Well, I reviewed the halftime show for Super Bowl XLIV, so why not XLV?
Like I started last year, congratulations to the Green Bay Packers and their fans. They have certainly showed the world that the team building strategy begun three years ago was the right way to go. Congrats again.
As for The Black Eyed Peas, can a set list be more derivative than this one? People have complained that since the "Justin Timberlake creates a wardrobe malfunction" incident that the Super Bowl halftime show went safe, calling on classic rock stars who have a following, but won't create an incident. (How Prince made that list is beyond me, but maybe he was the exception to prove the rule.) So how about that Peas song that is lyric thrown onto a classic surf song. I know it's a surf song because the tune is on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack.
Slash doing "Sweet Child of Mine"? Love Slash! This was just misplaced. Fergie is no Axl Rose. On a side note, Axl must have had a heart attack. He hates it when Slash uses their music, but at least Axl got paid. Axl doesn't know whether to hate it or cash the check, thus the coronary.
Usher? Why?
The dancers, I saw a blog that said it was Tron inspired. Derivative? Dancers based on a 2011 movie remake from the 80's.
What was that thing on will.i.am's head and did it protect him from ice falling off the Jerry Dome?
Autotune? STOP IT! Singing that doesn't have to be scrubbed is so much better.
Did Daltry sound like his voice was blown out last year? I think so. Tom Petty in a beard looking like a mountain man? Leave that for the cameo in "The Postman." Springsteen singing "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" for six hours? How many times can you chant "Tenth" before it sounds like you're trying to clear your sinuses?
Still, these performers gave us original music without contrived vocals or dancers.
My final critique: The show just had the originality of a Domino's Pepperoni. Sure, you like it all right, but what do you have when it's done?
On a side note, for anyone who wonders if I am just some old guy who doesn't like "new music" and everything was better "when I was your age," you may be right. But then again, the songs the Peas sampled were from my time, so look out where you're pointing.
Let me just say my dad is laughing his butt off at me from beyond the grave. We had this same chat more than once.
When the Olympics can pull off a show that leaves you going... 'Oh WOW! I want to see that again!," the Superbowl would be better gathering a bunch of high school bands playing the "Magnificent Seven" in unison. The flashing Tron lights were pretty, but the show just left me blah (except for the laughter). I watched the Halftime with two 9th graders, who rarely agree on anything. They were in agreement that Fergie did NOT need to sing without a voice over. Listening to them rant at the sorry halftime was more than enough laughter to last a week.
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