Halftime shows are typically fine if forgettable performances, the only exception in recent memory being Janet and Justin’s pop-infused duet which ended … well, you know how it ended.
Still, we knew we’d have to prepare ourselves for something decidedly cringe-worthy when lightning struck the stage at the opening of the halftime show. And indeed, our expectations were met when Prince appeared swathed in a cobalt blue suit, breezy orange blouse and black doo-rag, on a platform shaped like a fucking ankh, topped off with a menagerie of guitar transitions.
We have to give kudos to a guy who can not only play real mean but successfully set off a bazillion pyrotechnics despite a torrent of rain. Still, there remains a lot to wince about. The stage leaks so much smoke the dancers are not just obscured but nearly asphyxiated. Oh and look, a band with glo-sticks lining their uniforms. And a cover of “Proud Mary” with a very bad Tina Turner stand-in. Can you say lame explosion?
We dig “Purple Rain” and the ankh guitar, plus that gigantic phallic silhouette – nice touch. Prince expectedly pulls off a great if damn pompous production. We simply fail to understand how he can ooze sex, wear purple velour and tote ankhs at the same time, and we also think his music’s gone south since the “When Doves Cry” days.
A good safe choice, however. And in Prince’s defense, this was a far better presentation than the oft-mentioned “wardrobe malfunction.” Unfortunately, nixing the reams of negative press, an FCC-spawned moral crisis, the consequent media chill effect, and a fine bigger than the cost of a house, it’s also far more forgettable.
