Conan O'Brien, Jack White Team for Surprise Show

From: http://www.rollingstone.com/

Legally Prohibited band covers Elvis, the White Stripes at rocker's Third Man Studios

Courtesy of TeamCoco.com

By Daniel Kreps

Three hundred loyal Team Coco supporters were treated to a concert by Conan O'Brien and his Legally Prohibited touring band at Jack White's Third Man Studios yesterday in Nashville. The surprise gig, which was announced by White in a mysterious video on the Third Man site, came just one day before O'Brien began his stint as emcee of the comedy tent at Bonnaroo in nearby Manchester. About 24 hours before the performance, more than a thousand Conan fans had already lined the Third Man building in the scorching Nashville heat, hoping to get in. Conan and Jack White tossed water bottles from the Third Man roof to the fans waiting below, the AP reports.

Once inside, fans were treated to an intimate performance highlighted by cover versions of Elvis Presley's "Blue Moon" and "Poke Salad Annie," the Stray Cats' "Rock This Town," the Band's "The Weight" and a humorous version of Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" ("My old show again/I just can't wait to get my old show again" — only 150 days until Conan's TBS tenure begins.) O'Brien and his band also paid tribute to their host with a raucous rendition of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army."

Read our full report from O'Brien's first Legally Prohibited live show.

Rolling Stone previously spoke to Conan about his special bond with White, which led the Stripes to stage a four-night residency on Late Night With Conan O'Brien in 2003 and briefly end the White Stripes' still-ongoing hiatus with a performance of "We're Going to Be Friends" on Conan's final Late Night episode.

"The BEST part of the night was that the whole thing was being recorded on a reel to reel tape! Why reel to reel? Because tonight's performance is going to be pressed into a record that people at the show could buy," Conan's Team Coco blog reports. "What that also meant for the show was that halfway through, Conan & the band had to stop for a few minutes so that the reel could be changed!" According to reports, the vinyl was already up for pre-ordering for the lucky 300 in attendance, but details regarding the sure-to-be-limited-edition release have not yet been posted on the Third Man Records site.

While Conan and his band took their performance seriously for the most part, O'Brien did have some fun when the band detoured off the set list to cover Radiohead's "Creep," a song he previously sound-checked during a Legally Prohibited tour stop in Eugene, Oregon. "This is the only way I can sing Thom Yorke songs, as a 19th-century chimney sweep with a top hat and a smudge on my cheek," O'Brien said. Midway through the performance, Jack White jumped onstage to put a top hat on Conan's head. White eventually came onstage, guitar in hand, for the evening's last song, a cover of Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock." "This is probably the most fun I've had in show business," O'Brien said prior to the encore.

O'Brien and White — with the Dead Weather — will both perform to much larger audiences this weekend at the Bonnaroo Festival. For Rolling Stone's full 'Roo coverage, click here:

• Rolling Stone's Essential Bonnaroo 2010 Coverage

And to read Max Weinberg's most recent comments on whether he'll be joining Conan on TBS this fall, check out Max Weinberg on His Future With Conan and Bruce.

Jay Leno books Conan O'Brien as last guest

O'Brien takes over 'Tonight Show' June 1

Associated Press

Jay Leno

Jay Leno's last guest on "Tonight Show" will be the man who's taking over for him -- Conan O'Brien.

Leno wraps up his 17-year-run as host of NBC's late-night show on May 29. The network says that O'Brien will be Leno's final guest. Then O'Brien steps in as "Tonight" host June 1.

The big names making the cut for Leno's final week of shows include Mel Gibson, Prince and Billy Crystal -- who was Leno's first guest when he took "Tonight" over from Johnny Carson in 1992.

Carson's final guests were Bette Midler and Robin Williams, who appeared on Carson's next-to-last show. He hosted his final "Tonight" broadcast without guests.

This fall, Leno will begin a daily prime-time show for NBC.

Andy Richter to Rejoin Conan O’Brien as ‘Tonight Show’ Announcer

By Josef Adalian

Andy Richter is reuniting with Conan O’Brien, signing on to serve as announcer for Mr. O’Brien’s new incarnation of “The Tonight Show.”

NBC is expected to announce the decision later today.

Mr. Richter and Mr. O’Brien entered the pop culture landscape together in 1993, with Mr. Richter serving as sidekick to Mr. O’Brien when Mr. O’Brien took over from David Letterman as host of NBC’s “Late Night.” Mr. Richter left “Late Night” in 2000 to focus on acting.

On “Tonight,” Mr. Richter will not be a nightly desk-side presence as he was on “Late Night.” He will, however, participate in both live and pre-taped comedy bits.

“Andy is one of the funniest people I know, and we’ve maintained a close friendship since he left ‘Late Night,’” Mr. O’Brien said. “We have a proven chemistry that will be an incredible asset to ‘The Tonight Show.’”

What’s more, there’s a practical reason for Mr. Richter to join the “Tonight Show” team. “He owes me $300,” Mr. O’Brien said.

Mr. Richter was the last non-musical guest on the final edition of “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” last week.

Since leaving “Late Night,” Mr. Richter has been the lead in two half-hour network comedies, the critically acclaimed “Andy Richter Controls the Universe” and “Andy Barker, P.I.” He also has appeared in feature films “Talladega Nights,” “Blades of Glory,” “Semi-Pro” and “Elf.” He’ll next be seen this summer in the Fox feature “They Came From Upstairs.”

Mr. Richter is represented by CAA and manager Tim Sarkes.

Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Richter will make their “Tonight” debuts on June 1. Jeff Ross is the show’s executive producer.