It seems like a daunting task, to sum up 50 years of music in one night. But when you harbor its cultural cachet, the respect artists have for Saturday Night Live and its stunningly expansive rolodex, as well as the sheer production power of both SNL honcho Lorne Michaels and producer Mark Ronson, the result is a three-hour-plus extravaganza to rival even the starriest, most packed Grammys, Oscars or its ilk.
Amid New York’s bitter chill on Valentine’s night, the event took place at Radio City Music Hall, a perfect home considering its Rockefeller Center confines are only a hop, skip and a jump from SNL’s Studio 8H at nearby NBC Studios. Its art deco space serves as the epitome of New York City: a tourist mecca beloved by hardscrabble locals. So it seemed natural that the Rockettes and SNL would both have graced its hallowed stage at one time.
