Red Hot Chili Peppers Went Unplugged At Super Bowl Halftime Show

It’s no secret that many high-profile performances like the Super Bowl halftime show are often mimed to recordings, but as Fansided pointed out Monday, the Red Hot Chili Peppers didn’t even plug their instruments in.

Both Flea, the bassist, and Josh Klinghoffer, the guitarist for RHCP had no cables nor wireless transmitters plugged in their guitar jacks.

Some of Bruno Mars’ band did have their instruments plugged in, but it appears that the horn section was not mic’d.

Granted, the show only lasted 15 minutes, and live mixing such a big show in a venue that size would take four times as long to set up.

So as it turns out, the halftime show was just that – a show, a big display of pyrotechnics and choreography, the last of which was its one saving grace. Bruno Mars laid down some seriously slick dance moves. Here’s a video of Mars summoning the spirit of James Brown: