NBC last month renewed Late Night With Seth Meyers and re-upped its host through 2028. But when Late Night returns next fall for its 12th season with Meyers, it will be without a house band for the first time in the show’s 44th year history.
The 8G Band, led by Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen, has been laid off as live music will no longer be a permanent feature on the show going forward, Deadline has confirmed. The decision, believed to be a cost-saving measure, was revealed by band member Eli Janney — who is also the associate musical director on the show — in an interview with Vulture.
“Sadly, it’s the reality of broadcast and a shrinking market — streaming eating into this, and YouTube eating into that,” he said. “Streaming is not making money, either. So budgets everywhere have been cut and cut and cut. I liken it to a Spotify moment in music, where suddenly it’s like, Nobody wants to pay for music. Music gets devalued.”
Janney said in the interview that Meyers and Late Night showrunner Mike Shoemaker informed the band of the cut more than a month ago. It also includes the crew that works with the musicians.
Unlike The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where live music plays an integral part, with Fallon frequently performing alongside his guests, Late Night With Seth Meyers is known primarily for its commentary segment A Closer Look, its Day Drinking series as well as guest interviews.
The 8G band members also include Seth Jabour and Syd Butler. According to Janney, the group will still make music for the show, they just won’t perform it live.
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