As a Santa Clara native, Nick Garcia grew up playing football and going to San Francisco 49ers games at Levi’s Stadium. He had dreamed of going to the Super Bowl, and on Feb. 8, it finally happened — just not the way he planned.
Garcia was going to take the field as bush number D83, joining about 400 other performers dressed like sugar cane grass in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show performance. “I always imagined walking out of the tunnel for the Super Bowl as a football player,” Garcia says on a Zoom call. The moment was just as powerful as his fantasy. “Seeing all the cameras flashing, the cheers of the crowd… it fulfilled my childhood dream.”
Garcia makes a point to give credit where it’s due: “I got to give all thanks to Bad Bunny,” he says.
Bad Bunny’s historic performance won praise for its detailed storytelling and intricate set design. But the tall tree-like structures, which turned out to be actual people, have drawn tons of interest. As soon as attendees inside the stadium posted videos of the bushes moving, the internet went into a frenzy. There are already people claiming the “Bad Bunny bush” as a Halloween costume. (Guys, it’s February.)
“I am absolutely shocked by the reaction that it’s been getting,” Garcia says. “People are loving us grass people.”
While the bush people have delighted the internet, the move to have human performers rather than props stems from a logical response. Levi’s Stadium, which has a real grass field rather than turf, limits the amount of carts that can be brought on in order to protect the grass. The solution? People, of course. In January, a casting call for field cast members was posted by live events staffing agency Backlit. It made sure to list a height requirement and note that the role was “not a dancing” one. Instead, performers would be delivering “structured movements and blocking as part of the larger production.” They did not mention the potential for internet virality.
Garcia, who was already excited about the Super Bowl taking place in his hometown, jumped at the opportunity. “I was like, ‘Well, the Super Bowl is right here in my backyard. Maybe the odds of me getting [the role] are higher because I’m so close,” he recalls. After submitting the required body measurements and headshots, Garcia was notified he made the cut and would join the field cast.
But he couldn’t have expected just what that entailed — that is, until his first day of rehearsal. “They said, ‘You guys are going to be a meme for a long time,’” Garcia says. “I remember the first day all of us got to see the costumes in person… it was a mix of shock, laughter, and excitement,” he adds. Even the costume design, which featured a 35 to 40 pound piece that rested on the performers’ shoulders didn’t deter Garcia. “It was heavier than we expected, but that wasn’t going to stop us from pulling through to get this show on the road,” he says, adding “We were going to get this done for Bad Bunny no matter what.”
That determination only intensified on show day, which Garcia walked Rolling Stone through.
Wake Up – 7 a.m.
From when I woke up until showtime, I was just telling myself, “Don’t be nervous, enjoy the moment.” By the time we got on the buses to get transported to the stadium, everyone’s energy was sky-high. Everyone was singing, dancing on the bus. You couldn’t help but think to yourself, “Man, it’s impossible to be nervous right now.’”
Arrival – 12 p.m.
We ended up getting to Levi’s at around noon so that we could go through any last-minute things that we needed to talk about. There wasn’t anything that needed to be adjusted but I think just the comfort of everyone being there early, having that headcount was essential.
Getting Hype – 4:30 p.m.
When we were all walking through the tunnels, everyone was yelling like, “Let’s f-ing go! Come on guys, let’s do this. We’re about to be part of the Super Bowl.” It’s hard for me to describe what that felt like. It’s a moment I never thought I was going to be able to have.
“Places, Everyone!” – 5:00 p.m.
It might’ve looked chaotic to people from the outside looking in, but everyone knew the spot they needed to go to. As far as trying to navigate through the bushes to get to your spot, that might’ve been the most difficult thing but we rehearsed going from the tunnel to our spots multiple times, so it became easy. We also had the understanding that the halftime is only so long, so let’s get moving.
The best way I could describe where I was, you know the scene where Bad Bunny put his arms down on the main stage and fell backwards? I was right there in the front row and he fell right in front of me.
“Showtime!” – 5:13 p.m.
The crew made jokes saying, “There’s no wind in Puerto Rico. You guys got to stand still.” It was definitely hard to do because you love the music, you’re seeing the dancers in front of you, you kind of just groove a little bit. It’s hard not to dance along with them. Some bushes got caught up in the moment like, “You know what? I’m at the Super Bowl. I’m going to move a little bit.”
I had to face away, but if I turned my head enough, there were gaps in the bushes where I could see what was going on perfectly. But I definitely fed off the energy of the audience when I faced the stands. Watching people have their phones out, screaming, dancing in the stands, seeing thousands of people just get into the performance, it was just as good as watching Bad Bunny.
Surprises Guests: 5:15 p.m.
Through the runthroughs, we ended up seeing who the guest performers were ahead of time. As far as the guests at La Casita, we had no idea who was going to be there until show day. We had hopes and guesses, but seeing them was an amazing shock.
I remember being on the field and hearing the crowd pop when Lady Gaga came out. The energy was insane. The crowd roared when they saw her, just as I hoped they would.
Flag Showcase: 5:21 p.m.
The moment where all the flags came out of all the different countries, and Bad Bunny was naming them right there on camera. You couldn’t help but feel pride when he named yours. I saw a little Mexican flag popping up [in the buses]. I’m like, “There we freaking go. This is what I love to see.” It’s those little gestures where people who are watching at home, they see it. That was one of the best posts that I saw on the internet the last couple days. Despite us being from so many different walks of life, we all felt connected. We all felt included. We all felt special, and Bad Bunny did that for us. No matter what I do moving forward, nothing can top this.
“That’s a Wrap!” – 5:25 p.m.
After the show was over, all the tall grass bushes had to walk back inside the tunnel and we left the stadium. We had to go back to the buses after the halftime show to return to the location we initially met because that’s where all of our cars were parked. We were able to keep parts of our costumes. I wanted to take the whole thing home, but it would’ve been hard to fit that on the bus. I did keep one whole arm, though..
Post-Show – 7 p.m. ish
When I got home, my parents were having a party. They were screaming, “There’s our bush.” I was getting bombarded with questions. My family was recording me. It felt as though I was the one performing. I’m like, “I was just standing there.” It was incredible to receive that feedback from my family.
My parents were getting a little bit choked up, which was making me a little choked up. There were all of these emotions since this is a stadium that we enjoy going to so much. For me to be down on the field for one of the most historic halftime shows ever, I mean, there’s no words for it.
