NFL Superbowl XXXVIII half-time halftime show Janet Houston 2004 Index

ARCHITECTS AND

PRODUCTION DESIGNERS

FOR ENTERTAINMENT

NFLSuperbowl XXXVIII

Half-Time Show 2004

PH 44 (0)20 7713 1884

FX 44 (0)20 7713 1885

Studio@stufish.co.uk

Superbowl XXXVIII. MTV set out to make the halftime show the most spectacular ever. The show ran for twelve short minutes. It started with Jessica Simpson, high up on a stage above one of the entrance tunnels, introducing marching bands and cheerleaders as they poured onto the field beneath her. From the marching bands the show cut to the main stage, a 60ft circle of steps and tusk-shaped masts with a center tower, surrounded by an audience of 3000 fans, plus the 460 volunteers who had built the stage. A grey silk Kabuki fell away and Janet was revealed singing 'All for You' , high up on the center tower. A lift brought her down to the stage to join her 26 dancers for some high-energy choreography. She closed her performance with a blast of dry ice from which P Diddy emerged, cruising on a rolling platform down a 60ft runway to reach his stage filled with sexy cheerleaders. He was joined there by Nelly who rolled up on a funky customised golf cart; moments later their performance climaxed in a blast of flame and they handed off to another stage at the opposite end of the stadium. Kid Rock switched on, Texas style, wearing a Stetson hat and the Stars and Stripes, surrounded by his band. Minutes later the lighting changed, the robot voice introducing 'Rhythm Nation echoed through the stadium, and the cameras returned to the main stage to discover Janet's dancers hanging from the tusks and draped across the steps. As the rhythm kicked in they came to life and Janet suddenly appeared on a lift from under the stage. On each side of the stage, huge balloon screens appeared above the runways, carrying the projected words from the song. The runways were filled with drummers from the marching bands, beating the rhythm of the song. The action switched to the other side of the stage. Justin Timberlake appeared on a second lift, and started a duet with Janet. Together they closed the show with a dramatic performance of 'Rock Your Body', ending with a blast of pyro behind them. A truly spectacular show featuring six major artists, forty dancers, marching bands, balloons and all kinds of stuff, presented across four stages with five change-overs and five technical reveals, in front of a live audience of 70,000, in twelve minutes flat.

As always in the Superbowl, the stage had to be built on the field during the commercial break following the first half of the game, and taken down during the commercial break before the start of the second half. The stage was built by 450 volunteers from the Houston area, directed by Cap Spence. This was the most complex Superbowl stage we have built - twenty six carts incorporating lifts, telescoping towers, plus the six 30ft tall hinging 'tusks' on which Janet's dancers performed. The volunteers threw the whole thing together in just 4.42 minutes, and had it off the field in 4.30 minutes. A fantastic and generous performance by all of them; all of us on the creative team salute them and thank them for their hard work.