The Black Eyed Peas at the Super Bowl: Pop absurdity at its finest

As the Black Eyed Peas' Super Bowl halftime performance in Arlington, Texas, halted and revved up for its final act, there was a brief glimpse at the band that could have been. The retro-future stage -- outfitted with multiple moving platforms and a multitude of lights, as if the Peas had blown up Disney's Main Street Electrical Parade -- rearranged itself to spell out the the word "Love." 

Peas ringleader will.i.am stood straight and looked directly into the camera. Outfitted to look something like a cross between an astronaut and a "Star Wars" character, will.i.am updated the lyrics to "Where Is the Love?" and called upon the president to "create jobs so the country stays stimulated." As political commentary, it was far from divisive, but the 2003 hit was a brief reminder of the Los Angeles act's roots. The Peas were once a socially-conscious hip-hop act, and as recently as eight years ago were interested in more than simply overly stimulating their audience.

But that shift in direction -- these days, the Peas have time for only mindless partying -- is largely what made the act quite possibly the most perfectly suited contemporary group for a Super Bowl halftime show. Since the 2004 Janet Jackson disaster, the NFL has targeted the boomer crowd, with little success. Bruce Springsteen hammed it up in 2009 to pander the mass audience, and the Who ran out of gas last year, trying to play the part of an act that still mattered.

The Peas, however, didn't really have to change a thing. The Peas of 2011 embrace all things commercial and ridiculous. Corny? Please. In the world of the Peas, nothing is too silly and everything is built for exaggeration.

Fergie, who plays the role of "the one with sex appeal" in the group, wore a glittery top that looked like butterfly-shaped battle armor. It was absurd and somewhat laughable, yet the Super Bowl isn't the place for subtlety or veteran rockers trying to garner headlines.  

So, as dancers with lampshades on their heads surrounded the band, the Peas once again proved that there is no outfit, no dance move and no lyric ("Mazel tov!") too silly to be shouted to the hinterlands. The Peas, love 'em or hate 'em, are the group this game of hype deserves.

Smartly, the Peas largely stayed away from their stinker of a recent album, "The Beginning," dipping only briefly into "The Time (Dirty Bit)," with will.i.am and Fergie copping a prom-like embrace. Yet the tune isn't really a song as much as it is an excuse to show off some nifty digital sounds, a compilation of parts that approaches songwriting as if it's a commercial.

Indeed, the band can do those too, as will.i.am even directed his own Super Bowl ad, and unavoidable songs such as "Let's Get It Started" and "Pump It" are little more than a collection of game-day slogans. The Peas largely stayed still during the performance, letting the backup dancers in "Tron"-like get-ups do much of the work and provide the eye candy. And eye candy it was, as -- and all apologies to Daft Punk -- there's nothing in Disney's "Tron: Legacy" as goofily surreal as a band singing the phrase "Boom Boom Pow" in Lazer Tag fashions.  

The whole performance wasn't a winner. When Slash emerged from beneath the act's rotund stage/space shuttle launch pad, it was a turn for the worst. Here come the overcooked guitar lines and moment of nostalgia, but as Slash and Fergie ran through a snippet of "Sweet Child O' Mine," it was a small consolation that Fergie can do a better Axl Rose than Axl these days. 

Usher then descended from the ceiling to show off his dance moves, and the verses for his "O.M.G." were the only moments when the halftime show approached anything near risque. Much has been made of the Peas appearing at the Super Bowl, as pop-culture pontificators wondered whether the former rap group would do anything controversial. But no worries, as even Fergie's skirt was at an appropriate length. Really, the Peas had zero interest in alienating, even if they persuaded Usher to wear a suit that was missing only a Stormtrooper mask. 

Plenty may bemoan the absence of a more straight-ahead -- and, let's face it, artful -- act such as Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, but the Peas' music is made for short bursts. This is the rare band that can shine with a medley.

Also, as far as music entertainment at this Super Bowl goes, the Peas were something of a revelation at Cowboys Stadium. Christina Aguilera bungled a line of the National Anthem, and stretched and yelled the word "brave" as if she were giving a lesson in what tinnitus sounded like. Pregame, Maroon 5 was adult-pop at its most bland, and Keith Urban, despite his stylish guitar playing, was indistinguishable country-pop. 

The Peas, however, are singularly unique, even if they're far away from their more thought-provoking early days. The set came to an end with "I've Got a Feeling," and Fergie chest-pumped as she sang the words "pa-pa-pa-pa-party everyday." Nonsense? In the hands of nearly any other chart-toppers, yes, but the Peas approach partying as if it's some sort of battle cry. Their weapons are little more than tuneful chants, and their army is fluorescent, but it's built for stadiums.

-- Todd Martens 

Photo: Getty Images

Comments

[BILL]

"it was a small consolation that Fergie can do a better Axl Rose than Axl these days". There are so many things wrong with your article, first of all this halftime show was the most boring and horrible I've ever seen. Second, you make a comment like the one quoted and I bet you didn't see one single Guns n Roses show during their European tour because if you had you would understand why former members like Duff and Matt Sorum said Axl looked and sounded better than ever. Fergi was absolutely awful trying to channel her inner Rose.

[H]

All of my guy guests for my superbowl party went to the bathroom, grabbed another drink, ate some more. went outside to have a smoke, and ladies had to have the good sense to turn off the horrible NFL half time show to watch the Puppy bowl. I

Was "spacemen" the theme of the black-eyed peas and Usher or bad taste? It was musical theater that Andrew Lloyd Webber would be proud of.

[Tyrell Jones]

Seriously, Todd? You can't be serious. The Peas looked like the musical version of Toy Story and sounded horrible. They obviously need every ounce of Interscope's trickery to sound as sellable as they do on the radio. But I honestly didn't know they were this bad until tonight--just talentless hacks with the company resources to spoon-feed an American public polished turd.

[path.et.ic]

Did you ever have black-eyed peas? They're dry and boring and you can't do anything to make them better. Same thing tonight -- as well as with this lamestream review:

*This is the rare band that can shine with a medley*
- oh wow Todd, what PR flack wrote this for you?

Let's see now... the game ended over an hour ago -- and in the second largest city in the US, the Times registers (10) Tweets and (12) Facebook somethings for four laughable
as* w-pes who stood onstage and mouthed crap - how
amazing! The internet is on fire with social connections!

Meanwhile, the Puss stole from at least three songs (including Pipeline? ) AND had to call in Usher and Slash?? haHA that half-time act was more boring than their outfits and their phoney nursery rhyme *tracks*.

Is Intel selling corn syrup now - or wooden toys because they're gonna get both now with that will.i.am clown as
their new (and soon-to-be-defunct) Director of Creative In.NO.vation.

will.i.am is innovative? That's more absurd than a group with Fergie Fug in it.

Pardon me whle I take a Boom Boom Pow - oh it already happened onstage tonight...

[Lou Bricano]

Yes, the Black Eye Peas were horrible - crap - dreck - garbage. What a thorough waste of half an hour. Why does every national spectacle have to aim at the under-25 crowd and accelerate the spiral into abject degeneracy?

[Glen Warren]

Poor Mr. Martens. He seems somewhat delusional...perhaps lost in a sense of his self -importance and bemoaning the loss of older, speech-slurring acts of a different time and culture. Even as I approach 60 years of age I can recognize the effort and talents of those highlighted during halftime and can only applaude them as I wonder why Mr. Martens bothered to offer his thoughts.

[Diego]

OMG what a hater, the BEP rock!!!! and i love The Beginning!!!!!!

[Newport]

Loved them all. You are spot on calling it absurd, because they did hit new heights of absurdity for sure. But it was very appropriate for such a grandiose, absurd event that involves oddly dressed men chasing and kicking a pointed ball around a field. It all goes together. Plus, I just love the Peas music. It's great fun to dance to.

[Eddie]

Oh man! it's so funny to read this half time show review as is the comments that some people wrote. First, I thinnk whoever is this "Todd Martens" I guess he had prefered to see a bunch of old guys playing some love song or some kind of instrumental melody. Second..to all those people that say they waisted 20 minutes of their live watching the show I ask them.. Doesn't your HD-3D-MP3 TV tune in another channel? hahahaa!!

[Frank Pratt]

Insert tongue firmly in cheek - Black Eyed Peas -fun and fabulous!

[Watching with sound]

Did you listen to the performance? You could tell they were using auto-tune to try and make them sing in-tune, but that obviously failed. Its fine that you don't like classic rock, but at least they aren't tone deaf like Fergie. Take away their Grammys and have them do it Milli Vanilli style and lip synch. They are a music group that can't sing without studio technicians running their voices through a mac.

[de]

The song by Christina and the half time show were a joke.

[William Dunn]

I really like the Blacked eye Peas halftime performance. I thik it is really hard to make everyone Happy. So f those who didn't like it. They put a lot of hard work in many aspects of the show from choreography, costumes, music choices , use of Slash and Usher. The music critics in this crowd should try it sometime.

[Srini Kumar]

I felt as though I was watching something choreographed and performed in Pyongyang with those dancers. They were awful. Who are these strange people, and why do they think they are from outer space ? And the sound ?! Idiotic.

[Briano]

The Black Eyed Peas are dreadful. The halftime show they put on was the worst ever seen at the Super Bowl. What is interesting in any of their drivel? God that was bad.

[de]

The half time show and Christina were just a unbelievable joke poor representation of American talent.

[jp]

spot on.

[John]

The half time show was absolutely terrible. I would not watch it again if someone paid me. I always knew the Black Eye'd Peas were terrible... But, after tonight it sealed the deal. And Fergie was no help either.... grind on Slash? a like 60 year old man. And she looked like "Helga" from American Gladiators.. The Black Eye'd Peas are the prime example to why I don't listen to "pop"

[echoparko]

This is really hilarious. The Times ripped the Peas a new ***hole and commented on what is "appropriate" skirt length, by LA standards. They even ripped on the usual local suspects before ripping on Keith "Urban" (i think they misspelled his last name) who.may. as. well. live in L.A. The funniest part of this thing was keeping the country "stimulated." Any more commercial and technological stimulation and America would be ejaculating all over the black eyed peas, and probably all over everything else too.

Pump it up, yo.

[GCL]

It was a fun show - well produced, and well performed.

If you disagree, you're either a cynic or jaded American (or likely both).

[Moleman]

Ok, it was better than "Up With People" or the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake thingy. Not knowing any of their music/songs, the Peas were funky and better than any stupid rapper i.e. Kanye West. Give me Keef and Mick every year as that is what the boomers want and we are the ones that buy the damn tickets. We may be old and white (and wealthy) but we know how to party without being pretentious wannabes. Actually, they catered to us old effing rockers with Slash and Sweet Child O' Mine. Fergie actually did a decent job, I liked that. Can't hurt eityher that it is just a great song. Always better than marching bands and cheerleaders although I have a good time trying to spot the cheerleader that decided not to wear any panties.

[David]

It seemed awful & awkward to me. The dancers were good, but it looks like Fergie was pissed because her mike was having technical problems. (If you can't get good production for this show, where can you?)

[Muir Woods]

Great Halftime Show!!! Life is short.....Get ready and be invigorated!!!

Thank you Black Eyed Peas and everyone for making this happen! It was memorable!

[Robinson]

fyi, fergie was wearing bedazzled football pads. i thought it was rather obvious.

[Mark]

This article is worse than the half time show. Slash and The Who are still 1000 times the artists that the BEP are. Garbage in, garbage out.