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

[Tom Anderson]

Oh, the 1/2 time show? Think of it, we used to have Al Hirt, Andy Williams, Pete fountain, folks like that. Now we have the Black Eyed Peas.

Why don't we just stop and say the obvious. The Black Eyed Peas suck. No, they're not as bad as NWA, Beastie Boys, Kanye West or Eminem, but they still stink. It's not music, it's trash, and not even good trash.

Someday, pop music will not be just rap and female singers that go up and down scales and call it singing.

Someday. When you're at the bottom, there is no place to go but up!

[X]

The writer of this article is out of his mind. This performance was tragically bad. The Peas have lost all of their legitimacy. Just before Slash appeared I prayed that they would cover someone else's songs since theirs are so terrible. It seemed my prayers had been answered (and Slash was fantastic) but Fergie butchered GnR and made me wildly uncomfortable while grinding Slash. Playing their songs in reverse chronological order was comforting, considering their latest releases are their absolute worst, and Usher saved the day (albeit only temporarily) with his performance, but this was one of the worst shows I've ever seen in my life. They need to return to their roots or call it quits. Of course they won't, because they make millions of dollars by appealing to the lowest common denominator and "writing" such generic garbage.

[kevin]

"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. "

What?! you must have had the TV Muted. I Love the black eyed pea's, honestly I do. I'm a child of their generation. But, unfortunately I learned very quickly last night that one of my favorite bands are absolutely HORRIBLE live. Listening to Fergie try to sing out lines was like watching an over budget production of the first few episodes of American Idol (the one where all the crappy singers that think they can sing audition). That was by and large the worst half time show ever!

"This is the rare band that can shine with a medley." I think you were confusing the part of their music that was pre-recorded, with the actual live gibberish.

[TheTea.net]

Were we watching the same show? They were terrible. Apparently, they didn't do enough sound checks with Fergie. She was screeching and wailing like a dog in heat. Someone please tell USHER there is only one Michael Jackson. It reinforces how unoriginal he is each and every time he moonwalks and break dances a la MJ in 1985.

Obviously live singing is the problem, so we may as well have everyone lip sync and just watch the dancing and special effects.

#fail

[rm444]

Agulerra is an embarrassment. And the Black Eyed peas are so painfully lacking in talent there are no words to describe it. Anyone, including the author of this article, who ascribes anything other than mediocrity to ALL of the acts mentioned is part of the problem. The decline and fall of western civilization.

[Coriolana]

Black Eyed Peas must have gotten themselves over-cooked the night before because that show was awful! Not even Slash or Usher could help it. Waste of time and $.

[Ivo]

BEPs rocked the half-time show!!

[John Zavesky]

One would have to go back to Pat Boone's cover of "Tutti Frutti" to find a performance as banal and boring as that of the Black Eyed Peas' halftime "show".

[JamesP]

Singularly unique? Sort of like, uniquely unique? Please. Editor.

[Geo]

Sounds like this reviewer didn't like anything. It was lite entertainment. No bowled over, but no harm no foul. I'm so tired of negativity in a time that we need uplifting positive commenting. See the silver lining for goodness sakes.

[JT]

Susan Boyle should have sang the National Anthem. Anyone with real talent who sounds the same on their CD and in person should only do it etc.. Celine, Mariah, Whitney, wheres the dudes in this picture? Janet was still the best plus Prince, everyone else..SUCKS

[Geo]

BTW - I thought Fergie was awsome with Slash - everyone at the party I was at 0 about 50 people, families... no alcohol or drugs.... were cheering at what a great job they did. There are some who are nostalgic when they hear a great song.

[Ali]

I thought the half-time show was entertaining -- songs have a catchy sound & all the lights were cool. This is not to say they are the best musicians....but I thought they were fun. I don't mind the old-timers but I do get bored with them. I liked seeing something current. I don't know why everyone is SO critical of the half-time show every year. It is what it is. It's hard to appeal to an audience with everyone from young kids and up watching. I'm sure the younger generation loved the half-time show this year. It's just entertainment.... lighten up everyone!

[MarlinMorales]

THe performance was good - the singing bothered me - but I loved the formations and such. My only prblem was that they didn't perform "Rock that Body" but either way it was good. i did NOT expect Usher. i was like 'What?!"

[Jackie]

The Black Eyed Peas were the first group in ages (ever?) to actually create a show fit for the site of the football field.

So many artists stand up there on their tiny stage with their regular 'costumes' making it all about them. The Black Eyed Peas show was choerographed for the size of the 'stage' they were on - the football field. I don't need to see a close in zoom shot of another singer on a stage as so many past Super Bowls have showed us. Any performer can do a regular stage show. This is the time for the big lights and the big show. They made the show more than just about themselves. They made it bigger than themselves for the fans in the stands too. (I would bet the fans in the stage enjoyed the Black Eyed Pea show much more than if had been a stage just stuck in the middle of the field.) How great for the fans in the stands - light up costumes - that match the surroundings, Fergie's glittery bigger than life outfits to show at a distance. They knew they had a live audience. Other than the sound engineering a great show.

[Superbowl junkie]

This is exactly why American music sucks... Autotune.
The BEP's performance was overly saturated with Autotune, how can you call it it talent when its digitally altered.

[Jonesy]

If you just sampled everyones' music, (GNR), usher, Dirty Dancing, you might be called a band...nothing was original, except for the outrageous costumes.

In the days of Lady Gaga, when buffoons and costumes are more important than lyrics and songwriting i weep for my country and our culture and arts.
If you call stealing and sampling others music "original" it might be OK..

[Chris Wag]

The "Time of my Life" part made me crack up! Remember the Simpson's episode when they were watching the Super Bowl and the halftime show was a tribute to halftime shows? "I had the halftime of my life..."

[Thomas Murphy]

NONE of this should surprise ANYBODY: a plastic pop act is a plastic pop act, with dopey costumes and a hard-working p.r. crew. Period.

[P Stroud]

Worst show since a drunken Diana Ross. It's all downhill since ZZ Top anyhow, though Prince and Tom Petty were acceptable.

[Brad Cornelius]

The unemployment rate of Sound Mixers should see a spike after that performance from the Super Bowl... It would've been nice to actually have a mic turned on - or up - when the singer's lyrics came up!

[Melanie]

I got the impression that Fergie's shoulder pads where supposed to look like football pads. I thought that was kinda cute. Maybe the author of this article just didn't get it.

[Thomas Murphy]

Pop has gone down the tubes: most people know this, but don't want to admit it. We are more turned on by dumb costumes and sparkle and sexual naughtiness and hype: why? Because NONE of this is about music any more. Hip-hop is a self-promotion machine. Period. Rock is about....nothing. Emo puts you to sleep. Alternative is scattered and "poetic". Where the hell is the energy and soul and creativity? Not marketable. So...good luck, America.

[Randy]

Groups like the Black Eyed Peas represent what I hate most aboout most pop acts and this is why I never go to concerts....if you cannot reproduce on a stage what you make in a studio, I don't want to see you live. Fergies vocals (though blame goes to whoever ran her microphone a bit) were scratchy and horrid.

[sonny]

The BEPs were awful. Period. They thought they could wow us with lights on costumes. SOOOO not enough compensation for the lame performance. After Prince's Halftime Show (not to mention his excellent, music-filled SuperBowl Press Conference) they all seem unprepared or undeserving of performing during this event. Prince was THE man...in the rain to boot.