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This year’s Super Bowl halftime show should let the event’s producers know loud and clear (and very off-pitch) that it’s time to retire the geriatric rockers.

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I was at The Cellar on West Berry Street during the game last night but missed the halftime show. Later in the evening I talked to a rabid Who fan.

“How’d it go?” I asked.

“Ehhh,” was his response.

Then he brightened up. “Zak Starkey played drums and he was great.”

It’s bad news when a fan says the highlight of the show was Ringo’s son sitting in on drums.

After I got home I cranked up my Tivo and watched the debacle myself.

If this were American Idol, judge Randy Jackson would have said, “Pitchy, dawgs.” Paula Abdul would have spoon fed herself a bowl of Seconals (and she’s not even an Idol judge anymore).

Pete Townshend’s “harmonies” overpowered Roger Daltrey’s erratic but relatively better vocals. And, sorry, but when I see Townshend doing the windmill move these days I just worry about him tearing a rotator cuff.

On the positive side, Daltrey nailed his primal scream coming out of the organ break on “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” That’s a tough trick. The tone on Townshend’s guitar was gorgeously raw and mean — he hit a couple of chords that sounded like explosions of thunder. And Starkey pummeled the drums with a ferocity that would have made Keith Moon proud.

The light show and fireworks were cool too.

Overall, though, I agree with the fan who said, “Ehhh.”

It’s time to forget about Janet Jackson’s exposed nipple. It’s time to hire some of the 21st Century’s new wave of female rockers.

Lady Gaga is tailor made for a halftime show. Or, if it’s so important for producers to hire older, established rock bands with well-known hits, how about Heart?

Here’s Lady Gaga’s recent performance at the 2010 Grammy Awards:

7 COMMENTS

  1. You guys are nuts the half time show was great. Great performance all in attendance at our party (25) sang along ant thought it was great

  2. I agree with the assessment. Loved these guys in the 60s and 70s, but now with half of them dead, it’s just sad to see what’s leftover trying to cash in with the same tired songs.

    These guys are actually embarrassing.

  3. Hey! Could you at least spell their names correctly? I know it’s a tall order for someone that might have attended public school in Texas but if you want your 4th rate market musings to be taken semi-seriously it’s required. Yes! We should get some of today’s hard-core rock and rollers to play half-time! Like Daughtrey! Oops! Your daddy Jerry beat you to it.

  4. the who were sublime – rock n roll at it’s best – dirty – outta tune – outta time – great songs – one step away from a train wreck

    what i find interesting is that the auto-tune lip-synch mentality has sensitized an outta touch public –

  5. ps

    lady gaga woulda sang all the low notes ( as she has done all all the tv i have seen ) – the rest woulda been sequenced or pre-recorded

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