Paul McCartney performs on Saturday Night Live season finale

Music icon Paul McCartney closed the 51st season of Saturday Night Live on May 16, delivering a multi-song performance that spanned his career and included a surprise encore. The 83-year-old artist served as the musical guest for the season finale, performing opposite host and former cast member Will Ferrell.

McCartney’s set began with “Days We Left Behind,” the lead single from his forthcoming solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which is scheduled for release on May 29. For the performance, he played acoustic guitar backed by a band that included Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. Later, the ensemble returned to perform the classic Wings hit “Band on the Run,” with McCartney switching to electric bass.

The episode featured a comedic segment playing on the noted resemblance between Ferrell and Smith. During Ferrell’s opening monologue, Smith initially appeared posing as the host before Ferrell took over. McCartney then joined Ferrell on stage for a brief exchange, which concluded with McCartney instructing Smith to get behind the drums for the upcoming performance.

After the scheduled musical performances and as the cast gathered for the traditional goodnights, McCartney...