Rihanna & Snoop?

In the last two nights I have attended two concerts, although this may be strange for a lesser music enthusiast, this is nothing out-of-the-ordinary for myself I assure you.

What strikes me as unusual has been the two artists I've gone out and watched, Rihanna and Snoop Dogg.

Rihanna and Snoop Dogg? Really...Me?

Oh yes, the Superbowl madness that Tampa is offering my campus right now is off the charts. And free tickets to these celebrity musicians was something I was not going to pass up.

First, Rihanna. Wow, the name says it all. She might be the most gorgeous woman I've ever laid my eyes on. The haircut, the tattoos, her swagger, everything blew me away. Strangely enough, the music did too. I'll admit it, I have a guilty pleasure when it comes to her music, as I have been caught humming Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum ever so often. But she really was the example of a entertainer. Not only did her voice match up with what she's put on record, but she looked like she thourghouly enjoyed being there, which I did not expect. Who knows what goes on behind these radio-friendly singers, are they all milli vanilli's in disguise or are they real musicians. Most probably have everything written for them, lyirs, music, get-up, everything. Regardless, Rihanna was 100% a perfomer, which whatever you may think, is a huge part of a concert. Her strut, her crowd interaction, everything was amazing. Getting these tickets for free proved to me that I actulaly would have paid to see her. Never thougth I'd say that.

Now on to Snoop. "Snoop-a-loop! Bring your green hat!" What can be said about someone so prominent. He lived up to everything you would imagine, 45 minutes late(smoke singals anyone?), an iced-out microphone, and great tunes. Snoop strolled around the stage like he was from Tampa, successfully holding everyone in awe. Songs like "Gin & Juice", "Who am I", and "Still a G Thang" gave anyone in the crowd with asthma serious problems breathing with the presence of so much...well, smoke.

Who knows, in a day in age where bands like All Time Low and Metro Station reign kings in the genre I once loved, maybe my musical boundaries needed to be pushed just a little bit further, so Superbowl, thank you for that.

Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash Gets Ready To Rock Tampa

Zach Fraser

Published: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Super Bowl Sunday: Football, parties, food, beer and music.

Some say that the Super Bowl and all the festivities that surround it make up the epitome of America, and as Super Bowl XLIII approaches, not only do we have the anticipation of the clash between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals but also the live music that will be providing viewers with a little uplift to their spirits, just in case the game isn’t quite going the way they had hoped.

The voice behind NBC’s, “Waiting All Week for Sunday Night,” Mrs. Faith Hill will open up game day by singing “America the Beautiful.”

The country diva will be the fourth person in the history of the Super Bowl to sing the song, making it certain that she will perform to her upmost ability.

One of the biggest headlines surrounding game day has been the artist singing the national anthem, Jennifer Hudson. After a difficult and trying year following the deaths of her mother, older brother and nephew, the American Idol contestant will be returning to the limelight to sing what will surely be an emotional national anthem.

And, of course, what would one of the biggest sporting events be without a great half-time show?

Bruce Springsteen, the “Boss” himself, will be gracing this year’s Bridgestone halftime show with, get this, the entire E-street band.

For those who don’t know, the New Jersey native is one of the most note-worthy singer/songwriters of all time with hits like, “Dancing in the Dark” “Born in the U.S.A.” “Glory Days” and “Born To Run.”

Jersey fans may have been let down this year, seeing the Jets, Giants and Eagles all fall short of the Super Bowl, but Bruce Springsteen is as close to a redemption shot as they will see come Super Bowl XLIII.

So whether you’re tailgating with your friends and family, sitting around the living room watching the game or stumbling around a bar, this year’s Super Bowl will have enough performances from actual musicians to make the anticipation for the game just a tad bit more bearable.