Monday, September 29, 2008

10th Avenue Lame Out

So the rumors are confirmed. Bruce Springsteen will play Super Bowl XLXCVWHATEVER.

Bummer. Bruce doesn't need this and I'm not sure why he wants to do it. For a guy who admirably refuses to sell his songs for commercials or go corporate in any way, this is performing for the biggest commercial/corporate event in the world. Bruce will not grow his audience doing this and conversely the NFL actually needs to start thinking about their fan base that is under 35 when they book these halftime acts.

Of course, the NFL, still reeling almost five years after nipplegate, wants to keep playing it safe with MOR rockers (McCartney, The Stones, Petty). I know this will sting us Bruce fans, but that's what they see in him. He's not going to fuck up their party.

The set list will no doubt be "Born to Run," "Hungry Heart," "Badlands," maybe "The Rising." Forgot about anything remotely controversial or political. Just dance for the man, Bruce.

15 comments:

tourguide said...

See my post "Everyday is like Monday (Night Football.)" I can't believe Morrisey would stoop so low.
As for the Springer, I took a lot of snotty derision for liking him in my youth. But I believed in his working-class hero act (and no one else was doing it), and thought the critics as upper-middle class would-be hipster jackasses. Aaay, I'm from Jersey!"
Great post title, by the way.

Kleingärtner said...

Springsteen sucks. Tears for Fears was probably already booked.

BayonneMike said...

It's a little late in the day to be accusing Bruce of being a sellout, no? Besides, the halftime shows have been pretty great the past few years (Stones, Prince, Petty).

Rambler said...

Why, because he's 59 he gets a pass? Dylan didn't with Victoria's Secret. No Bayonne, no pass here. It's lame. And yes, I held Bruce to a higher standard than the Stones, Petty and Prince and of those three, only Prince really kicked ass.

BayonneMike said...

No, not because he's 59, because Born in the U.S.A. sold 15 million copies. He's a commercial artist. He enjoys the spotlight. Why would you want to deny the old guy a new thrill? Let the guy have his fun where he can get it.

here. said...

i'm just lookin forward to the piss break

Xmastime said...

i think Dylan DID get a pass for the VS; every Dylan fan I know laughed about it, "good for him!" etc. I heard not a single word of grief from any of his fans.

i dont think this is Bruce trying to sell more records. I think its a case of at this point at the (near end) of his career, why not do something like this for kicks? something he's never done before, will be fun etc etc. I'd relax on this one; he's not selling songs to car commercials.

Xmastime said...

arent putting your videos on mtv just as lame/sellout? if so you shoulda given up on bruce a long time ago, rambler. lighten up!! :)

ope said...

heard danny goldberg talk about the time bruce was asking about demographics before the river...

besides, the ecomony affects bruce too! me, im fired up. will either be serious (bring em home/new song tbd) or tongue in cheek 60s carnival ride. will not be the big songs. book it.

(my fear is he trots out new album songs that every artist seems stubborn about playing and that i can take or leave.)

Rambler said...

I can't really compare and artist doing videos to promote his music to fans vs. playing a corporate America event.

I love the Super Bowl, I love Bruce. I just don't need to see them together.

Dylan did catch some shit and it was embarassing. Bruce won't be embarassing. I just hope the NFL picks a good set for him. Get ready for Glory Days!!!!

BayonneMike said...

Wasn't the Harley-Davidson show a corporate America event?

http://www.backstreets.com/setlists.html

Xmastime said...

and whats more corporate than MTV?

lighten up Rambler!

tho if he really does play Glory Days Im gonna kick the screen in. grrrr.

Rambler said...

Re: Harley show. Didn't know about that one. Maybe he can do a Bar Mitzvah next. Ha ha.

Re: MTV--In its early years, MTV wasn't nearly so corporate and, in fairness to Bruce, he really hasn't done big ticket videos. That said, it is different (to me anyway).

Love how everyone adjusts their standards when its an artist they like doing something. Hey, Pete Townshend sold all those songs to TV and it has brought The Who's music to a new generation. That said, I still don't want to hear "Out in the Street" during the opening credits of some NBC drama.

Hey, I'm just saying I wish he wasn't doing this. Im not planning on burning all my Bruce CDs. That said, tonight my baby and me, we're gonna ride to the sea
And wash these sins off our hands.

Anonymous said...

Hey, let's hope that he turns the whole damn shooting match into a gigantic Tim Russert tribute. That would be Bruce!

Anonymous said...

Dylan was being ironic when he did the VS commercial.

Besides, he probably got to penis one of those lingerie babes.