EAST RUTHERFORD: Hawaiian singer Bruno Mars lit up the Super Bowl 48 half-time show Sunday with a high-energy performance that delighted the 79,000 fans crammed into New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.
Following in the footsteps of some of the biggest names in the American music industry -- Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna have all performed at the event in recent years -- the 28-year-old did not disappoint.
Ever since Janet Jackson triggered an outcry with her breast-baring "Nipplegate" stunt during a duet with Justin Timberlake in 2004, Super Bowl organizers have been careful to steer clear of controversy.
With the clean-cut Mars headlining the half-time concert this year, there was never the remotest chance of anything other than a family-friendly show.
Sporting his trademark quiff and dressed in a sparkling blazer and slim-fitting trousers -- a reference perhaps to one of New Jersey's most famous acts, The Four Seasons -- Mars opened with a virtuoso drum solo before launching into a medley of hits.
He brought the house down with his song "Treasure," before being joined by fellow performers The Red Hot Chili Peppers for a barnstorming rendition of their anthem "Give It Away."
The chilly temperatures inside the stadium were clearly no deterrent to Chili Peppers front man Anthony Kiedis, who performed shirtless as he bounced around the stage.
Two images of the Stars and Stripes were then beamed onto the field as the music gave way to a montage of video messages by US military personnel serving overseas.
Mars closed the set with his ballad "Just The Way You Are," ending with rapturous applause and an explosion of fireworks.
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