SNL50 Homecoming Concert: Behind the scenes with Lawo consoles

SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, was an unforgettable celebration marking five decades of “Saturday Night Live,” which recently took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The star-studded lineup featured the Backstreet Boys, Bad Bunny, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Chris Martin, Cher, David Byrne, Dave Grohl, DEVO, Eddie Vedder, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Post Malone, The B-52s, The Roots, Snoop Dogg, and many more. The complex live production demanded top-tier audio quality, seamless workflow, and maximum flexibility – a challenge perfectly suited to Music Mix Mobile (M3) and its extensive experience with high-profile multi-act events. Headliner discovers how they couldn’t have done it without Lawo consoles…

Joel Singer, co-founder of M3, and his team, were responsible for ensuring pristine sound for this historic event.

“This was a massive production, not only in terms of the artist lineup but also from a technical perspective,” he explains. “We had to accommodate a vast number of sources and deliver an impeccable mix. Lawo consoles were central to making that happen.

M3 deployed its two mobile units, Phoenix and its flagship truck Eclipse, each equipped with a Lawo mc²56 console. These mixing systems provided the necessary capacity to manage the 448 mic preamps needed for the production—224 on each desk.

“We used fibre exclusively, no copper at all, running everything through Lawo's interfacing systems. This not only ensured the highest audio quality but also helped us avoid grounding issues, which can be a concern,” Singer notes.

The scale of the production required a sophisticated audio network and efficient signal distribution. Firehouse Productions, responsible for comms and infrastructure, provided additional splitters to integrate all signals seamlessly into the Lawo ecosystem. 

“We wanted full access to every music input at all times and the only way to achieve that was to bring in additional splitters so all signals could be processed through the Lawo system. That gave us complete flexibility and eliminated any surprises, especially during the challenging rehearsals,” says Singer.

The mixing workflow was carefully structured, with two seasoned audio engineers handling specific portions of the show. Lawrence Manchester, music mixer for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, operated from the Phoenix truck, mixing performances involving The Roots, as well as Miley Cyrus, Brittany Howard, Lady Gaga, Eddie Vedder, Jelly Roll, Brandi Carlile, Snoop Dogg, David Byrne, Robyn, Cher, The B-52s, Andy Samberg, The Lonely Island and the Backstreet Boys.

Eric Schilling, eight-time Grammy winner and one of the two music mixers at the 2025 Grammy Awards, took charge in Eclipse, handling all stand-alone acts such as Lauryn Hill, Bad Bunny, DEVO, Mumford and Sons, David Byrne with Arcade Fire, St. Vincent and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Post-Nirvana, and Jack White. Additional comedy segments, including musical performances intertwined with production elements, required close collaboration between the audio and broadcast teams.

“Some of the comedy segments were especially complex, like Jimmy Fallon’s performance, where we had to mix music from Lawrence’s truck and lead vocals from production. That kind of integration was only possible thanks to Lawo’s routing flexibility and real-time control,” Singer explains.

The entire production was delivered in High Dynamic Range (HDR) with 5.1 surround sound, ensuring an immersive audio-visual experience for viewers. 

“Lawo consoles don’t just sound great – they give us the control, reliability, and scalability that we need in high-pressure live productions like this one,” says Singer. “The mc² series desks are the best-sounding digital consoles on the market, and their networked environment allowed us to execute this show without compromise.”

M3 has been a Lawo user for years, with a fleet that includes six Lawo consoles, including mc²56 models in its trucks and an mc² 56 flypack – the first immersive flypack M3 has deployed. 

Singer’s trust in Lawo technology stems from its robust build, pristine sound quality, and adaptable workflow. “From multi-act concerts to intimate performances, our clients expect the highest standards. Lawo allows us to deliver exactly that, time and time again.”