Lady Gaga last night at Super Bowl LI "dropped from the top of Houston's NRG Stadium to open her halftime show and dropped the mic at the end, offering a program that delivered high-energy hits and an inclusive theme," according to David Bauder of the AP. Gaga was "patriotic from the start, opening with snippets of 'God Bless America' and 'This Land is Your Land' with red and blue lights twinkling above her, before guide wires delivered her to the stage below." Once on stage, she "commanded a large troupe of dancers and musicians, props that breathed fire and audience members swinging lights in synchronization -- the usual excess that has become a Super Bowl cliche." Yet Gaga "commanded the show herself, unlike many predecessors who brought in guest stars to bolster their act." Gaga earlier in the week had "promised inoffensiveness and good vibes." Bauder: "Mission accomplished" (AP, 2/5). BILLBOARD's Adelle Platon noted Gaga throughout her career has "flaunted many personalities," but last night she was "simply herself." She even "uttered part of the Pledge of Allegiance." Dressed in a "shimmery silver and blue number, Gaga bounced across her intricate, half-star-shaped stage." She "opened her show atop a tall pillar before seemingly levitating down to ground-level as she delivered her catalog's most upbeat offerings" (BILLBOARD.com, 2/5). USA TODAY's Maeve McDermott writes Gaga's set was "tightly choreographed and perfectly executed." She wore an "iridescent studded bodysuit and bedazzled boots" (USA TODAY, 2/6). In Atlanta, Melissa Ruggieri writes Gaga "blew the roof off of NRG Stadium," paying a "respectful tribute to America" with her opening songs (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 2/6). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Daniel Fienberg wrote Gaga's dive into the stadium was "easily the worst part of the set." There was social media speculation that the wire dive was "pre-filmed and if it was pre-filmed, how could it have been directed with so little inspiration." It "took attention from Gaga's earnest introduction" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 2/5).
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? In Houston, Heather Leighton writes the performance was "nothing short of attention-grabbing with a spectacular light show, impeccable vocals and circus-like aerial moves from the pop star and crew" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/6). In N.Y., Hardeep Phull writes it was "hard to imagine anybody not enjoying the 12-minute, stunt-laden, firework-decked, tightly-choreographed spectacular" (N.Y. POST, 2/6). ESPN's Mike Golic: "At Super Bowl halftime, you need a show, and she put on a show. ... The dancing and the people she had with her ... I thought it was fantastic" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 2/6). ROLLING STONE's Ryan Reed writes, "Gaga jumped from the microphone to keytar to piano, shouted out her parents in the audience, employed Thriller-esque choreography and donned some glammy football gear." She closed the show with a "bad-ass mic drop and stage jump -- a punk rock finale to a set of pure pop bliss" (ROLLINGSTONE.com, 2/5). Gaga at the start of her set addressed the crowd, saying, "We’re gonna make you feel good.” In Chicago, Greg Kot notes she "pretty much delivered on that promise" with a set that was "mostly a brisk, feel-good run through" of some of her greatest hits (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/6). Most of the show was "simply about full-tilt pop fun" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/6). Gaga "sounded great and looked every bit the pop superstar in a sparkling bodysuit and shoulder pads" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/6). In Detroit, Adam Graham writes, "Everything went Gaga’s way, and she delivered a poignant, meaningful but not overbearing performance that you’d be hard-pressed to find fault in" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/6). There "wasn't anything this show didn't have." Gaga "might come away as the big winner Sunday night" (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/5). Gaga "rolled through her 13-minute performance with bravura energy and glitzy showmanship" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/6). Hillary Clinton tweeted, "I'm one of 100 million #SuperBowl fans that just went #Gaga for the Lady, & her message to all of us." MSNBC's Joe Scarborough: "Whether you're a fan of Lady Gaga or not, know that she played the toughest venue on earth and made it her own. Crazy." USA Today's official feed: "Hands down: Lady Gaga wins." Time Magazine: "Gaga’s Super Bowl halftime show reasserted her potency as a superstar." The Red Sox used the occasion to promote a future concert in Boston: "You saw what Lady Gaga can do last night, and now she's bringing her show to Fenway this Sept!" (TWITTER.com, 2/5).
FREE OF CONTROVERSY: In Boston, Brett Milano notes rumors "swirled all week" that Gaga "would say something anti-Trump." But that was "never much of an option." Milano: "This isn’t a concert or even the Grammys, where there’s plenty of leeway for controversy." Super Bowl halftimes are "thoroughly vetted, rehearsed, and partly pre-recorded, making going off-script a near-impossibility" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/6). Gaga "avoided doing any overt Trump bashing or political monologuing," but she "did seem to touch on the current political climate by singing 'God Bless America'" (EW.com, 2/5). In San Diego, George Varga notes Gaga was "unable to build much dynamic tension" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 2/6). In Newark, Bobby Olivier notes she "stuck to the hits and unleashed what will be remembered as an energizing, yet very safe performance" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/6). VARIETY's Sonia Saraiya wrote this "wasn’t the showstopper that last year’s performance by Beyonce was, and it certainly wasn’t as provocative" as Gaga has "been in the past" (VARIETY.com, 2/5). 10Ten Media Managing Partner Larry Hackett said the performance was "very entertaining," but he added, "I wish we were sitting here talking about something incredibly provocative, maybe even outrageous that she would have done." Hackett: "This had a certain coolness to it that again was very entertaining, but I kept waiting for something that I didn't expect to happen that would have made people gasp." Hackett: "People are going to remember the game" ("GMA," ABC, 2/6).
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| Gaga did not make a political statement during her show after heavy speculation |
MISSED OPPORTUNITY? In K.C., Timothy Finn writes under the header, "Lady Gaga's Halftime Show Was Filled With Glitz And Hits But Not Much Controversy" (K.C. STAR, 2/6). The show was "more conventional than controversial," as it had a "middle-of-the-road tone that can be best characterized by a 'do no harm' approach" (DEADLINE.com, 2/5). NEWSDAY's Glenn Gamboa: "Lady Gaga Plays It Too Safe In Super Bowl 2017 Halftime Show" (NEWSDAY, 2/6). The WASHINGTON POST's Chris Richards: "Lady Gaga Calls Herself A Rebel, But At The Super Bowl She Played It Safe" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/6). The GLOBE & MAIL's Russell Smith: "Lady Gaga Plays It Extra Safe At Super Bowl Halftime Show." Smith writes of a Trump comment, "We were all waiting for it. It didn’t happen" (GLOBE & MAIL, 2/6). In L.A., Mikael Wood writes Gaga "offered up a disappointing 12-minute medley that lacked any edge or tension." Her songs "sounded like objects of distraction, catchy baubles meant to entertain us in the absence of a broader message." Wood: "This was her moment to say something profound ... yet she passed" (L.A. TIMES, 2/6). In N.Y., Kate Feldman writes, "Lady Gaga took a sky-high leap into the Super Bowl and landed flat." There was "no overarching message to the performance, political, inclusive or otherwise." Gaga "dropped the mic, but she also dropped the ball" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/6). THE RINGER's Rob Harvilla wrote Gaga "took no risks -- artistic or otherwise" (THERINGER.com, 2/5). ESPN's Mike Greenberg: "As creative as it was ... I found it unmemorable." Greenberg: "I can't explain why because there was a lot of stuff in there that was crazy ... I don't think it's going to go down as one of the great Super Bowl halftimes" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 2/6).
FLEXING THE GOLDEN PIPES: The CHRONICLE's Guerra writes country music singer Luke Bryan "took a cool and steady approach to the National Anthem." He "let the verses simmer, never oversang and built to the final money note." Bryan was "no Whitney Houston," but it was a "fine rendition." His "no-frills approach was respectful and restrained" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/6). The JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION's Ruggieri notes Bryan "stayed true and steady in his rendition" and "paced himself well." He also "ignored a few nasty bursts of feedback as he sang" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 2/6). The HOUSTON CHRONICLE notes Bryan "struck a chord with fans" (2/6). ROLLING STONE's Joseph Hudak wrote Bryan "delivered a slow and steady version" of the Anthem and "wasn't worried about muffing the performance." Bryan was "criticized for writing the lyrics to the Anthem on his hand" when he sang it at the '12 MLB All-Star Game (ROLLINGSTONE.com, 2/5). In Detroit, Adam Graham writes Bryan "delivered a sturdy, powerful and respectful version" of the song, and he "didn’t show off or put any sauce on his delivery" (DETROIT NEWS, 2/6). 10Ten Media's Hackett called Bryan's performance "very classic" ("GMA," ABC, 2/6).
HIDDEN LYRICS: In Massachusetts, Meredith Perri noted three members of the original Broadway cast of "Hamilton," sang "America the Beautiful" before the game while "adding their own twist to the song." When Phillipa Soo, Renee Elise Goldsberry and Jasmine Cephas Jones "got to the portion of the song, 'And crown thy good with brotherhood,' they added along 'and sisterhood'" (MASSLIVE,com, 2/5). In Dallas, Christopher Mosley notes the trio got the game "off to a political start" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/6). VARIETY's Cynthia Littleton wrote the additional lyric "added a feminist touch" to the song (VARIETY.com, 2/5). REUTERS' Piya Sinha-Roy notes the three singers "caused a stir with a subtle statement of support for women." The addition was "immediately picked up on social media and became a top trend on Twitter" (REUTERS, 2/6).
