Daughtry proves to be the glue to bond rowdy Super Bowl crowd

Daughtry -- Josh Paul, Joey Barnes, Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely and Brian Craddock.

They are on opposing sides, but Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints fans found something to bond over at the Super Bowl — a Daughtry concert.

Black and gold mixed with Colts blue as the rockers performed before Sunday’s game. Lead singer Chris Daughtry joked that he was able to bring together a rowdy group.

Daughtry -- Josh Paul, Joey Barnes, Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely and Brian Craddock.

“There was ... a lot of fights getting ready to break out,” he said.

Guitarist Josh Steely interjected: “He eased that crowd though.”

While The Who was the main entertainment, performing at the halftime show, and Carrie Underwood and Queen Latifah sang the national anthem and “America the Beautiful” before kickoff respectively, there was other entertainment at the game. Besides Daughtry, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Winwood performed.

Chris Daughtry said the biggest challenge for the band, which performed several songs including the hit “Home,” was not winning over a crowd more interested in football than music, but getting themselves hyped up so early in the day.

“We’re used to nighttime shows. ... but you just have to roll with it and pretend it’s nighttime,” he said.

While most of the band said they were rooting for the Saints, they still gave Colts fans some love. Chris Daughtry high-fived with a crowd of mostly Colts fans hanging out at a fence behind the stage, and later, he threw out guitar picks for the crowd.

The band kicks of a U.S. tour next month. Daughtry performed in Memphis at Minglewood Hall last August and at the DeSoto Civic Center in December.