Super Bowl Half Time Show
Michael Jackson performance in Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California at the 1993 Super Bowl, will forever be remembered as the concert that changed the show entirely. The Super Bowl half time show is a concert held on the football turf during the Super Bowl match’s halftime to keep audiences engaged before the second half of the game resumes. Performances before 1993 had been mostly regarded as awful and unexciting. Michael Jackson would, however, change this notion setting a pace that future artist could only hope to achieve.
The concert starts in the backdrop of a screaming audience. Michael Jackson launches eight feet into the air, landing on stage (1:08). He holds his iconic poses for what, to many, appears to be an eternity before cueing the music. The pose only heightens the screams for the already excited audience. Jennifer Batten, his lead guitarist, performs a solo as Michael removes his glasses in a slow-paced manner. Batten is then followed but by a set of drums as the music starts. Michael begins dancing and is soon followed by for backup dancers. He performs a sample of his hit song Billie Jean from the Thriller album, followed by Black and White and then closing the set with Heal the world.
Michael utilizes the entire stadium for his performance, especially in his final song, heal the world. The crowd around the stadium hold up large cards to reveal pictures of children holding hands (8:15), while children join him on stage. This invigorating performance brought back an appeal for pop music in an era which it was increasingly being challenged by other genres such as hip-hop. Finally, it graduated the half time Super Bowl performance to include famous musical performers such as Beyoncé.
Work Cited
Michael Jackson. “Super Bowl.” YouTube, uploaded by DrFreeMan, 30 November 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idg8TNknvDU