In the 48 years since its debut, a fair number of folks who aren’t current Saturday Night Live cast members have appeared on the show several times. The program acknowledges this phenomenon with a bit that dates back to a December 1990 sketch, in which Tom Hanks joins the exclusive coterie of the Five-Timers Club, open to those who have made at least five guest appearances. On Saturday, Woody Harrelson hosted SNL for the fifth time, while musical guest Jack White also made his fifth appearance on the show. There is some debate as to the exact membership criteria, but whether or not they gave White one of those fancy robes, it looked like a grand time was had by all.
Following the holiday break from the Supply Chain Issues Tour — an international trek that marked the release of two new LPs, Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive — White and his glove-tight band have played a modest number of smaller theater and club dates. That includes a January two-nighter at The Blue Room here in Nashville, in which it was clear they were keeping themselves fighting fit, though if there’s any larger purpose (e.g. another tour) it hasn’t been announced.
At any rate, White and his band are in top form, as you can see above in the more electric of their two performances, a medley of the Fear songs “Taking Me Back” and “Fear of the Dawn.” Below, check out “A Tip From You to Me,” which appears on the introspective, acoustic-instrument-centered Entering Heaven Alive. Keep an eye on White’s website and Third Man’s Instagram profile for updates.
