all just music. I listen to music. Once I started learning to DJ I realized how music works. You want to say every rapper is a jazz artist? I have sampled jazz music before. It’s just beats that play, they run, Like Rain Dance.. that’s Crush on You! I didn’t know we sampled other people’s music, I was fifteen years old just thinking the producer made the beat. After I heard the original I said damn we should have left the horns in it.
Lil Cease joined the experience on the spot for a live “Crush on You” at the Opera house in 12 21. The Frank White Experience also brought “Machine Gun Funk” and “Dead Wrong” among many other B.I.G record classics to the masses. Deep Cuts like “One More Chance” and “Sky is the Limit” really hit hard in the Sunday crowd. Whatever art you dabble in you can guarantee to have a meeting of the minds at this space on Syracuse’s north side. You never know what what will happen in the Alien opera house world. Stay Tuned.
We Love Ya”ll Syracuse. The Vibe here is great. RIP B.I.G. Life is short, lets try and bring some peace in this world. Love and appreciate Ya’ll
Grammy-winning Afrobeats artist, Burna Boy, is on the verge of making history with the announcement of his one-night only show at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Set for April 28, 2022, the performance will see the “African Giant” singer become the first Nigerian artist the headline the iconic venue.
One Night in Space Follows several sold-out performances by Burna Boy at some of the world’s most renowned arenas and music festivals. As part of his 2021 Space Drift tour, Burna Boy has performed in front sold-out crowds at LA’s The Hollywood Bowl, he delivered electrifying performances at the 2021 Global Citizen Festival and The Governor’s Ball, as well as sold out international shows at London’s O2 Arena, Paris’ Accor Arena, Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome and more venues around the globe.
Burna Boy is also on a musical high as his last two projects, 2019’s Grammy-nominated African Giant and 2020’s Grammy-winningTwice as Tall, have seen him go from a star within the afrobeats community to a legitimate mainstream headliner. While he hasn’t released a body of work in 2021 after releasing projects in consecutive years, he has kept his sound in circulation, collaborating with several diverse and well-known artists. 2021 saw him on the records “I Feel It” with Jon Bellion; “Want It All” featuring Polo G, “Question” ft Don Jazzy, and “Rotate” with Becky G, which featured in Pepsi’s global football campaign “Music Keeps Us Fizzing.” The African Giant also allied with Justin Bieber on the 8x Grammy-nominated album, Justice, and with 9-time Grammy-nominee Sia for “Hey Boy.”
Tickets for One Night in Space will go on sale to the general public at 12pm ET on Friday, December 17th at Ticketmaster.com.
G Love has been running the roads since his first American tour in 1994. He’s ready to return in 2022 with his band The Juice, starting in January, as part of a national tour. G Love & The Juice album been nominated for his first Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album as well. Throw in a live from home Christmas special to end this year to celebrate the holidays proper before heading back on tour.
G Love is also an active artist. At his December 2017 annual trip to Art Basel in Miami he came to be involved with the community’s first NFT. G love is releasing Juice Gang the first series of 10,000 unique pieces regenerative NFT. They are all based on the animations by artist Andre Solar. He did all the animated videos for the Grammy nominated album. I saw G Love perform at Blackbird Ordinary that year in Miami. In true holiday spirit, he took some time to talk about his past, present, and future music with NYS Music this December.
Matthew Romano: I was watching your Instagram live to get filled in on the announcements of the various projects you have coming up. I like how you did it while driving To the Beacon Theater for the Midnight RiderGregg Allman’s birthday show. It reminded me of Summer 2006 when you killed harp and a freestyle live with Dave Matthews Band in Pittsburgh for Smooth Rider
G Love: (laughter) Dave’s probably the sweetest, humblest, most welcoming guy. That be being said I always say stupid shit to him. The first thing was during the 1994 horde tour in the catering line in Orchard Beach, Maine. I was a little shy then. This guy came up to me and said, “Your G love, I love your record.” I said thanks. He said I’m Dave Matthews and I’m like cool. What’s your band? Dave has taken us on the road through Canada and the States over the years. The musicianship with those guys is just unreal. That’s always an immediate “Yes” when that call comes up.
MR: Like when Leo Kottke met Bob Dylan? How about when you were on a full Philadelphonic Sound Bill you shared with Hall and Oates at Constellation Brands Center in Canandaigua, New York in August 2019. That was all Philadelphia music in the Finger Lakes that evening.
GL: I was really blown away by Darryl’s voice still being so strong. Just so great hearing all those tunes I grew up on the radio ya know? All those hits & the cool banter in between songs. They put on a hell of a show and I was glad to be a part of it.
MR: Lets jump cut to your most recent remix release with B Real & Slightly Stoopid on Everyday People.
GL: I cut that in Long Beach with Miguel. Very intricate stuff with each verse. Kyle McDonald of Slightly Stoopid is a really special and unique musician to me and many people. The way he makes beats and delivers flows is to the point where I can’t figure out where the “1” is (laughter) I was real pleased with how my rhymes came out. For Jon Phillips to say we’re gonna put B Real on this track… I was like to the moon. He’s in my top 5 MC’s. The first time I heard Cypress Hill it scared the shit out of me. To come full circle and be on a track with an all time inspiration was a real blessing.
MR: Yea man, it has a Kokua Festival sound to it. From the cold winter shores of Boston to the sunny skies of the San Diegoand everywhere in between. Your setup in Cape Cod transcends coasts as well. That Kokua vibe. Your live feeds from home really showed a true homegrown set up. Looking forward to the Christmas special from the colder Orleans for the holidays.
MR: January 2022 has you back on Tour though with the Juice that stops in Buffalo and Brooklyn. How did you connect with Amy Bowles and Aaron Bellamy? I used to see them play with Sam Kininger in the same clubs the Special Sauce would hit in 2006.
GL: Yea they’re now in the super Juice. I love playing with those guys. The juice is kind of an eclectic collective. The unit on tour coming through your neck of the woods will have Chuck Trace on drums, Van Gordon Martin on guitar and Jimmy “Jazz” Prestcott on bass. That being said, the special sauce is well intact and will continue to do shows . The pandemic kind of created a pivot to open new doors to connect with great musicians from New England like the Bellamy’s. It feels like the right time to do a different show with a new sound. It’s gonna be rocking.
MR: Musicians in New York State helped find that same silver lining for new creations. What New York State gigs have you played that stick out over the years?
GL: What pops in to mind was Irving plaza one night where Chris Robinson sat in. He’s always been big bro status. We did our version of the Beatles “Help”. He sang the shit out of that. Actually the night we got signed is something worth talking about. We came down to New York City from Boston for these showcases back in the day in front of the labels and industry folks. We had two shows. One was at the CBGB gallery packed with Industry people; it was right next to the original CBGB club. Ya know we played it and did what we needed to.
But then after that show I felt very… “fuck this man, fuck this vibe”. The next show later that night was at the Bitter End on Bleecker street. So I’ll never forget Jimmy Jazz and I scored a piece of hash on the corner and twisted it up real quick on the street. I remember saying…” I don’t give a fuck about this bull shit.”
We went in to Bitter End that night and it only had one table filled in the back. I remember going in and playing a set that was really potent. You know just for us?
GL: The whole thing has been an amazing journey. Devon and I are very close. We had a band called jam town right before ABB did their thing. Devon wanted to take some time after his father passed before these tributes because he needed it. He wanted to let the dust settle out of respect for his father. He finally had the fruition of the dream going on the road recently. It’s so special to be part of the extended family. We toured with the Allman’s during the H.O.R.D.E. tour in ’95 where Warren would take me under his wing. There’s that legacy and comradery at the Beacon. It wasn’t planned for the show at the Beacon to be on Greggs Birthday. It just serendipitously was the available date they had for it. Devon loved that. I even got to do Cold Beverages with the cast . Then to get out front and share the mic with Devon for One Way Out surrounded by these other great musicians was an honor.
MR: I just saw Eric Gales for the first time a couple months ago who joined you at the Beacon on “One Way Out”
GL: He’s so cool man. I just saw him for the first time too and got to hang with him. Sweetest guy and his wife LaDonna. He’s the fucking man.
MR: We know the coldest beverages ever served live was to the thirsty Woodstock 99 crowd in Rome, New York. Speaking of Cold Beverages I remember years ago seeing you at a club in NYC for a Raconteurs show. Jack White said to you backstage “well if it isn’t Mr. Cold beverages” I think it was at Terminal Five.
GL: (laughter) That’s right it was at Terminal Five. I didn’t play with them but I came to the show. Another little side secret story from when we played Pontiac Michigan in 1994 during our first US tour. We played a cool show. There were a lot of Detroit artists at that gig like Kid Rock and Jack White. They told me years later that performance inspired them along their way. Pretty cool to hear that kind of thing.
MR: Keller Williams covered Back of the Bus at a recent gig of his I was at. Thank you for being an inspiration to New York musicians as well. John McConnell music and I cover 50 ways to leave your lover with our own split take on the original. I was able to get feedback from Steve Gadd on the grooves origins in March. Same concept though as putting your own style on it like you did in the studio with the Avett Brothers. It’s wide open for interpretation.
GL: Awesome. My manager said since you can’t make a hit why don’t you cover one? (Laughter) I said all right, let’s cut 50 ways. The beat is so iconic so I’m like OK let’s get away from that. When I play it live with Chuck we do the Steve Gadd beat but when I play it with house man we do it like the studio.
MR: As far as your illustrious career in song writing goes, I have to ask about songs like “Willow Tree’ and “When We Meet Again” where the sentiment sounds organic and from in the moment.
GL: Yea its about making things personable. You try to capture an emotion and a feeling of a certain thing around you. “When We Meet again” I remember specifically it being a spring day..you know the opener…Spring time is here the wind from the south blows strong and warm to clean up your house. Then I went back to the golden first year I had as a street musician where I met my band and the corner bar The Plough and Stars we played at in Boston which was important to us. Same with Willow Tree. I was living across from the Delaware River and the Penn Treaty park across had a lot of Willow Trees.
The park had a bunch of willow trees and I always loved them. I thought about the relationship between the river and the willow tree is so symbiotic. I also used that as a metaphor for a love song too ya know?
“My Sweet Lord,” the iconic song from George Harrison, was finally received an official music video, 51 years after it was first released. An all-star cast honors Harrison in a video directed by Lance Bangs and executive produced by George’s son Dhani Harrison, and David Zonshine.
The video stars Saturday Night Live’s Fred Armisen and Vanessa Bayer as metaphysical special agents who are tasked by the head of a clandestine agency, played by Mark Hamill, to search for that which can’t be seen. Along the way dozens of agents team up to look high and low for what may have been right in front of their face all along, mirroring the seeking nature of the song.
Over 40 musicians, actors, comedians, directors, artists and other creatives make appearances, ranging from Harrison’s friends and former band mates Ringo Starr and Jeff Lynne; to actors Darren Criss, Jon Hamm, Rosanna Arquette; musicians Joe Walsh, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Reggie Watts, comedians Moshe Kasher, Natasha Leggero, Patton Oswalt; comedy duos Tim and Eric (Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim) and Garfunkel and Oates (Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome); and others like writer, actor, director Taika Waititi, and visual artist Shepard Fairey. The video also features Harrison’s wife Olivia Harrison and theirson Dhani Harrison, who appear in scenes with actress Aimee Mullins and actor Rupert Friend.
In addition to Harrison’s massive influence on popular music as a member of The Beatles and his successful solo career, the legendary songwriter, musician, film producer and peace activist also greatly influenced the comedy world through his groundbreaking British film studio, HandMade Films, which was responsible for such classic films as Monty Python’s “Life Of Brian,” “Time Bandits” and the cult favorite, “Withnail and I.” This music video pays tribute to the sense of humor that George Harrison possessed and his indelible impact on both music and comedy.
Making this was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. The approach was to represent the song visually while these agents and inspectors kept missing the metaphysical wonder around them. Images are choreographed to the sounds of vocal melodies, guitar strums, drum patterns, chord changes. George threaded a sense of humor through all of his videos, so we kept that spirit and filled the cast with friends and admirers of his music, many coming from the current comedy landscape. I tracked down vintage prime lenses from some of the films George’s HandMade Films had produced, and I hope that viewers can feel a sense of wonder and searching while they watch it, and that the song continues to add to all of our lives.
video director Lance Bangs
The video for “My Sweet Lord” boasts the new 2020 mix of the song mixed by triple GRAMMY Award-winning engineer, Paul Hicks (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon), released August 6 via Capitol/UMe on a suite of 50th anniversary editions of Harrison’s monumental masterpiece, All Things Must Pass.
