The Super Bowl 50 Pepsi Half Time Show was a unique combination of music from Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars.
Referred to as “musical celebration of the past, present and future”, it paid tribute to past Superbowl performances and artists.
The show opened with Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, kneeling in the grass of Levi’s Stadium transitioning into his first song, while the crowd rushed onto the field around him and to the stage. He then advanced to the stage to sing “Viva La Vida” and was joined by a large group of violinists.
The band also performed hits, “Paradise” and “Adventure of a Lifetime”, complete with a jumping audience, marching band below the stage and women costumed in green dancing with large, colorful flowers.
Disc jockey Mark Ronson changed things up at a turntable and out came Bruno Mars with his leather jumpsuit clad posse, singing his hit, “Uptown Funk”. Mars and his group stunned with their fancy footwork, reminiscent of his performance for Super Bowl 48.
The camera then panned down the field to drummers and dancers who parted to reveal Beyoncé. She performed her new song “Formation” (released only the day before) in a military-esque leotard adorned with large embellishments and completed the look with fishnets. She and her ladies danced to a display of pyrotechnic flames in the background then met Mars on stage.
Once there, they tossed around a line from “Uptown Funk” in what became a dance battle between the two groups. Martin joined them and they all paraded down the stage singing.
In a change of tempo, the stage showed footage from half time performances through the years while Martin sang clips of Coldplay’s “Fix You” as well as Prince’s “Purple Rain” and “Beautiful Day” from U2.
For their final act, all of the show’s performers joined the three artists as they sang “Up&Up,” and a monstrous display of fireworks erupted.
Interestingly enough, a televised advertisement for Beyoncé’s world tour came on directly after the concert was over.
All in all, the different components of this show did not work together. It was an odd mixture of neon colors and wild kaleidoscope graphics from the 80’s, with a touch of dominatrix beauty queen and a sprinkling of Bronx hip-hop king and music to match.
