7 Feb 2010
THE WHO ROCKS BRIDGESTONE SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW AT SUPER BOWL XLIV ON CBS
The Who, led by rock legends’ Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, transformed the Bridgestone Super Bowl Halftime Show into the most exciting 12 minutes in rock and sport, Sunday evening on CBS, unleashing a riveting live halftime performance at Super Bowl XLIV. The band’s exhilarating set electrified Sun Life Stadium, and thrilled the millions of fans watching throughout the U.S. and around the globe, affirming that America’s most watched sporting event also delivers on its promise of presenting the world’s pinnacle musical spectacular.
The awe-inspiring British band commanded a circular stage at luminous Sun Life Stadium in front of approximately 72,000 thousand fans, the iconic Who logo blazing below them as they led the charge into a pyro-powered, multi-platform tour de force. The Who’s spontaneous chemistry ignited the annual music extravaganza, now watched in 230 countries and territories around the globe, transforming the stage into a virtual Who-ville complete with wrap-around-video screen asking the illuminating question:
WHO ARE YOU?
Super Bowl fans cheered the band’s incendiary mash-up of Who classics, which kicked off with “Pinball Wizard,” and segued in to the scorching “Baba O’ Riley,” “Who Are You,” “See Me Feel Me” and a fireworks-emblazoned finale of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
The galvanizing performance was buoyed by the most spectacular stage ever built for a Super Bowl, designed by Bruce Rogers. The Halftime show was executive produced by Ricky Kirshner, who helmed the world’s most-viewed televised event for the fifth year in a row. Bridgestone Super Bowl XLIV Halftime show director Hamish Hamilton guided the entire presentation.
Some reviews:
ROLLING STONE
NEW YORK TIMES
L.A. TIMES
MTV.COM
CBSNEWS.COM
The Who continued their foray into groundbreaking territory post-Super Bowl, making available immediately after their performance, a special recording of the Super Bowl halftime ‘mash-up’ to purchase, download and play in the groundbreaking music video game, Rock Band. “The Who Super Bowl S-mash-up” is available now in the Rock Band Music Store, on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Wii console from Nintendo, and will be coming soon to PlayStation®3. The Who commemorated this once-in-a-lifetime event for fans by recording a special version of their acclaimed performance so that fans may buy and play the specially recorded version in Rock Band!
The Who also engaged in a unique humanitarian effort that premiered in conjunction with their Super Bowl performance to help the residents of earthquake-devastated Haiti. Recording artist and goodwill ambassador will.i.am remixed the timeless Who classic “My Generation,” including a new guitar solo by legendary ex-Guns ‘N Roses star Slash, transforming the anthem into a memorable call-to-action TV spot that debuted right before The Who took the stage at Super Bowl XLIV. The Who announced that 100 percent of the proceeds of the full-length remix of “My Generation” will be donated to Oxfam’s Haiti Earthquake Response Fund. The track will also be available for purchase for $1.29 on Amazon.com, Dipdive.com and TheWho.com, with all proceeds benefiting Oxfam’s Haiti Earthquake Response Fund.
The band has also recently released a compilation, GREATEST HITS (Geffen/UMe.) The largest single-disc “best of” collection from The Who in more than ten years, it is the first to span the group’s entire recording career to date, from 1964 to 2006.
Also – released exclusively on iTunes – The Who’s GREATEST HITS LIVE (Geffen/UMe), spanning the band’s entire live career with previously unreleased and newly mixed concert recordings.
The Bridgestone Super Bowl Halftime Show has become one of the most high-profile events in music, with The Who’s 2010 performance adding to a distinguished list of artists who have graced the Super Bowl stage, including Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Prince, the Rolling Stones, and Paul McCartney.
This year marks the third time the Bridgestone brand has sponsored the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
The BRIDGESTONE SUPER BOWL XLIV HALFTIME SHOW is an NFL NETWORK PRODUCTION and was executive produced by RICKY KIRSHNER and directed by HAMISH HAMILTON.
