Bruno Mars/RHCP *POLL*- Play Syncing! Where Do You Stand

[mcarp555]

First-
A string can break by playing along.

Second-
Potential for the amp to go out? How about the potential for the backing track to fail?

You're not going to hear any difference if a string breaks if you're not plugged in, are you?

Yeah, the backing track could fail; a meteor could crash into the stadium; the point is to minimize the potential risk of failure. Not having to deal with amps, instrument failures, miles of extra cables, boxes, FX, mixes, and so on means there's a lot less to go wrong. Halftime shows are primarily for television audiences, not the people actually in the stands; so like it or not, the sound is secondary to the visuals.

 

[JimK]

Halftime shows are primarily for television audiences, not the people actually in the stands; so like it or not, the sound is secondary to the visuals.

Thank you.
...then the next logical progression is-
NO LIVING PEOPLE for the 1/2 Time Show.
This can all be done CGI, right?
Granted, those in the stadium would be in on "it" (much like the studio audience for Penn/Teller, Criss Angel, etc).

Imagine the off-the-hook dance moves Bruno woulda been able to pull off!

A meteor crahing into the stadium...that's rich.

 

[bachlover]

Love live music, but given the parameters of a multi million $ production like the SB, it's understandable. Flea's reply said it best, and I agree with him.

 

[fisticuffs]

It's the Super Bowl halftime show. Get over yourselves. I'd lip sync in a pink tutu for that kind of exposure.

 

[macaroni tony]

A lot of people seem to have their panties in a wad about this. It's not like Flea & co. are lip-syncing night after night to suckers (see 'Britney in Vegas'). It's fifteen minutes of silliness in front of millions of people around the world. I'm not a big fan of RHCP, but I respect Flea for being honest (by both his comments and by not plugging in). Who among us has his head so far up his own backside that he wouldn't do it, if given the chance? I'm all for 'live music', but c'mon - would it really be 'better' to go out in a mad rush, with terrible sound and/or the potential for an amp to go out, or a string to break?

Halftime acts are required to 'entertain' the masses, not appease purists or snobs. It's not a big deal. Get over it.

This. seriously.

 

[jason_cfh]

I was angry at first about the entire "unplugged" drama but after hearing Flea's explanation and the fact that Flea and Josh decided to not wear their wireless battery packs making it "look like" they were plugged in and going the total obvious "hey look we're unplugged and the halftime show really is pre-recorded", I don't feel as angry anymore and I understand why they did what they did. I'll let them pass this time ONLY.

 

[Nashrakh]

Total non-issue. I wonder why people going ape over whether they did or did not? I simply don't care. That goes both ways.

 

[JMacBass65]

It's the Super Bowl halftime show. Get over yourselves. I'd lip sync in a pink tutu for that kind of exposure.

I'll back you up on a bass w/o strings. ;-)

 

[Bass_Thumper]

I totally agree with them doing the show. Of course I thought that it was common knowledge that shows of this nature were done this way.

 

[hdracer]

I would never do it and have no respect for musicians who do. If you can't play it live, don't do it at all. Otherwise, you are cheating the audience and opening yourself up to scrutiny every time you take the stage.

How are they cheating the audience?
It was a FREE half time show!
Nobody in that stadium paid to see them. They paid to see a championship football game and the people at home watching on tv didn't pay anything and could change the channel if they wanted to.

RHCP has paid their dues playing thousands of shows around the world LIVE.

 

[Hopkins]

The Superbowl halftime show is basically a full production compressed into 15 minutes. While I think it would be much cooler if they did play live, I totally understand tracking everything but vocals, from a logistical stand point. They are in a situation where they can't afford for anything to not go as planned, so they eliminate as many possible failures as possible. The music was prerecorded live, and the vocals were live. I don't think they were trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes.

Anyone who says they wouldn't have taken the gig is pretty much full of excrement if you ask me. No musician would turn down that kind of exposure, and everyone sells out to an extent. Its easy to have such strong opinions on the subject when you have never and will never be put in that situation.

 

[Twocanbassman]

It's the Super Bowl. It's also their rules. Considering the $ and notoriety for your band, you'd be NUTS not to do it... just sayin.

 

[tplyons]

I understand why they did it but give Flea and Josh props for being obvious about it by not even using the transmitter.

 

[mongo2]

Definitely, if the job is to sync, then that's what I'll do.

 

[dalkowski]

 

[NWB]

If you want to criticize RHCP for this, then you better also go after all the other SB performers like Prince, The Who, the Stones, Beyoncé......

Pretty much all SB halftime shows are prerecorded and it seems a bit lame to blame the performers for that.

 

[fhm555]

...I would have done it for the exposure, absolutely...

Forget the exposure, the cashola had to be insane for the time put in.

 

[Mark Nye]

I understand why they did it but give Flea and Josh props for being obvious about it by not even using the transmitter.

I absolutely disagree. If you're going to lie to me, then AT LEAST try and make it a convincing lie.

To answer the poll, yes, I'd do it, but I'd plug in a wireless pack. Pantomiming my own track or not, being out there with an unplugged instrument would just be too embarrassing. People keep talking about "exposure" in front of a 100 million+ audience, and that's PRECISELY why, if I were going to fake it, I'd do my damnedest to fake it as accurately as possible.

 

[TinIndian]

It's par for the course at events like that. I'm surprised so many people seem to be unaware of that fact. I don't think faking it is acceptable at a proper concert that people have paid to see, but an event like the Super Bowl is essentially advertising.

+1

 

[TinIndian]

A lot of events, most events, nearly all events, no. But the Superbowl? Come on. If anyone at all says no, I call bullsh**. It's the effing Superbowl.

+1