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Grammy Awards
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Hard Rock Café/ Chicago, IL
Review by Andy Argyrakis
While the Staples Center in Los Angeles was bursting at the seams with music industry elite for the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards, VIPs in Chicago were given a party of more convenient geographical proportions at the Hard Rock Café. With big screens, program books and 3-D glasses being passed out, plus a giant food buffet and open bar, it was the next big thing to being at the actual ceremony, accompanied by several cheers and jeers throughout the night.
In terms of the performance aspect of the program, Lady Gaga kicked off the evening on fire (literally) as she blazed through “Poker Face” and then took a seat at the piano accompanied by Elton John for a medley of her new tune “Speechless” and his classic “Your Song.” From there, it was a mixture of meaningful and boring throughout three and a half hours of trophy presentations and more snippet sets. For the ladies, Beyonce dazzled with “If I Was a Boy,” while Pink twirled like a Cirque du Soleil spinner during “Glitter In the Air.”
Guy wise, Green Day dazzled with “21 Guns,” while Bon Jovi brought down the house with a trio of arena rock tunes (ending with clichéd by undeniably catchy “Livin’ On a Prayer”). Taylor Swift may have took home several trophies, but her performance of “Today Was a Fairytale” was absolutely lifeless, though she was partially saved by Stevie Nicks during a rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon.”
Television censors took ten second chunks out of Eminem, Lil Wayne and Drake’s “Forever” (reducing the modern day rap standard to a mere punch line), while a multi-artist Michael Jackson tribute was touching, but overly hyped. Nonetheless, it was a star studded night of endless action that’s sure to have music fans talking until the next extravaganza.
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