Earlier this year Conan O'Brien announced that the format of his late night talk show was going to drastically change after 25 years of doing it the traditional way. Beginning in 2019 the show will turn into a half hour broadcast and focus more on pre-recorded sketches and bits that have helped bolster his online presence these last few years. So that means changes as far as guests, focus, and bits.
To adapt to these changes, O'Brien just announced the launch of a brand new Podcast that will start next month called Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend as a joint venture between his Team Coco brand and Earwolf. He also announced a full national tour that will put him on the road until the new year when the official format change will happen. This is in addition to the announcement that the archives of his 25 years in late night television will hit hit website next year.
While this is all very exciting stuff, one of the unfortunate things about the new swap is that Conan will be saying goodbye to his longtime band The Basic Cable Band. A band that's been with him since the beginning and through a few name and frontman changes - going by Max Weinberg and The Max Weinberg Seven when he hosted Late Night, Then Max Weinberg and The Tonight Show Band when he hosted The Tonight Show, and finally when Conan went to TBS and Wineberg departed, Jimmy Vivino took over The Basic Cable Band. Last night on Conan's final hour-long episode he bid farewell to the band that had been with him for 25 years of late night, the Vivino and crew proceeded to perform a fun, horn-filled version of Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor".
O'Brien later joined the band on stage one last time to perform a cover of Chuck Berry's "40 Days".