Watch Bruno Mars' Super Bowl Halftime Show

posted in: Music News

It doesn’t get more ridiculous, pompous, cliched, and overblown than starting your musical performance with the children of Benetton holding hands and singing innocently in front of a waving American flag digital bunting, but that’s pretty much the name of the game when you’re talking about the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Such was the Bruno Mars version staged yesterday at Super Bowl XLVII. After that “I’d like to teach the world to sing” moment (ironically sponsored by Pepsi), Mars appeared on the drum kit for a brief instrumental spotlight, rightly establishing himself as an actual musician, despite what I think was a flub (hey, real musicians screw up), and then launched into “Locked Out Of Heaven” with a gold lamed band. A medley of songs followed, with some impressive Isley Brothers references and some serious James Brown moves.

Then the Red Hot Chili Peppers came out and played “Give It Away” and that’s all I have to say about that.

And then…bring it down, everyone…bring it down. A tribute to our service members in the form of “Just The Way You Are,” which, nice, god bless, and all was perfectly paced. It was pretty much all you can expect from a halftime show, and better than most. I still think they should try and get Up With People back.

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