Paul Grein caught up with Music Director, Adam Blackstone and Show Director, Hamish Hamilton, to talk about this year’s Super Bowl. Here’s an excerpt…
Blackstone, 40, is Emmy-nominated for outstanding music direction for his work on the halftime show. It’s his third nod – which means he has been nominated for all three of the shows on which he has served as musical director.
Blackstone thinks this year’s halftime show had both universal and specific appeal. “Our world is going through a lot right now,” he says. “People were excited to see people have fun. People were excited to see people interact with one another. We cannot [overlook] the fact that there was something cool about seeing hometown heroes be in L.A. and get to be celebrated as well.
“I was very excited to be a part of history that many kids, and specifically Black and brown kids, can see the potential of where you can go and where you can be. I don’t think when Dre and Snoop were growing up that they even thought there would be an [opportunity] for them to be on that grand stage. I try to be a part of history to give those dreams and aspirations to young kids, my children included.”
When Blackstone is serving as musical director on a show, he tries to put himself in the audience’s shoes. “I approach my musical direction with what would I want to see at a concert. What song do I want to hear? What catalog is the most powerful in the limited amount of time we are given?”
He enjoys the challenge of Super Bowls. “I look forward to [working with] these incredible artists each time. This one was even more special to me because I grew up listening to this music.” […]
View the Full Article at Billboard.com.
