Yo, so how will Jo-Bro go at the NFL half-time show at the G?

With Seven, Kayo, Disney (ESPN) and Netflix all showing this game, it’s stretching things only a little to suggest all eyes will be on the MCG today. But whatever your choice of broadcaster, come halftime, all eyes will definitely be on the Jonas Brothers.

The three former Disney Channel stars – Kevin, 38, Joe, 37, and Nick, 33 – have taken time out from their Burning Up tour of the States, announced last month, to pop into the ’G for a set that will likely last about 12 minutes.

It’s a long way to come for such a short set – and word is the NFL does not typically pay performers for their half-time shows – but with an expected audience in the US of more than 20 million viewers, it’s a great platform for spruiking a run of shows that start in Boston later this month and run all the way to December 21, when they play their home state of New Jersey.

What can we expect?

What can we expect from the boys today? In a word, pop. It might be dance-tinged, it might be rocky, it might be acoustic ballady, but it will be pop music, pure and simple. It’s what they’ve been doing for 20 years, and it’s made them one of the most successful acts of the 21st century so why mess with it?

Will they pick a handful of bangers, or cram a mini-best-of into a medley, as Robbie Williams did in his AFL grand final set in 2022? Either way, we can expect to hear Burnin’ Up, Sucker and current release Listen When Sad.

The organisers of today’s event must have had their hearts in mouths yesterday, though, when Joe was reportedly stuck in Dubai. Joe has broken many a heart over the years (he and former wife Sophie Turner, the Game of Thrones star, went through a messy divorce in 2024, while his former girlfriends include Gigi Hadad, Taylor Swift and fellow Disney Channel alumnus Demi Lovato), but tears were averted this time. The chat rooms assure us he arrived last night.

The Jonas Brothers – can we just agree to call them Jo-Bro from this point on? – spoke in front of a small gathering of friends yesterday, where the youngest member of the group said “to bring this halftime show to life was kind of a dream, and from that first call when they told us what city was going to be in and what teams were playing, we knew this was going to be one to remember”.

Of course Nick would say that; he’s probably contractually obliged to do so. But he does have a connection of sorts to Australia, having dated Delta Goodrem for the best part of a year when he was just 18 and she was 27.

After the relationship ended, Delta told 60 Minutes “there was genuine love, definitely” as far as she was concerned.

Does the candle still burn bright for Nick, who has been married t o the actress Priyanka Chopra since 2018? We may get a clue when they perform.

Oldest brother Kevin, 38, said knowing which songs to perform in a set that might run for just “five, six, seven minutes” was challenging.

“You really want to make an impact,” he said. “We worked really hard together, just trying to figure that out, maybe including a song that isn’t ours, but something that is you know a cover.”

“We’ve got something really special prepared,” added Nick. “We’re including a moment where we’re going to do a cover of one of our favourite songs by an Australian artist. I don’t want to give it away, but we couldn’t come to this great country and not spotlight another incredible musician.”

Could it be a Delta Goodrem number? We’ll soon find out.

How many Jonas Brothers are there anyway?

The Jonas Brothers are a trio, right? Well, tell that to youngest brother Frankie. The 25-year-old is also a musician (and audio engineer, and reportedly a student of astrophysics too), but there’s no place for him in the band. In fact his brothers used to refer to him as the “bonus Jonas”, something he has said he found especially hurtful, and that they promised to stop doing.

Well, we have no idea what the current state of relationships en famille Jonas might be, but it’s a fair bet Nick and Kevin were wondering yesterday if they shouldn’t have packed a spare just in case.

Because Joe – displaying admirable middle-child energy – missed his connecting flight. In a video shot on his phone and beamed into the brothers’ fan meet and greet event yesterday, Joe, 37, revealed he was stuck in Dubai.

“I was delayed in London … I think there was some sort of radar issue, so every single flight was delayed or cancelled, which is such a bummer,” Joe said while wandering through Dubai airport, talking into his phone camera while wearing over-ear headphones.

“I was supposed to get on a plane that would land in time for my connection from Dubai to Melbourne but I landed at 10am and the flight took off at 10am, so I am staying here until 2:45am. So I know I’m gonna have an adventurous day in Dubai. Come with me. I’m also gonna miss you guys. So good luck today.”

All of that suggested that the trio would be forced to perform today as a duo. But a smattering of comments on various social media channels insist that Joe in fact did arrive late last night. We will see.

If he did make it, he’ll no doubt be exhausted, having had no time for recovery. Then again, the LA Rams opted to do much the same. Maybe a quick visit to the team doctor is in order before taking the stage. Unless Frankie’s waiting in the wings …

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Karl Quinn is a senior culture writer at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X, Facebook or email.AdvertisementAdvertisement