Thread February 7, 2015 editorial: comments

Bring on the Dancing Bears

Did you watch the Katy Perry halftime performance at the Super Bowl this past Sunday? Was that the best that NBC and the NFL could come up with? I wasn’t sure if I was watching a musical performance or Cirque de Soleil. I guess I’m out of step with American culture (or the lack thereof), but as a musician I find it insulting to watch musical artists at that high a level who can’t carry a show based on talent, and have to resort to spectacle.

If you didn’t see it, Perry entered on a giant mechanical tiger, went through several wardrobe changes in the course of 20 minutes, and was surrounded by a legion of dancers who at one point were dressed up as sharks, palm trees and beachballs. BTW, it’s been my observation that a pop singer’s talent is usually inversely proportional to the amount of dancers he or she shares the stage with.

At the end of the show, Perry stepped onto a platform that lifted her into the air to soar above the crowd as she lip-synced her finale. I understand that NBC and the NFL wanted to appeal to a younger demographic than in recent years, when The Who, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and other so-called “dinosaur acts” were featured. But if you remember, last year’s halftime show featured a contemporary artist, Bruno Mars, who put on a great show based on his talent — and that of his band — without relying on stunts like giant mechanical animals, dancing beachballs or levitation. 

If you watch the Grammys tomorrow night, no doubt you’ll be bombarded with more spectacle, more dancers flanking the singers, and who knows what else (Pink seems to always end up flying over the audience). It’s the way of the pop world, but I it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Thankfully, we no longer have to rely on the tightly playlisted pop world to discover new music. Although the Internet has done a great deal of damage to the music industry, one of its major benefits is access to music of all genres, no matter how wide or narrow. 

So what did you think of the Katy Perry halftime performance? Did it bother you too? Let me know.

Have a great week.

Mike Levine

U.S. Editor

Audiofanzine