Art and the Super Bowl?

When most people think of the Super Bowl they think of football. This is the natural reaction. Even people like me, who know nothing about sports, know what the Super Bowl is. But, there is much more to this annual event than the much anticipated football game, and this year, it is very exciting. This year’s Super Bowl is taking place in Houston, as is the 9 day celebration known as Super Bowl LIVE. Yeah, 9 days. That’s how excited people are. IDEAS and our partners created two big components of Super Bowl Live-Future Flight, the first drop tower that takes you on a Virtual Reality trip to mars, and Houston LIVE, an immersion into the celebration, inspiration and energy that makes Houston the incredible city it is.

A big and bold part of the Houston Live experience is live entertainment. I spoke to Doug May of Imaginnow LLC, who created and developed the entertainment experience along with Robbie Mackey, and IDEAS Orlando, and he told me about the nature of the performances. Everything about Houston LIVE is crafted to be unique, so the entertainment experience will not be a traditional one. The model is based on multiple five to ten minute performances that will pop up in different locations and then simply disappear. Much more interesting than one established show, it’s spontaneous and draws guests in. I like to call it the “Oh, what’s happening over there?!” effect. The performances will be extremely varied so you’ll never get bored; audiences will see everything from classical music to hip hop. In addition to the pop-up shows, the general area will be filled with performers of all shapes and sizes. Singers, dancers, gymnasts, performance artists, storytellers, aerial artists, you name it! The air itself will be buzzing with the magic of art and Houston will be established as a city of cultural and entertainment firsts. And not only do audiences get a great show, up-and-coming artists are given a chance to perform.

A three-day open audition was held in September of 2016 to find the very best acts, giving them lots of time to rehearse. In the end, over 75 companies and individuals were cast for this exciting event. Soon you’ll be able to see them perform, because even if you only attend the event once there are over 70 shows per day performing at 6 different locations, and there will be over 500 shows over the course of the 9 days! You don’t want to miss Houston LIVE! It is going to be such an exciting and unique way to experience art, as it is played out all around you, while learning more about Houston and getting excited for the Super Bowl!