The Strokes performed two songs from their album Reality Awaits on Saturday Night Live, hosted by Druski.
The New York band played “Lonely in the Future” and “Going Shopping,” marking their fifth appearance on the show.
Guitarist Nick Valensi was absent from the performance, with Longwave’s Steve Schiltz filling in. For the song “Going Shopping,” actor Walton Goggins, who stars in the track’s music video, joined the band on bongos. The band’s appearance follows recent North American and European tour dates.
The Strokes opened their SNL set with “Lonely in the Future” and later returned to perform “Going Shopping,” both tracks from their July-released album. Their appearance on the November 7 episode was their first on the show since Halloween 2020, when they performed songs from The New Abnormal.
During the performance of “Going Shopping,” Walton Goggins made a surprise appearance, playing bongos alongside the band. This reprised his role from the song’s music video, which paid homage to Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.” Goggins had previously called his involvement in the project an “unexpected dream come true,” praising the album as “so gatdamn special.”
The band is currently touring in support of Reality Awaits, their first album in six years. They recently wrapped up a UK and Ireland headline tour, including two nights at London’s O2 Arena, which received a five-star review from NME. Guitarist Nick Valensi has been on a temporary break from the band since May, but frontman Julian Casablancas has reassured fans that he will return.
