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The Music Behind My Super Weekend
By Jim Shearer on 02/02/2009
Filed under: HODGEPODGE
If you give me a few hours, I could deliver you 20 different blog postings on the Pittsburgh Steelers' you're-freakin'-givin'-me-a-heart-attack Super Bowl victory last night. (If you're not from Pittsburgh, you might not understand why the city is so obsessed with its football team.)
(left: Here we go Steelers! Here we go!)
Because this isn't ESPN.com, I'll spare you the sports analysis and stick with the music that centered around my Super weekend in Pittsburgh:
I Knew I Knew It That Well
During a Super Bowl party on Friday night (that's right, in Pittsburgh we have Super Bowl parties two days before the big game) I participated in a game of Rock Band 2--and in my first attempt--managed to score a 100% expert rating, performing the Beastie Boys' "So What'cha Want?" The tune doesn't require hitting any high notes, so maybe I shouldn't be so proud of this minor accomplishment.
Young Kids I Can Vibe With
On Saturday night my friends and I ventured onto Carson Street in the South Side of Pittsburgh (a street littered with night clubs and bars). The first bar we hit was dead, the second one was playing Top-40 club music that was packed to the brim with dudes wearing long-sleeve, buttoned-down, shirts and sporting boy-band haircuts, and the third place we hit was just right, a not-too-crowded bar with a young band playing cover songs from the 90's--my era, my kind of place. I also managed to work my way on stage and sing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with the guys (which was a nice warm-up for the screaming I'd be doing on Sunday).
(above: Sharing some stage time with local band, The Stop Sound.)
Fight, Fight, Fight
During some downtime over the weekend, my friend logged onto a Pittsburgh website featuring homemade Steeler fights songs. A group of pre-teens reworking Pet Benatar's "Heartbreaker" was the best, while another tune, "We Got Six, Yinz Don't," managed to rhyme "beer" with "chicks" making for good comedy, and an awful, awful fight song.
Fatboy Must Be Good Luck
As they did for their Super Bowl appearance three years ago, the Steelers took the field to Fatboy Slim's "Right Here Right Now." I love the choice--it's a great song, not too-too popular, and has been a staple on my iPod pump-up playlist for years.
Wait, What?!
There was a Pepsi commercial during the Super Bowl broadcast that paralleled eras from yesteryear to today. An old clip of Bob Dylan singing "Forever Young" was mashed up with his current day parallel, Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas. Wait, WHAT?!
Oh Say Can You See
Lip-syncing or not, Jennifer Hudson rocked the hell out of the National Anthem (is that appropriate to say?).
The Boss (The Good)
What did I think of Bruce Springsteen's halftime show? Loved it! He looked like he was having a ball (imagine that, having fun while playing live music). I also loved the fact that he bantered--how many Super Bowl halftime performances have included the line: "Put down those chicken fingers"?--stayed away from the medley, and reworked the lyrics of "Glory Days" to be make it football appropriate. The running knee slide into a cameraman was pretty cool too!
The Boss (The Bad)
As much as I loved the fact that Springsteen and the E Street band stayed away from the medley, part of me wished they would have went for it. A sold out Super Bowl stadium is a perfect venue for "Born In the U.S.A.," "Dancing In The Dark," "Hungry Heart," and a bunch of other American-made, larger-than-life Springsteen tunes. The worst part of the halftime show was limiting the usual three-and-a-half hour rock spectacular to just 12 minutes.
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Dear Jim, AKA Adam Horowitz. The Stop Sound wants to formally thank you for mentioning us in your article. Also, we would like to see anymore pics/videos you may have of that memorable evening. We want you to know that anytime you want to come back down to SIXBURGH and take the stage with us, you are always welcome.
Dan
The Stop Sound
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