The Stray Cats performed on late-night American television for the first time in 36 years, appearing on The Tonight Show as musical guests. The rockabilly trio, fronted by Brian Setzer, became stars of early MTV in the 1980s despite already channelling a nostalgic 1950s sound, and have periodically broken up and reformed since then. Their return to late-night TV underlines their enduring appeal and marks a notable moment for a band whose live TV appearances have been rare in recent decades.

The band, appearing with their original lineup and Slim Jim Phantom's trademark stand-up drum kit, played their 1981 hit "Rock This Town" during the broadcast. Their previous television performance dated back to 1990, when they played "Gene And Eddie" on Letterman. The band, currently touring again, showed no signs of rust, with the performance and their style both drawing praise.