I love Super Bowl Halftime shows because it’s easy to envision all the planning, meetings, egos, insecurities, great ideas, watered down great ideas and safe ideas that go into it. The actual performance is a product of just so many people speaking into it…it’s amazing it happens at all…and on time.
It’s interesting to point out, Maroon 5 got to perform because they have a lot of hits. But to have those hits they had to veer away (starting about ten years ago) from the things that made them a unique, important band.
It was hard to make it seem like they were a band that many cared deeply about.
So when they performed they performed with lots of hits, but minimal importance. That shift, that was Maroon 5’s price to get on the Super Bowl. That was the price they wanted and decided to pay. (Not every act has the same price)
What is Maroon 5 for? It seems they have a pretty clear answer even if it’s not the one I like anymore.
***When Michael Jackson played the Super Bowl in 1993 the signal to start the music was when he reached up and touched his sunglasses.
As you’ll see in the video he shoots out of the stage at 1:09 and just stands there. And keeps just standing there. At one point he moves his head from right to left, still no sunglasses touch. Holding the pose. Finally after many ebbs and flows of the cheering crowd he reaches up for his sunglasses at 2:40.
A full minute and a half of just standing there. An eternity for television. No committee approval for that one. In fact it would come out later that there was a lot of committee disapproval happening during that minute and a half.
Pretty awesome.
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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com