2.14.2011

About last night's Grammys

Much to my disappointment, I didn’t watch the Grammys live this year.

That’s the way it goes when you have laundry to finish, Kates has to make a grocery run, and a toddler who needs to be put to bed out of fear she might be scarred for life by a large black man in a giant rainbow-colored peacock costume.

Thank goodness for DVR … But dang, it’s so much more fun watching it live, along with a lively real-time discourse on social media.

Such is life.

And so at 8:46 p.m. I began watching the 53rd Annual Grammys. … Just as Cee-Lo Green was jazzing it up on the most anticipated -- and best! -- performance of the night: His "Forget You" with the Muppets and Gwyneth Paltrow.


Some of the tweets were just as amusing ...

@RollingStone If only we got an Animal drum solo here.
@phil_Rosenthal I'm disappointed Cee Lo and Gwyneth didn't segue into Crocodile Rock.
@clairesuddath Apparently Lady Gaga's egg just hatched and Cee-Lo came out.
I continued watching live as Katy Perry (I haven’t been impressed with the stuff on her latest album, but I was surprisingly pleased with her performance), John Mayer, Norah Jones and Keith Urban (Their tribute to Dolly Parton on “Jolene” was splendid) performed. ... And I was a little surprised that Lady Antebellum won Song of the Year over Cee-Lo’s "Forget You." Then again, not really. I really like Lady Antebellum, and "Need You Know" was all over the place last year.

Then a commercial break. I clicked the rewind button on the DVR remote and started at the beginning.

After the Aretha Franklin tribute, which didn't move me one way or another -- I thought Jennifer Hudson was by far the best vocalist of the bunch -- the first award I took interest in was Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. Hands down for Train’s “Hey Soul Sister.” (Although I do like Paramore’s song). Pat Monahan took the stage and said, “Thanks Justin Beiber for not being a duo or a group.” Amen to that!

I enjoyed Lady Gaga’s performance more than I thought I would. It’s worth noting I like “Born This Way” more than anything I’ve heard from her, even though its similarities to "Express Yourself" and "Vogue" annoy me. ... And another thing about Gaga: We watched the “60 Minutes” interview with her prior to the big show. Nothing about her act or music appeals to me. But a master of performance art she is, and I respect that. ... She arrived in a freakin' egg!

I didn’t care for Miranda Lambert’s performance of “The House That Built Me.” I didn’t care for Muse either. ... I skipped Rihanna, Eminem and Dr. Dre performing. Can’t stand ‘em.
Justin Beiber. I just. Don’t. Get it.

Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers -- I loved watching those guys rock out. Bob Dylan -- not so much.

It was wonderful to see Lady Antebellum stake its claim last night as one of music's top groups. … I got chills when Hillary Scott started slowly in on “Need You Now.” Every time I hear or read something about their success now, I can’t help but think of way back when. My interview with Charles Kelley, and then my pass on an opportunity to see them live because I was so sleep-deprived from several nights of Summerfest. … Watching Hillary tear up as they accepted their award for Song of the Year made me tear up a little, too.

Esperanza Spalding for Best New Artist!? Hello, Upset! … Kates and I saw her on Letterman awhile back and were immediately intrigued. I'm thrilled for her.
Mick Jagger's tribute to Solomon Burke? Nice. … Barbra Streisand paying tribute to herself? Not so much.

But the moment of the night occurred when Arcade Fire took the Album of the Year award. Frontman Win Butler stepped to the mic for his acceptance speech and said, "What the hell!?" ... Um, yeah, I think that summed up what all of America was -- certainly Kates and I were -- saying.

To quote another tweet I saw: "Wow indie pushing the glass ceiling."

Good reads ...
a Grammy winners in some major categories
a Esperanza Spalding, Arcade Fire top a night of upsets at 2011 Grammys
a At the Grammys, Spectacles and Upsets

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