David Letterman has always been my favorite. That’s what was on the TV every night growing up. We didn’t watch Leno because Leno was in LA and New York is the center of the universe. Also, Leno is not funny.
So when Dave signs off on May 20, there will be a considerable hole in late night television. I’m not a fan of what late night has become. Fallon is all bits. The guy who took over for (the great) Craig Ferguson is awful. Kimmel is pretty good. He was originally a radio guy and has some good musical guests, so that relates to me. And Conan is stuck in basic cable purgatory, while still producing some entertaining shows. So no, I’m not a fan of what the late night talk show has become, and I can’t wait for someone to come in and reinvent it again.
So to celebrate Dave, here are a few of my favorite musical guests.
Arcade Fire “Rebellion (Lies)” – Arcade Fire was on the precipice (there’s no way that’s a word) of fame when they were on Letterman for the first time. And they didn’t play it safe either. Such an over-the-top, flamboyant, confident performance.
Phoenix “1901” – I just love this band. Unnecessary fun fact: This song is my ringtone. Does anyone do ringtones anymore? Do you remember ring back tones? How annoying were those?
The White Stripes “Fell In Love With a Girl” – Everything Jack White does is great, but we will never get this particular version of Jack White ever again. And that makes me a little sad.
The Strokes “Someday” – The Strokes just never gave an eff. And this was another example of that fact. Sometimes, I miss the early aughts.
Oasis “Live Forever” – This was their first appearance on American TV. And if I ever rise above spare status, this is the song I’d perform at Ticketstock.
Future Islands “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – When was the last time you were truly blown away by a late night performance? Exactly.
Foo Fighters “Everlong” – This is still my favorite song of all time. And when Young Mark found out that it was also Dave’s favorite song, he felt validated. I remember his first show back from heart surgery was an emotional one, and he handpicked the Foo Fighters to perform this song. Might be my all time favorite live version of it, too.
