In advance of Bankrupt!‘s release, Phoenix are spending the weekend in NY. On Friday they played Music Hall of Williamsburg, and last night they returned to Saturday Night Live, where they played three songs back in ’09. The band recently discussed how that came about with EW:

So on your last trip to SNL, you got to play three songs, which rarely happens. How’d that come about?
Thomas: Actually, we didn’t want to!
Laurent: We didn’t have enough equipment to play more songs.
Christian: They asked us one hour before the show. So we said, “No, sorry we can’t!” And they said, “Please!”
Deck: And then we realized that saying no was not an option for these people.
Christian: So we said, “Okay, well then we need this very specific kind of keyboard.” And then twenty minutes later, a guy came and was like, “I found it!” So then we had to do it.
Laurent: Unfortunately, you can find anything in New York City.
Thomas: And we actually played four songs — we played one more afterward.

Any chance you’ll do three again this time?
Thomas: Well, if it becomes a common thing, it’s not that exciting. But we’re just looking forward to the final hug, the end music where they start playing the piano and you get the relief of knowing the pressure is off. You hear the saxophone, you can be happy. Maybe this time we’ll want that more than the first time.

Watch last night’s performances of “Entertainment” and “Trying To Be Cool/Drakkar Noir” below.

In case you missed it, check out our recent interview with vocalist Thomas Mars and guitarist Christian Mazzalai here.

Bankrupt! is out 4/23 via Loyaute/Glassnote.