2.10.2008

Grammy night

Is it just me or did the Grammys really sneak up on us this year?

I say it all the time: the Grammys mean to me what the Oscars mean to a lot of other people I know …

But this year I’m about as excited for them as I get for the next snowstorm. (While we were huddled inside away from the 1 degree weather outside, I did an interview this afternoon with a guy in L.A. who was sitting in a park and enjoying 70 degree weather ... Not cool, man. Not cool.)

Plain and simple, I’m really disappointed with the nominees this year … And don’t get me started on what I think about Amy Whinehouse and Rihanna’s music …

Plus, last year’s show was an extraordinary night that I’m not sure will be topped for awhile …

But here we go, my minute-my-minute thoughts on this year’s Grammys …

7:13 p.m. -- I’m not a big Alicia Keys fan, but she’s already got her first Grammy in what should be a good night for her. “No One” was easily the best R&B song, hands down. And that sleek green dress she’s wearing also deserves a nod for the best dressed of the evening …

Carrie Underwood looked good too … Too bad her performance of “Before He Cheats” lost its zest somewhere between the radio and the Grammy’s. Her performance of it tonight fell flat, though the whole percussion thing with the dancers beating the set with tubes was kind of cool …

7:22 p.m. -- Yep. Still can’t stand Rihanna.

7:33 p.m. -- Beatles tribute featuring Cirque de Soleil doing “Day in the Life” and cast members from “Across the Universe" doing “Let It Be.” Very nice.

Oh, and here we go with the only category I’m really looking forward to tonight: Best new artist. And the winner is …

Amy Winehouse.

Bleh. Should’ve been Feist.

And by the way, I really doubt Miley Cyrus will be winning a Grammy next year, as Cyndi Lauper, the 1985 Best New Artist, predicted. But hey, Cyndi still rocks.

7:39 p.m. -- Kanye West looks good in his Michael Jackson get-up. Not liking the song though.

… His performance of “Hey Mama” was moving-sweet-good.

And oh, Fergie, how you’ve grown. Her duet with John Legend was lovely, sweet. A long way from "My Humps."

Here’s best soundtrack album -- wow. What a category !?!? “Across the Universe.” “Hairspray.” “Love” “Once.” And “Dreamgirls.”

I’m rooting for any of the first three, though I’d be happy with either of the five.

“Love” wins. Nice. I’m clapping.

How cool is it that two of the albums in the category -- “Across the Universe” and “Love” -- are re-done Beatles material. And better yet, both albums are full of pretty good stuff and not cheap knock-offs.

8:05 p.m. -- Beyonce was totally lip-syncing in that dance-off intro of Tina Tuner.

Tina’s singing “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” She’s still got it. Says Kates, “Look at how good she looks!”

Ok, I was expecting big things when Beyonce came back out to join Tina for “Proud Mary,” but this slow version isn’t working …

… Ah. Never mind. They just turned up the tempo to do it right …

Still didn’t do it justice though.

8:13 p.m. -- Burt Bacharach is a Grammy Lifetime Award recipient. I can’t think of anyone more deserving … But surely he deserves a more worthy tribute than the brief pause and a swift transition into the next category …

And Amy Winehouse wins for “Rehab” in the best songwriting category. Pitiful … She was up against Carrie Underwood‘s “Before He Cheats,” The Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah,” Corrine Bailey Rae’s “Like A Star,” and Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” For my money, “Before He Cheats,” “Delilah” and “Like A Star” are far superior songs lyrically.

8:21 p.m. -- Ann Marie Calhoun was the hands-down My Grammy Moment winner in that contest to play with the Foo Fighters.

8:34 p.m. -- We’re about halfway through the show and we’ve reached the Valley of Boredom.

8:41 p.m. --You know Kanye’s the man when he gets the award for Best Rap Album. The get-off-the-stage music starts playing midway through his acceptance speech. He tells the sounds guys to make it stop … and they listen.

8:57 p.m. -- Feist is performing "1-2-3-4." Yes! ... Love the acoustic, down-on-the-corner take on it with the brass. I miss the rousing sing-along rendition of the album version. But this is good. It's different.

9:14 p.m. -- Now Alicia Keys is doing "No One." She and the band seem to have taken it a little more upbeat and freshened it up a little -- I love it! ... Aw, and John Mayer comes on with a guitar solo -- real nice! Kates: "Makes tha song a little better." (She hates this song.)

9:19 p.m. -- Vince Gill just got his award for Best Country Album and accepted it from Ringo Starr. Vince says: "I just got an award from a Beatle." Then he looks off to his left and says, "Have you had that happen yet, Kanye?" That's the line of the night.

9:28 p.m. -- Gosh, I love Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."

9:43 p.m. -- I'm not even going to talk about Amy Whinehouse's performance ... and just as I write this she finishes her first song and starts up "Rehab." It's catchy. Dang.

9:50 p.m. -- Record of the Year. Amy Whinehouse. Of course. Ugh.

10:26 p.m. -- Will.I.am's rap montage of great Grammy songs was brilliant.

10:29 p.m. -- And Herbie Hancock just won for Album of the Year with "River: The Joni Letters" !! Wow!! Upset city ... Good speech, Herbie.

10:37 p.m. -- It's over. Thank you and good night.

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