For his own fifteen minutes this past Sunday, Prince played as though he were mounting a fresh challenge for the title of world's greatest live performer on the biggest stage of his professional life. Truth be told, Prince effectively reclaimed that title a few years back with the breathtaking shows of the Musicology tour.
But anyone who has ever seen Prince in concert knows that as great a performer as he is, his shows can often consist of little more than fragments of songs strung together in what can amount to a non-stop two hour medley of hits. The effect is exhilarating, but can also be frustrating if you are looking to hear complete songs.
In the fifteen minute halftime format of the Super Bowl however, this approach suited Prince perfectly. And he took full advantage. Showing off more of his Jimi Hendrix side than his James Brown, Prince ripped through a set heavy on guitar pyrotechnics that began with the familiar "dearly beloved" of "Let's Go Crazy." After teasing "1999" briefly, he then went straight into "Baby I'm A Star." This led to a series of great cover choices including John Fogerty's "Proud Mary," Dylan by way of Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower," and finally The Foo Fighters "The Best Of You."
Ending with "Purple Rain," Prince looked every bit his majesty silhouetted in the pouring rain and the purple lights. For anyone who wrote him off in the nineties while he was busy battling his record company and engaged in all that unpronounceable symbol nonsense, Prince has served notice to the world on the biggest stage of all that he is back. In doing so, he has also set a standard for Super Bowl halftime shows that will be a challenge to match, let alone top next year.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Glen Boyd
So after tag teaming me into this assignment yesterday, hopefully Eric and Ray are happy this morning. I'd also like to start the betting here for next years halftime show. Of the bands most likely to be touring in the next 12 months, I'm gonna say they go after Springsteen and the E Street Band first, followed by the Police. Van Halen is also looking good as a third choice. What say you?
-Glen
2 - Al Barger
Brother Boyd, double and triple dittos on Prince. I'm glad for Peyton Manning getting some deserved recognition, but Prince is the real Super Bowl XLI MVP.
3 - Glen Boyd
Thanx Brother Al. So whatdya think? Bruce or The Police next year?
-Glen
4 - Al Barger
Well, you couldn't go wrong with Bruce or the Police, really. I'd give a little edge to the Police as an event, as they've been broke up and acrimonious and it's about halfway to a big deal if they can get all three egos into just one football stadium.
Whereas, obviously Springsteen would be a pretty big deal, but I'm frankly not so thrilled about the E Street Band at this point. That would be the obvious backing for a Springsteen Super Bowl turn, but I'd be MUCH more excited if he did it with the Seeger band, which is fresher and more interesting to start with.
But Van Halen could do as much good as either one of them. I could definitely see Diamond Dave MCing a Super Bowl halftime extravaganza. And heck, throw Sammy into the mix. That'd be different.
5 - Connie Phillips
Nice job, Glen, thanks. As soon as I heard that opening "Dearly Beloved" you mention I was drawn from my home office (okay, so I don't watch football - shoot me!) were I sat mesmerized through the entire set.
Next year? Police or Van Halen would get my votes.
6 - duane
And THAT was some fine guitar playing.
7 - zingzing
whoever tries to follow prince next year is going to be a horrible disappointment.
PRIANTH, sexy motha fuckas! other than the fuckin foo fighters shit, i thought it was grand. and he looked good, bum hip and all. the man's a gneius.
8 - Glen Boyd
Agreed Zing. "Prianth" as you rather hilariously refer to him, will be very, very tough to follow next year. Weird as it would be to see Springsteen doing something as corporate as the Superbowl, that would probably get my vote. Whats more American than the Boss and football ya know? Although Barger makes a good point about Roth with Van Halen. I'd actually like to see Diamond Dave do the color commentary.
Thanx for the comments all.
-Glen
9 - zingzing
i would love to see bruce up there, and i think that his career see-saw effect (BORN TO RUN-darkness on the edge of town-THE RIVER-nebraska-BORN IN THE USA-tunnel of love, etc, etc) is back on the upswing towards a big ol' pop take-over-america style album, which would be well serviced by a superbowl appearance.
so it's a possibility.
van halen has been done for years, and roth for longer. they are just cashing in, so i would rather not partake in anything to do with that.
the police... ugh. gimme a break. they had a few good singles. and sting had blonde hair. can you imagine them trying to play a rock song right now? what a laugh. what? reggae with lutes?! yip!
10 - alessandro nicolo
Yeah, that was fine guitar and Prince was one of the better shows in recent memory. But is it me or is going on the NFL half time show a little, well, below these artists? Cash and exposure aside. Prince made people forget Billy Joel?
11 - Glen Boyd
I understand exactly what you are saying Alesandro, which is why it's going to be really weird to see Springsteen up there (assuming of course that they ever could actually convince him to do it in the first place).
But when people like U2 and The Stones started doing it, I think that removed a lot of the stigma. But I agree -- there was a time when any "serious rock artist" wouldn't be caught dead doing something as commercially crass as the Superbowl. Just shows you how much things have changed.
-Glen
12 - Ripshaw
I vote for Hank Williams Jr. Saw him live on of all things "The Boomer Show" and he did really well. He still has the fire and a great voice, not sure how much of a mainstream reception he would get. But its an easy match to "Are you ready for some football?"
13 - daryl d
Prince was indeed good. However, I'd like to see him have a hit single now. It's great to hear his old stuff, but people who don't know hime well may think he hasn't recorded a song for the past twenty years.
14 - Glen Boyd
Prine? Do you mean John Prine? (sorry, couldn't resist...)
15 - Vern Halen
Yep, Prince kicked a$$, and very hard.
Bruce, Police, VH etc. are all obvious choices, and tey would all be good, but I think the bar hias been raised. It's got to be someone who could pull this off again - mount a "comeback" of sorts; cover a large spectrum of the history of rock and roll; and go out on a limb with a dangerously close to expploding set. In all seeriousness - Guns 'n' Roses. You heard iti here first - especially the go out on a limb category.
16 - daryl d
Ah..I meant Prince.
17 - daryl d
I wish radio stations would give him some airplay. It's like just because he's an older act, they never play his new stuff. Some of it is good though. It's not as good as he is capable of, but better than most of the junk that is put out today.
18 - Glen Boyd
Daryl,
I was just ribbing ya about the Prince typo--it just kinda struck me funny to see the name "Prine" since it made me immediately think of John Prine.
Vern,
I'm a little skeptical about GNR for reasons that should be obvious. Now if it was Axl and Slash -- that would be worth seeing.
One thing for sure, that Prine, err I mean Prince guy, sure did set the bar high on Sunday.
Thanx for the comments guys.
-Glen
19 - zingzing
john prine... his shit always gets mixed in with prince's... lazy record store clerks. drives me up a wall. not really. but it's just about the only reason why i have any knowledge of john prine to begin with.
20 - Vern Halen
Skeptical?? You should think I'm nutz, Glen! But I had a flash of inspiration - we'll see if I tapped into the great rock 'n' roll psychic pipeline.
21 - Glen Boyd
Okay Vern. Nutz. You said it, I didn't. LOL...
But like you said, who knows? Your prophetic gift could give whole new meaning to the term "dead zone". I think the only guarantee at this point is that Neil Young won't be doing it. God Bless em'!
-Glen
22 - Leslie Bohn
Prince again next year! Unprecedented.
23 - Christopher Rose
Glen, I corected Daryl's typo to avoid confusion. I had exactly the same thought as you. John Prine - that's a name and a music I haven't heard for ages.
24 - Milan
You guys call that good guitar playing? Yeah, I guess he must be some kind of genius to be able to take both hands off of the guitar and the raging solo continues! Even Hendrix couldn't pull that off!
Proud Mary? Are you kidding? Is it a requirement for every Super Bowl halftime show to do Proud Mary? Gotta be a nominee for most over-covered song.
What did Prince do? Nothing that hasn't been seen a thousand times before. The guy's music is trite and the fact that people think he's some kind of genius says a lot about the state of popular music these days. Sorry, I was just yawning through the whole thing, waiting for it to be over.
25 - Vern Halen
At this point in rock and roll, EVERYTHING's been seen a thousand times before. The trick is to make is sound like it's brand new. Watching Prince gave me the same feeling that I got when the White Stripes played... what was it... the Grammy's a couple years ago? I got the same sense of, "What the hell is happening here? Is this just hype, or is somebody playing rock 'n' roll like it actually MEANS something again?"