They're Joining Bruno Mars At The Super Bowl

For anyone who wanted a little bit more rock music alongside pop artist Bruno Mars, rest assured you will get it now that the Red Hot Chili Peppers will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. Yes, we will have the opportunity to hear the smooth musical stylings of Anthony Kiedis and the rest of the band members, all of whom were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. There’s no telling how Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will mesh their sound together, but at least there will be music to please all ages in the crowd at the 2014 football game.

Yet with Beyonce having performed at last year’s halftime show and Madonna breaking records with the most-watched halftime show in 2012, Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have a lot of pressure on them. So with that, here is what they should learn from previous Super Bowl shows if they want to impress the fans:

1. Watch Old Recordings of The Black Eyed Peas… And Avoid All of That

Sigh. As much as everyone was rooting for The Black Eyed Peas in 2011, they just didn’t make the cut. It takes a lot to go up on stage in front of an entire nation of people to perform, but you’d also think, “Hey, they’ve done this before haven’t they?” I don’t recall that much autotuning in the original “I Gotta Feeling” from Will.i.am and for some reason I was convinced that Fergie was a much better singer. Yet everyone was off-key throughout the set and “Sweet Child of Mine” proved to be too big of a song for Fergie. The best part of the performance was Slash’s short guitar solo.

2. Remember That Nudity is Frowned Upon

Unless you’ve been a recluse and are playing Boo Radley somewhere, you’d know that Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson’s performance was probably the most controversial in Super Bowl history. Recall the moment when Timberlake “accidentally” grabbed a piece of Jackson’s clothing and there was a “wardrobe malfunction” that exposed her breast to approximately 140 million viewers. Obviously, everyone wears star nipple piercings under their clothing because it’s so comfortable. Excuse me while my eyes roll back into my head. However, for this year’s show, I expect Mars to wear a fitted leather jacket, jeans and fedora, as usual. Unfortunately for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the FCC probably won’t see socks over their nether regions as suitable content for families with small children. Maybe next time. Keep it PG, guys.

3. Can They Top Beyonce’s Blackout?

I watch the Super Bowl every year, and while I agree that Madonna’s performance was extraordinary, who can say they’ve caused a power outage in the Superdome? Only my girl, Queen B. Okay, I know the 34-minute outage that left part of the audience in darkness occurred from a power surge and we’re not sure if it was a result of Knowles, but let’s keep that a secret. After all, her performance was fierce and still would have been incredible without the blackout. After pumping up the crowd with “Crazy In Love,” showing off her killer dance moves and star quality voice, then reuniting with Destiny’s Child, nothing could really bring down the mood at this game.

4. “Dani California.” That is All.

Although it is unknown whether or not the Red Hot Chili Peppers will play a large or small part in Mars’ performance, I can only hope that they’ll be able to play “Dani California.” I also wouldn’t be opposed to “Knock Me Down,” “Tell Me Baby” or “Give It Away.” And of course, I expect Mars to hype up the crowd on songs like “Gorilla,” “Treasure,” “Just The Way You Are,” and “Grenade.”

5. And Then There Was Madonna

Madonna broke a record. Can Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers rise to the challenge? After entering the stage on a large throne in a golden ensemble, singing “Vogue,” accompanied by LMFAO, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., and having a trippy but fantastic set to “Like A Prayer” with singer Cee Lo Green, she’s a tough act to follow.

Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have a lot of competition from their past, but they also have a chance to redeem fellow musicians who didn’t quite hit the mark. This mix of pop, funk and rock should bring the crowd to its feet, and hopefully will make headlines for the positive rather than the negative. Good luck and enjoy the game, fellas.

Image: Getty