Having fed the public a steady diet of classic rock in recent years, Super Bowl organizers decided it was time to turn its famed halftime show over to an artist that’s actually had a hit song during the past decade.
And they picked a good one for Sunday’s game — the Black Eyed Peas, which has been a hit factory since 2003.
The hip-hop/dance-pop quartet, featuring two superstars, Fergie and will.i.am, as well as two guys (Taboo and apl.de.ap) that probably most Americans couldn’t name, was at the center of a curiously convoluted, definitely over-the-top and altogether-frantic production. In other words, it was pretty much perfect for the occasion.
There were some technical difficulties, most having to do with sound, but it didn’t take away from viewers’ ability to enjoy the space-age-themed production.
The Peas made a dramatic entrance, descending on cables from the top of Cowboys Stadium, then kicked into action with “I Gotta Feeling.” They plowed through abbreviated versions of their own anthems (“Boom Boom Pow,” “Let’s Get It Started,” “Where Is the Love?”) while scores of dancers in glow-in-the-dark “Tron”-like spacesuits boogied about the field.
The best moment came courtesy of guest star Slash. The former Guns N’ Roses guitarist, fresh off his appearance Thursday at HP Pavilion in San Jose, joined Fergie for a blistering, bluesy version of the GNR classic “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” The second best? It would have to been when Usher showed up to sing his smash “OMG.”
In all, it was a great way to kill 10 minutes while waiting for the next batch of funny commercials. And people should still be talking about the Peas’ performance today, which is more than one can say for Christina Aguilera’s rendition of the national anthem. It was fine, although she got a word or two wrong, but “fine” most often translates to “forgettable” on Super Bowl Sunday.
Read Jim Harrington’s Concert Blog at http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/category/concerts. Follow him at http://twitter.com/jimthecritic.
