God Bless The Super Bowl. The “storied” Super Bowl halftime show has come a long way since its inception. Back when Super Bowl I hit in 1967, there was no glamorous escapade filled with magic tricks, fireworks and other various forms of hoo-ha. In fact, for ten years there was no major musician involved at all. The vintage halftime show was comprised of marching bands and drill teams. Groups came from as far as the bitter northern wintry of Ann Arbor and all the way from the southern sundry of Florida to show their stuff on the gridiron. Although I respect the disciplined musicianship of marching bands, its purpose in annually one of the most watched television event on the globe seemed a little too feeble. It’s like hitting a million dollar jackpot and celebrating at Chuck E. Cheese.
It only got worse as the years progressed. A group called “Up with People” was employed to produce and perform in four halftime shows following the first ten Super Bowls. UWP is a nonprofit organization that involves youngsters all over the world in grand musical performances. Good intentions aside – a nonprofit performance is unfitting for the fiscal tornado that encompasses the Super Bowl.
The gods that are the Super Bowl talent employers finally got the formula down when they began shoving lavish, thunder dome-worthy, star-studded, mini-concerts into the halftime slot. It’s not too formal like a marching band but it’s not as cheesy as a UWP set. What better way to enhance an already stalwart American holiday then by sexing it up a couple more notches.
Bands that reflect the tenacity of the “big game” own the show now. As of late they have helped it become a tradition of sorts as. It’s a day in the year where the lucky performer puts on a hell raising show where they experience spikes in sales and popularity just by playing. It’s a day where only the best can have a whack at equaling the game’s intrigue. Viewers worldwide have been subject to the likes of Prince, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty (don’t forget the E Street Band and the Heartbreakers). A music lover’s paradise. Viewers have also been subject to a Janet Jackson nipple. A porno lover’s paradise.
This year the Black Eyed Peas are taking the stage as the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers go at it in Arlington. With the success of their last two albums, the immensely popular Peas will attempt to stack up to the grandeur of shows before. Don’t get me wrong, not all the artists do well (check the Who’s lackluster attempt last year) but I think the Peas are going to do exceptional. Fresh off an opening act gig for U2’s 360 degree world tour, Will.i.am. and crew are used to playing too sold out stadiums. Super Bowl XLV will be the pinnacle of exposure. Imagine the amount of people who saw them on the 360 tour watching them all at once. This opportunity will be right up their alley, I got a feeling.
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