I found myself watching Super Bowl last night. Not because I enjoy the sport, (which I don't) but because they often have very good musical performances for Super Bowl. It opened with Stevie Wonder and some people I honestly didn't recognize. Stevie wasn't bad, but he pulled out Superstion for the zilionth time in history. I've grown to hate that song. His other work from that period is much better. Anywho, they do the national anthem, which is very poorly performed by these two black artists. Can't say I recognized either of them either.
Then the game begins and I flip the channel to watch a very good rendition of The Tempest. It's close to Prospero's final speech, so I have time to enjoy the rest of it. When I flip back to the game, they're almost half-time, so I sit there and wait.
Eventually, in the middle of the stage appears this group of codgy old farts, who I immediately recognize as the Rolling Stones. I know they're the Rolling Stones because a) I used to think they were the greatest rock n' roll band in the world (I'm old enough to remember when they really were) b) noone on earth hires people that old to rock a major event like Super Bowl unless they're the Rolling Stones or Paul McCartney (and they already had Paul last year) and c) the lead vocalist is old enough to be my father's younger brother yet moves like my 10 year old nephew.
Needless to say, they give a great show.
Mick dances and howls like a llunatic, Keith takes the time to move around on stage and pull out all the riffs when required, and evetyone else does a great job. I'm sorry, I'm too lazy to look up who's in the band these days.
I think I saw someone toss their panties on stage during the first song, which wouldn't surprise me. 'Start Me Up' still gets a lot of applause these days, though I haven't been to an actual concert in years. They played a song I'm afraid I didn't recognize. Either I'm growing old or it's something off the new album. And of course they end with Satisfaction, simply because they know everyone will recognize it. I know I would've liked it much better if they had pulled out a non-single track, but under the circumstances, I know I shouldn't complain.
I only wish I knew how Mick still manages to MOVE like that!