When the silhouetted line of kids appeared as the Superbowl half time show kicked off, I was dubious. The familiar opening chords to “Billionaire” reverberated through the stadium, beginning the only reason I watched the Superbowl in an unorthodox way, to say the least.

Taking a turn from the half time performances of female superpowers Madonna (2012) and Beyoncé (2013), small-but-mighty Bruno Mars offered up a strange combination of alternative rock and pop by pairing with the sensational Red Hot Chili Peppers. Mars has a reputation as a soul-pop performer, but his background growing up in Hawaii is evident in his music as well, as most of his hit singles feature upbeat, laid-back melodies. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, on the other hand, are known for their funk-punk sound with a definitive alternative edge, influenced by legends such as Led Zeppelin, Parliament-Funkadelic and The Clash. The two groups do share an undeniable stage presence, full of enthusiastic movement and loud music, which is what made the Superbowl XLVIII half time show a beautiful train wreck.

When Mars and his band emerged wearing gold suit jackets, it had all the glamor that you would expect from a half time show. The pop phenomenon drummed up a sweat, laughing his way through the beginning of “Locked Out of Heaven,” followed by “Treasure,” both of which went swimmingly. He pumped up the crowd with a cheerful rendition of Barrett Strong’s 1960s hit “Money (That’s What I Want)” blended with “Runaway Baby,” featuring a mid-air split that made all the men in the room cringe. Upon introducing the raging 90’s Red Hot Chili Peppers, the crowd went wild, probably expecting a great performance by two award winning artists.

RHCP’s “Give it Away,” a number one on the 1991 Modern Rock charts, was a high-energy performance, involving their typical stage antics of headbanging, then concluding with a massive jumping session between both the members of Mars’ band and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Now, here’s where it’s important to know that Mars himself invited RHCP to do the show with him; it was an idea that had been tossed around in the past, and was finally put into action. The genre/generation differences were evident when bassist Flea and lead singer Anthony Kiedis emerged shirtless with bright colored clothing, a stark contrast to the formal attire and brass instruments with which the show opened.

The heavy metal sound of the Chili Peppers was an intentional mismatch. Their discography includes a menagerie of styles, and their choice seemed to stomp on the idea of working with another group on stage. Well-known “Californication” or “Dani California” would have made a better pairing to Mars’ good vibes and fabulous dance moves. I thought the Red Hot Chili Peppers would be more determined to reinvent themselves for a new generation of listeners, but by choosing a song older than most of Mars’ fans, they held onto their roots a little too tightly.

It seemed to cut short quickly, but the mood changed as a montage of messages from people serving in the military to their family began to play.

When the camera cut back to the music, Mars stood in the center of the stadium with a single spotlight, closing with his 2010 hit single “Just the Way You Are,” during which Mars’ lip syncing became a bit more evident (but it was only 49 degrees, you can’t entirely blame the guy). The song choice was another decision that didn’t seem to match, after the somber emotions brought on by the acknowledgement of those serving for our country. It didn’t even feel like much of a finale until fireworks shot up from all sides of the MetLife Stadium, signaling the end of a short, sweet, yet unsavory mash up that left me confused and wanting more at the same time.