(Writing and reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)
Nobody can deny that rock icon Bruce Springsteen put a lot of sweat into his 12-minute Super Bowl half-time show. But it left the critics still pining for a little more.
The New York Times wrote in its review that Springsteen “rose to the occasion, but never above it.”
The paper noted that Springsteen, whose songs often run longer than the average two-minute pop hit, dropped verses in the four songs he performed during the half-time show, the better to fit them all into his set.
Todd Martens at the Los Angeles Times music blog Pop & Hiss wrote that the Springsteen show was not a concert “but a teaser — and it was, admittedly, an entertaining one — for Springsteen’s upcoming tour.”
Stephen Metcalf at the online magazine Slate.com wrote that Springsteen misread his television audience with the performance. “The national mood is sober bordering on a galloping panic. Lively as he was, I wouldn’t say the Boss did much to either banish or capture it,” Metcalf wrote.
And Greg Kot at the Chicago Tribute blog Turn It Up wrote that as entertaining as the show was, it revealed the best and worst of Springsteen. He noted Springsteen’s line telling viewers to put down the guacamole dip, and his play-acting with a referee who ran on stage. “This was Springsteen as song-and-dance man, an accomplished artist reduced to pandering,” Kot wrote.
If nothing else, Springsteen proved himself to be flexible for a 59-year-old man, at one point sliding across the stage and into a television camera. Springsteen had been approached for years to play at the Super Bowl, but he always said no until this year. Was it worth the wait?
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58 comments so far
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59 years old! 59 years old?! He is better looking, more fit & has more energy then guys half his age. I
thought he was boss when I was a kid & I still think he’s boss now. He’s Super Boss!
The song is amazing. Yet another masterpiece by the greatest artist of all time. Suprisingly, the movie actually looks good, too. Looking forward to it….
- Posted by Cheapest Bruce Springsteen TicketsUnbelievable..That was the best Halftime show by far
- Posted by PaulBruce is the real deal…He made alot out of 12 minutes
I loved his off the cuff comments…Real That’s what he is about
Awesome Show
It was the best 12 minutes on television!
- Posted by MartiAll I could have asked for was a wardrobe malfunction!
Yeah, the mood of the country is depressed, so Springsteen should have come out and done 2 Nebraska tunes and 2 off of Tom Joad during the SuperBowl—think the NFL would have liked Nebrasa, Used Cars, Tom Joad and Sinaloa Cowboys??? What an asinine comment.
- Posted by dacowIt was more than worth the wait! I think people that really had no clue about Bruce and his antics during a concert can now see what he’s about. Energy is not the word for this man! Looking forward to the upcoming concerts for his new CD.
- Posted by irishWhat amazes me is the entertainment press. They trip over each other trying to get interviews and pictures of Bruce, they stampede the field and run around like maniacs. Interesting actions for a group of people that pretend to be disinterested in the Halftime Show.
- Posted by RBLihten up people ( and critics). It’s only rock and roll and it’s only a game! I thought Buce was great! How can you criticize someone for shortening songs when you only have a 12 minute set. I distinctly recall Prince and Tom Petty doing the same think. The humor injected into the show reminded me of Springsteen’s shows of the 70’s, before he expressed any political opinions. We all know the country is in a depression, that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun. Music and sports offer peoplean escape form our everyday struggles. Life can’t be all gloom & doom.
- Posted by Kevin ScanlonBruce is the best enternainer ever, myself, my husband and 13 year old daughter love bruce and the e street band and always go to their concerts as we know we’re in for a good night. They all have a lot more energy than a lot of people that are younger than them and never fail to deliver. They only had 12 minutes at the superbowl half time show, but i think they pulled it off brilliantly.
- Posted by LindaIt was the super bowl half time show not a tea social…remember football is a kid’s game at heart ,,,bruce shown his kids side big deal,,,it’s only rock & roll not opera get over the deal critics,,, laughable really
- Posted by sir iam c.n. clearlyI was saddened by the portentously dull excuse for rock music in Bruce’s performance, particularly when he screamed “I’m goin’ to Disneyland!” I half expected him to pass out cans of Pepsi to the band and sing “Baby we were born to gulp.” Either that or pulling a wal-mart cashier out of the crowd and up onto the stage while playing dancing in the Dark!
- Posted by ToastI have been to numerous Springsteen concerts and consider myself a HUGE fan. While his halftime performance had a totally different feel to it, it was still the Boss through and through…he was tongue in cheek with the disney comment and any real fan would know that…. he totally rocked the show….I am a huge sports fan , too, and having him as halftime entertainment made for the perfect superbowl storm.
- Posted by deniseMany people like to look for reasons to put Bruce down. “To poppy” “To old” “To Flashy” “Washed Up” The point is if we look at what Bruce managed to accomplish like how a 60 year old man could sing over a huge super bowl or how in twelve minuets Bruce took us to the 70’s and back. If America cant enjoy a simple Springsteen concert at half time without judging or criticizing then there is no hope for the rest of the world.
- Posted by ShipleyI failed to note the Critics should be blasting the lip syncing done by Jennifer Hudson. That was pathetic. Springsteen is a pro and Hudson is a fake.
- Posted by Jay DeeI think Bruce was playful for a reason. For awhile now he has been involved in serius matter: The campaign mostly. His latest music “The Wrestler” was great but depressing. I just think he and the band wanted to show there fun,party side because new fans may not know that side of the band due to his latest activity. The E Streeters have always had many sides to the live shows. Deep and Dark,Hard screaming guitar solos,harmonica and organ and the fun rocking playful side that they showed at the Superbowl. I promise you will see all sides if you go to see Bruce live. That said it was the BEST HALF TIME SHOW EVER by the GREATEST LIVE PERFOMER OF ALL TIME.
- Posted by Jay DeeAmnesty Tour cited above should have read 1990!
Cheers to all of Bruce’s fans.
- Posted by rDid not see the 1/2 time performance but heard about it from a 60 year old Springsteen fan. Seems Bruce and the band were having fun onstage but he had to scream over the noise from the people on the field. Is this so?
Nonetheless, saw Bruce and the E STreet band in 1980. Fanstastic show. They toured with the Amnesty International thing. He and his band ripped it up. Tracy Chapman was superb, too, in the complete opposite direction - one woman, one guitar, by herself at the mic, in a stadium. Bruce and Tracy Chapman should duet… together again (they’re on youtube along with many other duets of Bruce and whomever).
Yes, Springsteen likes to have fun, he does some corny stuff, but damn, the man and his band rock, period. All you critics, go to a real show of theirs then write a review! What if people critiqued your work of a few paragraphs of writing rather than a lifetime of writing? Get a life critics.
Bruce and the E STreet Band rock for all ages, through the ages! And no, Bruce is not old everyone, please!
- Posted by rBruce is the greatest rocker past, present and probably future. The Super Bowl show was awesome and I am so TIRED of the morons who didn’t get that the Disneyland line was a freaking joke! Do we have to spell it out? He was mocking himself. Bruce Springsteen, you just played the Super Bowl, now what? “I’m going to Disneyland.” All the critics of the Superbowl show have answered the burning question, What is wrong with the world? People like them are what is wrong with the world. The people who are incapable of enjoying a Bruce Springsteen concert. Please move far away, to the Artic would be nice. We who love the Joy Bruce and the band brings us don’t want you.
- Posted by donnaI thought he and the band were great! The shame of it is he was only allowed 12 minutes so of course he cut some verses out, what do these fools expect? I couldn’t believe he got 4 songs in, something old, something new, a classic and a fun song to end it all.
- Posted by Lee