elders of the apocalypse

Turnstile brought hardcore back to SNL, 45 years after FEAR made punk rock history. John Belushi, a fan of the LA band, pushed to get them booked for SNL’s 1981 Halloween episode, and FEAR bussed in a group of punks from Washington, DC, to join the action, slam-dancing, moshing, and rushing the stage during the set. Eventually, a fight broke out between the DC punks and the NYC crowd. Afterwards, newspapers reported that the band caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage and that FEAR was banned from the show (not true, although they did pay a small fine), and police allegedly chased punks through Rockefeller Center after the show, leaving hardcore to disappear from SNL for 45 years. ⁠This weekend, Turnstile changed that. Drummer Daniel Fang set the tone early, opening “BIRDS” with a vicious drum solo before tearing through the rest of the song with the rest of band. For their second appearance of the night, the Baltimore band kept the energy high with a medley of “I CARE” and “DULL.” In 1981, FEAR brought punk rock onto national television, something the mainstream may not have been ready for. 45 years later, after Grammy wins and festival main stages, Turnstile showcased hardcore as one of the biggest growing bands in the country.