Super Bowl's free-falling halftime show

Everyone catch Tom Petty's halftime show at the Super Bowl? I'm left with a couple lasting impressions:

• That was the most predictable set possible. First, "American Girl" -- nice choice. (I yelled out lines from "Fast Times" during the entire song -- "THE cruising vessel!" -- much to the dismay of my guests.) Then all the tunes you expected, ending with "Running Down A Dream." No surprises.
• Tom looks awful in a beard. He's not exactly Tom Brady without facial hair either, but you know what I mean.
• I think Tom could have used some time in the training room prior to the show. Some whirlpool time. He barely moved. He looked like me after I do the first lawn-mowing of the season. I wanted to buy him a recliner and a couple Advils.
• Lastly, I'm glad I haven't yet pulled the trigger on buying tickets for his summer tour. The Heartbreakers looked great, but I'm not sensing a show worth spending $100 at this point.

You know what Petty needed? Rain! Like Prince had last year in Miami. And perhaps a hip replacement. I'm not sure. Still, give the NFL some kudos for sticking with the 80s for another year. My hope for next year's Super Bowl Halftime here in Tampa? ... Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ("When two tribes go to war, one is all that you can score!")

[AP photo]

Comments

[Marissa]

Hi

[Jeff in Cuba]

No one goes to the Super Bowl for the music.

Halftime should be a show, not a concert.

[topcad]

My kids took one look at Tom and said to me, "He's old!" And then they wanted to know how long he's been around. BONUS: And the only reason they know Free Fallin is because I did a parody song for a radio station about a persistent listener with requests called "Keep Callin'". Ha!

[Bassnote]

My youngest daughter said, "Do I have to watch this?" which caused my wife to laugh without control. I dig TP&THB, but that was boring as hell.

[Al]

Frankie would be even worse than the Britney/Aerosmith debacle of a few years back.......

What would they play? Relax, Two Tribes, then Relax again?

[Al]

Who would be the pre-game?? Wham! ?

[jane]

Well, I liked old Tom and the elderly Heartbreakers. Benmont Tench was his usual awesome self on keyboards. I prefer to think of the set as being low-key, as opposed to boring. So there you are.

[Al]

I agree, Jane. It was predictable, but better than 90% of today's music.

[Spiky Sandy]

I enjoyed the half-time "concert" show and so did the other 3 people at my house. Tom and the rest of the band looked old, but they sounded wonderful and I was happy to hear all 4 songs.

[Spears]

When the concert started, my friends and I all wondered aloud if Petty would try to top Prince's phallic show from last year. And then we saw the Flying V guitar laser image flying around. Gotta admit: It looked something else entirely.

[Marissa]

Darn! I missed the giant phallic symbol. Stephanie Hayes says that's what it looked like to her over on Papa Sean's blog last night.
I always miss the good stuff. ha
I did catch the last 35 seconds of the game, though.

[John Hays]

I thought it was one of the best halftime shows in years. All great songs. I really thought the crowd got their money's worth.

[malibu]

I thoroughly enjoyed "hometown" favorite Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In this era of youth worship it's great to see them choosing some old classic bands to feature. And they looked more relaxed than any other performer I've ever seen at the SB.

[Dr Dre]

Can I say that sucked ! I was redy for a nap. Dirt nap please - The best all time half time show period - ( NBA - U2) all others sit down take notice how its done. Wait lets give credit to the TPA superbowl half time show with Aerosmith and Brit -

[Jeff in Cuba]

I agree that TP&THB were in fine form last night, but I still contend that the Super Bowl needs more than a great musician making great music.

If it were up to me, I would have have opened with Tom Petty, and then have Gnarls Barkely do a number at the other end of the stadium, followed by Toby Keith, descending on a zip line from the press box to do a song from a sideline stage, and then all three closing out the show with a killer, jam-session version of "Free Fallin'".

That's the type of grotesquely excessive, more-is-more, taste-bashing spectacle that best fits a Super Bowl.

There's a time for "quality", and there's a time for "quantity". And it's not called the "Nicely Done Bowl".

[Stephanie Hayes]

"There's a time for "quality", and there's a time for "quantity". And it's not called the "Nicely Done Bowl"."

Jeff, you're a genius.

[Tonka]

Mike Campbell stole the show, and Tom Petty rules. Now I am a huge Petty fan, but I thought Prince was better last year.

But they were good. Did seem very unlike a typical Petty show. I've seen him twice in the last six years.

And I didn't like the abbreviated "Runnin' Down a Dream."

[Eric S]

It was a decent show by TP and the HBs. I have seen him several times over the years. He always puts on a great show. My first concert was during the Southern Accents tour. I may see him on this tour because it may be his last.

I vote for a Savatage/Kamelot halftime show next year. Both of them have local ties. Both are great groups. Never going to happen, but I can dream.

[Chuck]

Wow....you're an idiot. After reading this article, preceded by several other pieces that you've written, I feel like I've completely wasted my time, and that I've actually lost brain cells reading the tripe that you've foisted upon an unsuspecting reading public. Like some sort of intellectual Al-Qaeda (and I don't mean that you're an intellectual), terrorizing the brain cells of innocent people. Try another line of work.