Red Hot Chili Peppers, Unplugged
Fans could not help but notice how the instruments of the Red Hot Chili Peppers looked unplugged at Super Bowl XLVIII. Flea confirmed all the speculation that the band was aware that they only had to provide live vocals because everything else was going to be pre-recorded. He wrote a letter to fans to discuss this. “I understand the NFL’s stance on this, given they only have a few minutes to set up the stage, there a zillion things that could go wrong and ruin the sound for the folks watching in the stadium and the TV viewers,” he said. Flea said that they would be willing to play the same gig in the same way again in the future.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Unplugged
Beyoncé’s Super Bowl Controversy
No performance at the Super Bowl halftime show is immune to criticism. This is only natural since so many people tune in to watch it. In 2016, Beyonce delivered a politically charged performance that referenced the Black Lives Matter movement, Hurricane Katrina, the Black Panthers, and Malcolm X. Approval and criticism followed. Jessica Williams on the Today Show supported the musician in an editorial segment. She said, “I didn’t realize that singing about race was equivalent to Janet Jackson getting her [expletive] pulled out at the Super Bowl. But you’re right … the fans deserve wholesome entertainment. Like watching 300-pound men give each other concussions while a crowd cheers like we’re extras in the movie Gladiator.”
Beyoncé’s Super Bowl Controversy
