MARS CURIOSITY: Really, NFL? Given the diversity of choices in staying local and thematic with this year's Super Bowl halftime show, it's Bruno Mars who gets the nod for the Meadowlands halftime gig?
To be sure, Mars has been a fun live performer since he was four, but ... not Bruce? JBJ? Jay-Z? Fountains of Wayne? Southside?
Bon Jovi's embroiled in internal disputes, Bruce did it a few years ago, and they weren't going to go to Jay-Z right after using Beyonce (and there are content issues there). Mars is exactly what they want--young enough that they can say "we're hip!" and old fashioned enough not to offend anyone. I do wonder if his act scales to stadium size, though. His VMA performance was relatively understated.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the presence or absence of Richie Sambora has a material impact on Bon Jovi's suitability for the gig. As for Jay-Z, he has more than enough clean material to work from, and he (as you say) scales to stadium.
ReplyDeleteI think his sound will expand to fit the room, and that the songs on his latest especially have the potential breadth to appeal to people who don't know his stuff yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're wrong about Sambora. Would you really want a whole set of JBJ solo stuff for the Superbowl halftime show? I've got nothing but respect for Jon Bon Jovi, but when I hear his solo stuff, I hear a hired band with little input into the parts they're playing.
No, I'd be happy with classic Bon Jovi with any Special Guest Guitarist in the Sambora slot.
ReplyDeleteLook, accepting that Sambora is not a virtuoso by any stretch, he was a big part in creating Bon Jovi's sound, through his balance of hard-won technical skill and instinct. He co-wrote most of their peak catalogue, and deserves way more credit than you're giving him.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of that, but all they'd need here is someone to play his parts for 12-15 minutes, not write a new album.
ReplyDeleteIt's a slippery slope you're talking about there, one the band would probably not survive. Do you want another Bon Jovi album, ever?
ReplyDeleteI have seen Bruno Mars (albeit in a shortened show at the Preakness), and his stage act is fun, moves quickly and has a lot of band interaction. He is the first choice that's made sense in years.
ReplyDeleteI admire the humanitarian work JBJ does, and if he needs the band as a continuing platform to promote and further it, then yes I want more albums.
ReplyDelete1. The slope is, of course, only slippery when wet. (Sorry, had to do it.)
ReplyDelete2. The bigger problem with Bon Jovi is that they're not esteemed/beloved enough to be a big nostalgia act like Springsteen/Petty, and they're not young/hip enough to be a "now!" act, which are the two competing interests for a halftime show at the Super Bowl.
I never realized that geographical proximity was a criterion used by the halftime show organizers. Maybe that's because Beyonce isn't from New Orleans, Madonna/Minaj/M.I.A. aren't from Indiana, The Black-Eyed Peas aren't from Dallas, The Who aren't from Miami, BROOOOOOCE! isn't from Tampa, Tom Petty isn't from Arizona, The Artist Formerly Known as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince isn't from Miami...
ReplyDeleteOf course, my perspective may be colored by my being excited at seeing Bruno Mars getting the chance to show off in front of a vast audience. If there's one act I don't complain about my niece dragging me to see, it's him. The kid's a hell of a showman, and promises to be worlds more entertaining than dragging out the old war horses to play Jersey's answer to the Who's "My Generation" one more time.
Not only did Bruce basically just do the halftime, but you've got a logistical near-impossibility to overcome: he's kicking off another leg of his seemingly neverending tour in Perth on Feb. 7; the game's on Feb. 2.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, though, Southside would be excellent for the pre-game.