I'm sitting at my in-laws amid our annual family holiday tour of southern Wisconsin during the final days of the decade. We're watching CBS "Sunday Morning," which is recapping the best and worst of the last 10 years. Oh, what a decade it's been, considering he way we started it.
Maybe some day I'll get to writing about it. These days the inspiration that was so pulsating for this blog the decade before is fleeting today. Crowded out by other projects that are more important to me now. Researching my family's ancestry. Writing a book. Pursuing a doctorate degree -- to name a few.
And yet, I still hold on to hundreds of notes, links and unfinished Word files, thinking, "Some day ... "
But I found something today, that I couldn't help but share here ...
We love Taylor Swift in our house, and I've loved "Lover" almost since the first time I heard it. It's a quintessential love song and, arguably, one of Taylor's best tracks. I've been enthralled with every performance of it since -- from "Saturday Night Live" to her "Tiny Desk Concert" to her Artist of the Decade performance at the American Music Awards.
So it brought a smile to start my day as I laid in bed, scrolling through my morning emails, and caught The New York Times' interview with Taylor and team in this episode of "Diary of a Song."
Showing posts with label Taylor Swift. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taylor Swift. Show all posts
12.29.2019
2.27.2019
Taylor Swift showed up to an engagement party and serenaded the couple
Fun read. Taylor rocks.
My incredible man @alexandergold asked me to marry him, surprised me with an engagement party with friends and my family who flew in to be there, and then @taylorswift13 surprised me with an incredible serenade. I'm on cloud 9. BRB. pic.twitter.com/aYntoMRM4W— Ross Girard (@rossgirard) February 27, 2019
9.09.2018
A night with Taylor Swift
So I took Phoebe to see Taylor Swift perform at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City last night.
Taylor Swift. One of the biggest pop stars on the planet. I'm still having trouble believing it.
Phoebe has pretty much grown up with her music playing around our house – since the days of the “Love Song” music video rolling on our TV, back when Kates and I spent our Saturday mornings watching the VH1 countdown and we couldn’t name a single show on the Disney Channel. Oh, how times have changed, but that’s another post.
We own all of her albums and it’s no wonder Phoebe has grown to admire her music so much. Taylor is as wholesome as pop stars come these days, and I can’t think of another one I’d rather have Phoebe admire.
Fast forward to a year ago when the news broke that Taylor was unleashing a tour to promote her new “Reputation” album and coming to Kansas City. I started talking with Kates about the idea of taking Phoebe. Somehow I got a pair of tickets for us last December – we decided Faye wasn’t old enough for a big-time concert and Kates was ok with not going – and we presented them to Phoebe for her birthday in the form of a printed Ticketmaster confirmation. She opened the envelope, read the paper and let out a happy scream as she flopped into the couch.
And I’m not gonna lie. I was pretty darn excited to see Miss Taylor myself.
After months of waiting, the day of the concert finally came. As everyone was waking up yesterday, I went across the hall to Phoebe’s room and jumped on her as she lay in it. “Today’s the big day!” I shouted as I shook her and rocked her bed excitedly.
It turned out to be a beautiful night for an outdoor concert with an overcast sky and temperatures in the high 60s – which was a relief, considering it’s been raining nearly non-stop for the last two weeks. The grass, which had been on life support since late June because we had barely seen a drop of rain since then, is now a lush green, and I’ve mowed our lawn more times in the last three weeks – three times – than I did all of the month of July and for most of August combined.
A preview from the local news ...
With the concert set to start at 7, we left the house a little after 4 in the afternoon. I offered to take Phoebe somewhere for dinner, and she picked the McAlister’s Deli in St. Joseph, which she loves. It was a good halfway stop between The ‘Ville and Kansas City.
We arrived at the stadium complex around 6:50 and joined the parade of vehicles moving into the parking lot. We could hear the opening act, Charli XCX, on the stage inside Arrowhead as we drove through the parking lot. Finally, we got parked and started our walk to the stadium.
The place was a madhouse. But in a good way. … Taylor announced to the crowd shortly after she took the stage that last night’s show broke the attendance record for a concert at Arrowhead Stadium, and the number published this morning had it at 58,611 – and considering Arrowhead is the largest venue in Kansas City, that could mean it was the biggest in Kansas City history, right? The crowd was loaded with young couples and parents with tweens in tow, which relieved any doubts I was having about whether bringing Phoebe to a Taylor Swift stadium concert was the right thing to do. It only got better from there. The crowd was excellent and I didn’t observe an ounce of rudeness the entire night. A breath of fresh air.
Phoebe was all smiles and barely containing her excitement as we walked the ramp up to our seats. We were in the upper deck in a corner of one of the end zones. Charli XCX was ending her set with “Fancy” as we got to our seats around 7:30, and – although I would have liked hearing “Boom Clap” – I didn't mind that we missed her.
Around 7:45, the second act, Camila Cabello, took the stage. When we sat down, I couldn’t have told you what songs she was known for. When I asked her, Phoebe said she knew a couple of her songs and knew she was formerly with Fifth Harmony. … I was soon pleasantly surprised by how many of Cabello’s songs I did recognize. Wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, she opened with “Never Be the Same,” which has been all over the radio this summer. Plus, she worked in “Bad Things,” a Machine Gun Kelly song on which she sings an altered chorus of Fastball’s “Out of my Head,” and she ended with “Havana,” another popular radio tune this summer. I also really liked “Inside Out.”
On the downside, Cabello appeared as nothing more than a speck on the stage from where we were seated. Huge arena and stadium shows have never been my thing and I much prefer the club and small theaters that most of my favorite bands tend to play. I like the intimacy of those environments and the feeling that you’re so close to the stage that you could shake the band members’ hands and you can really appreciate the musicianship playing out before your eyes. … Last night, our seats felt so far away that we had to rely heavily on the video screens, and I had doubts about whether Cabello was actually singing or going through the motions to a recorded track.
All of those thoughts were erased when Taylor took the stage.
During the intermission, Phoebe and I enjoyed watching the crowd and chatting about what we could expect during Taylor’s show. She was curious about the planning that goes into concerts in general and the stage construction, and I enjoyed explaining the production elements to her. After all, we’ve taken Phoebe to Summerfest a few times and some shows at the university, but she had never experienced a production even remotely close to the one we saw last night.
The main stage was shaped like an X with two huge panels at the back of it, each angled slightly toward the sides of the stadium and a giant skeleton of steel towers behind them. Red lights blinked at the top of the towers for extra effect. Adding to my own curiosity about the setup, two smaller stages were stationed at each corner of the end zone in front of us – which suggested additional performance space for Taylor, but I couldn’t figure out how she was going to get there if my suspicion was true …
The time passed quickly. The sky darkened fast and at around 8:30, the stadium lights went out.
Suddenly the stage came alive with bright lights and thumping bass. The two huge panels slid apart at the center of the stage, and out came Taylor, eyeing up the crowd and busting out “… Ready for it?” the opening track from “Reputation.”
She performed all but one of the 15 tracks from “Reputation” and effortlessly weaved in her hits and fan favorites throughout her two-hour show in the form of medleys and mashups. Taylor and a collection of dancers paraded up and down the X all night long as the musicians rocked their instruments from the second story of the steel structure.
The show was everything I had hoped for and more – even when things on stage weren’t exactly perfect – with not a curse word uttered throughout. Early in the show, Taylor was pacing the stage and talking to the crowd when she realized her mic was cutting out. She immediately apologized to the crowd, recalling that it rained all week during the stage setup and that some of the equipment probably was affected. She played it cool, pausing to listen to crew members communicating the status through her ear piece and talking back to them as the crowd listened in. As the scene played out, I pictured in my mind dozens of crew members scurrying around backstage replacing cables, duct-taping attachments and working to fix the issue – which was resolved in minutes. … Later, while her band and dancers were taking a break and Taylor was on stage by herself to play a couple songs acoustically, she admitted she was battling a cold. A crew member stepped onto the stage to hand her a Kleenex and she asked for the crowd’s patience and forgiveness as she stepped away from the mic to blow her nose. … As the breeze was picking up toward the end of the show and she sat alone at a piano, it was easy to tell she was uncomfortably cold on the stage. But her professionalism shined, and her ability to power through it and deliver a top-notch performance for the grateful crowd was impressive.
And the wristbands. After passing through the gates, everyone was handed a clear Vivofit style wristband. We weren’t given any instructions but figured they had something to do with the show – and wow, did they ever. From the first moment of the show, they lit up and didn’t stop until the stage went dark at the end of the night, only adding to the amazing light effects throughout the show. They flashed to the beats of the songs. Sometimes they flashed bright white. Sometimes they were red. Sometimes they were multi-colored. Sometimes they blinked. Sometimes they illuminated like a wave spreading across the stadium bowl.
Every few minutes I’d sneak a look at Phoebe and I’m not sure she ever stopped smiling. She sang along to every. single. word. Several times, I leaned into her to ask the title of the song Taylor was singing, and she knew every time. How do you know all of this!? I thought. But I remember my mom asking me the same question when I was Phoebe’s age on the mornings that she drove me to school and I sang all the words to the songs that played on the car radio.
One of the high points of the night was a run of “Style,” “Love Song” and “You Belong to Me.” …
All night long, there were blasts of confetti and fog machines and no shortage of pyrotechnics. During “I Did Something Bad,” balls of flame shot from the stop of the stage, and we could literally feel the heat all the way from where we were sitting.
About a third of the way into the show, I got my answer about the smaller stages in the end zone when Taylor stepped onto a carriage that transported her over the crowd from the main stage to the smaller stage on the opposite corner of where we were sitting. It was a beautiful scene that fit the tone of the song and the stage transition perfectly.
Then an amazing dance party broke out. Watch …
The euphoria of “Shake It Off” felt like a finale – and yet we weren’t even halfway through the show. On the next two songs, the band when silent and the dancers disappeared as she performed “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” and a fan favorite, “The Story of Us.” Just her on an acoustic guitar and a beautiful crowd sing-along. (Here's an up-close version)
She walked through the crowd to get to the other small stage, where she performed a few more songs, and then boarded a snake-shaped apparatus that shipped her back to the main stage while she sang “Bad Blood.”
Back on the X, she sang a raucous “Don’t Blame Me” that was accompanied by some mean guitar and more fireballs sprouting from the top of the stage; for me it was the most powerful performance of the night. Then, she was left alone at a piano where she played a medley of “Long Live” and “New Year’s Day.” … I love “New Year’s Day,” and her moving performance of it on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon remains unforgettable. I had chills going through my body as she performed it last night and would have been disappointed if she hadn’t. …
A couple songs later, the drum beats of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” began pounding through the stadium. The crowd sang it loud with her and we were treated to just enough of it before the band transitioned into “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” – perhaps my favorite track on the “Reputation” album.
What unfolded was a concert finale for the ages …
When the smoke from the fireworks cleared, the lights at the stadium turned on, and Phoebe and I stood back against our seats and caught our breaths. Even then, the show was still going as end credits rolled on the big screens behind the stage. The screens flashed photos and names of the musicians and dancers who were part of the show, mixed with outtakes of Taylor and her crew rehearsing in an empty Arrowhead Stadium. Phoebe and I just stood there, soaking it in and relishing the final minutes of a truly memorable night.
I’m just going to say it. Of all my concert days and nights, this was the best concert ever … Sorry, Fun. You’ve been overtaken. (Ironically, Fun member Jack Antonoff co-produced “Reputation,” so there's that.)
Here’s The Kansas City Star review ...
The setlist
1. “Ready for It?”
2. “I Did Something Bad”
3. “Gorgeous”
4. “Style” / “Love Story” / “You Belong With Me”
5. “Look What You Made Me Do”
6. “End Game”
7. “King of My Heart”
8. “Delicate”
9. “Shake It Off” (with Charli XCX and Camila Cabello)
10. “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” (acoustic)
11. “The Story of Us” (acoustic)
12. “Blank Space”
13. “Dress”
14. “Bad Blood” / “Should’ve Said No”
15. “Don’t Blame Me”
16. “Long Live” / “New Year’s Day” (solo piano)
17. “Getaway Car”
18. “Call It What You Want”
19. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” / “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”
Taylor Swift. One of the biggest pop stars on the planet. I'm still having trouble believing it.
Phoebe has pretty much grown up with her music playing around our house – since the days of the “Love Song” music video rolling on our TV, back when Kates and I spent our Saturday mornings watching the VH1 countdown and we couldn’t name a single show on the Disney Channel. Oh, how times have changed, but that’s another post.
We own all of her albums and it’s no wonder Phoebe has grown to admire her music so much. Taylor is as wholesome as pop stars come these days, and I can’t think of another one I’d rather have Phoebe admire.
Fast forward to a year ago when the news broke that Taylor was unleashing a tour to promote her new “Reputation” album and coming to Kansas City. I started talking with Kates about the idea of taking Phoebe. Somehow I got a pair of tickets for us last December – we decided Faye wasn’t old enough for a big-time concert and Kates was ok with not going – and we presented them to Phoebe for her birthday in the form of a printed Ticketmaster confirmation. She opened the envelope, read the paper and let out a happy scream as she flopped into the couch.
And I’m not gonna lie. I was pretty darn excited to see Miss Taylor myself.
After months of waiting, the day of the concert finally came. As everyone was waking up yesterday, I went across the hall to Phoebe’s room and jumped on her as she lay in it. “Today’s the big day!” I shouted as I shook her and rocked her bed excitedly.
It turned out to be a beautiful night for an outdoor concert with an overcast sky and temperatures in the high 60s – which was a relief, considering it’s been raining nearly non-stop for the last two weeks. The grass, which had been on life support since late June because we had barely seen a drop of rain since then, is now a lush green, and I’ve mowed our lawn more times in the last three weeks – three times – than I did all of the month of July and for most of August combined.
A preview from the local news ...
With the concert set to start at 7, we left the house a little after 4 in the afternoon. I offered to take Phoebe somewhere for dinner, and she picked the McAlister’s Deli in St. Joseph, which she loves. It was a good halfway stop between The ‘Ville and Kansas City.
We arrived at the stadium complex around 6:50 and joined the parade of vehicles moving into the parking lot. We could hear the opening act, Charli XCX, on the stage inside Arrowhead as we drove through the parking lot. Finally, we got parked and started our walk to the stadium.
The place was a madhouse. But in a good way. … Taylor announced to the crowd shortly after she took the stage that last night’s show broke the attendance record for a concert at Arrowhead Stadium, and the number published this morning had it at 58,611 – and considering Arrowhead is the largest venue in Kansas City, that could mean it was the biggest in Kansas City history, right? The crowd was loaded with young couples and parents with tweens in tow, which relieved any doubts I was having about whether bringing Phoebe to a Taylor Swift stadium concert was the right thing to do. It only got better from there. The crowd was excellent and I didn’t observe an ounce of rudeness the entire night. A breath of fresh air.
Phoebe was all smiles and barely containing her excitement as we walked the ramp up to our seats. We were in the upper deck in a corner of one of the end zones. Charli XCX was ending her set with “Fancy” as we got to our seats around 7:30, and – although I would have liked hearing “Boom Clap” – I didn't mind that we missed her.
Around 7:45, the second act, Camila Cabello, took the stage. When we sat down, I couldn’t have told you what songs she was known for. When I asked her, Phoebe said she knew a couple of her songs and knew she was formerly with Fifth Harmony. … I was soon pleasantly surprised by how many of Cabello’s songs I did recognize. Wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, she opened with “Never Be the Same,” which has been all over the radio this summer. Plus, she worked in “Bad Things,” a Machine Gun Kelly song on which she sings an altered chorus of Fastball’s “Out of my Head,” and she ended with “Havana,” another popular radio tune this summer. I also really liked “Inside Out.”
On the downside, Cabello appeared as nothing more than a speck on the stage from where we were seated. Huge arena and stadium shows have never been my thing and I much prefer the club and small theaters that most of my favorite bands tend to play. I like the intimacy of those environments and the feeling that you’re so close to the stage that you could shake the band members’ hands and you can really appreciate the musicianship playing out before your eyes. … Last night, our seats felt so far away that we had to rely heavily on the video screens, and I had doubts about whether Cabello was actually singing or going through the motions to a recorded track.
All of those thoughts were erased when Taylor took the stage.
During the intermission, Phoebe and I enjoyed watching the crowd and chatting about what we could expect during Taylor’s show. She was curious about the planning that goes into concerts in general and the stage construction, and I enjoyed explaining the production elements to her. After all, we’ve taken Phoebe to Summerfest a few times and some shows at the university, but she had never experienced a production even remotely close to the one we saw last night.
The main stage was shaped like an X with two huge panels at the back of it, each angled slightly toward the sides of the stadium and a giant skeleton of steel towers behind them. Red lights blinked at the top of the towers for extra effect. Adding to my own curiosity about the setup, two smaller stages were stationed at each corner of the end zone in front of us – which suggested additional performance space for Taylor, but I couldn’t figure out how she was going to get there if my suspicion was true …
The time passed quickly. The sky darkened fast and at around 8:30, the stadium lights went out.
Suddenly the stage came alive with bright lights and thumping bass. The two huge panels slid apart at the center of the stage, and out came Taylor, eyeing up the crowd and busting out “… Ready for it?” the opening track from “Reputation.”
She performed all but one of the 15 tracks from “Reputation” and effortlessly weaved in her hits and fan favorites throughout her two-hour show in the form of medleys and mashups. Taylor and a collection of dancers paraded up and down the X all night long as the musicians rocked their instruments from the second story of the steel structure.
The show was everything I had hoped for and more – even when things on stage weren’t exactly perfect – with not a curse word uttered throughout. Early in the show, Taylor was pacing the stage and talking to the crowd when she realized her mic was cutting out. She immediately apologized to the crowd, recalling that it rained all week during the stage setup and that some of the equipment probably was affected. She played it cool, pausing to listen to crew members communicating the status through her ear piece and talking back to them as the crowd listened in. As the scene played out, I pictured in my mind dozens of crew members scurrying around backstage replacing cables, duct-taping attachments and working to fix the issue – which was resolved in minutes. … Later, while her band and dancers were taking a break and Taylor was on stage by herself to play a couple songs acoustically, she admitted she was battling a cold. A crew member stepped onto the stage to hand her a Kleenex and she asked for the crowd’s patience and forgiveness as she stepped away from the mic to blow her nose. … As the breeze was picking up toward the end of the show and she sat alone at a piano, it was easy to tell she was uncomfortably cold on the stage. But her professionalism shined, and her ability to power through it and deliver a top-notch performance for the grateful crowd was impressive.
And the wristbands. After passing through the gates, everyone was handed a clear Vivofit style wristband. We weren’t given any instructions but figured they had something to do with the show – and wow, did they ever. From the first moment of the show, they lit up and didn’t stop until the stage went dark at the end of the night, only adding to the amazing light effects throughout the show. They flashed to the beats of the songs. Sometimes they flashed bright white. Sometimes they were red. Sometimes they were multi-colored. Sometimes they blinked. Sometimes they illuminated like a wave spreading across the stadium bowl.
Every few minutes I’d sneak a look at Phoebe and I’m not sure she ever stopped smiling. She sang along to every. single. word. Several times, I leaned into her to ask the title of the song Taylor was singing, and she knew every time. How do you know all of this!? I thought. But I remember my mom asking me the same question when I was Phoebe’s age on the mornings that she drove me to school and I sang all the words to the songs that played on the car radio.
One of the high points of the night was a run of “Style,” “Love Song” and “You Belong to Me.” …
All night long, there were blasts of confetti and fog machines and no shortage of pyrotechnics. During “I Did Something Bad,” balls of flame shot from the stop of the stage, and we could literally feel the heat all the way from where we were sitting.
About a third of the way into the show, I got my answer about the smaller stages in the end zone when Taylor stepped onto a carriage that transported her over the crowd from the main stage to the smaller stage on the opposite corner of where we were sitting. It was a beautiful scene that fit the tone of the song and the stage transition perfectly.
Then an amazing dance party broke out. Watch …
The euphoria of “Shake It Off” felt like a finale – and yet we weren’t even halfway through the show. On the next two songs, the band when silent and the dancers disappeared as she performed “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” and a fan favorite, “The Story of Us.” Just her on an acoustic guitar and a beautiful crowd sing-along. (Here's an up-close version)
She walked through the crowd to get to the other small stage, where she performed a few more songs, and then boarded a snake-shaped apparatus that shipped her back to the main stage while she sang “Bad Blood.”
Back on the X, she sang a raucous “Don’t Blame Me” that was accompanied by some mean guitar and more fireballs sprouting from the top of the stage; for me it was the most powerful performance of the night. Then, she was left alone at a piano where she played a medley of “Long Live” and “New Year’s Day.” … I love “New Year’s Day,” and her moving performance of it on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon remains unforgettable. I had chills going through my body as she performed it last night and would have been disappointed if she hadn’t. …
A couple songs later, the drum beats of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” began pounding through the stadium. The crowd sang it loud with her and we were treated to just enough of it before the band transitioned into “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” – perhaps my favorite track on the “Reputation” album.
What unfolded was a concert finale for the ages …
When the smoke from the fireworks cleared, the lights at the stadium turned on, and Phoebe and I stood back against our seats and caught our breaths. Even then, the show was still going as end credits rolled on the big screens behind the stage. The screens flashed photos and names of the musicians and dancers who were part of the show, mixed with outtakes of Taylor and her crew rehearsing in an empty Arrowhead Stadium. Phoebe and I just stood there, soaking it in and relishing the final minutes of a truly memorable night.
I’m just going to say it. Of all my concert days and nights, this was the best concert ever … Sorry, Fun. You’ve been overtaken. (Ironically, Fun member Jack Antonoff co-produced “Reputation,” so there's that.)
Here’s The Kansas City Star review ...
The massive crowd witnessed an extraordinary spectacle. The main stage resembled an offshore oil rig outfitted with massive video screens. Most songs were complemented by an array of gaudy visual embellishments.(Update 9.19.2018: Here's a review from this week's St. Louis show.)
Swift zipped across the stadium in a skeletal snake during “Bad Blood.” She was flanked by aerial acrobats when she reached the stage.
The lavish display included an arsenal of fireworks, a phalanx of dancers, gales of confetti, and balls of fire that warmed the audience on a cool evening. Free wristbands distributed to all attendees emitted synchronized blasts of color. …
Swift’s interactions with the audience were unfailingly gracious, but a drawback of a nearly otherwise flawless two-hour production was revealed as Swift rendered tender songs on piano shortly after admitting she was suffering from a cold.
The setlist
1. “Ready for It?”
2. “I Did Something Bad”
3. “Gorgeous”
4. “Style” / “Love Story” / “You Belong With Me”
5. “Look What You Made Me Do”
6. “End Game”
7. “King of My Heart”
8. “Delicate”
9. “Shake It Off” (with Charli XCX and Camila Cabello)
10. “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” (acoustic)
11. “The Story of Us” (acoustic)
12. “Blank Space”
13. “Dress”
14. “Bad Blood” / “Should’ve Said No”
15. “Don’t Blame Me”
16. “Long Live” / “New Year’s Day” (solo piano)
17. “Getaway Car”
18. “Call It What You Want”
19. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” / “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”
11.24.2014
The American (and every other international pop star) Awards
It's been years since I've tuned in for the American Music Awards, and I got a good reminder why last night as I watched international stars like One Direction, Lorde and Sam Smith rack up the awards and appearances on the show. ... There's almost nothing significantly American about the awards show.
Nonetheless, I tuned it and was entertained by the performers I expected to entertain me and tuned out for the ones I don't care for.
Fortunately for Phoebe, Taylor Swift opened the showcase with "Blank Space," which allowed Phoebe to get in on some of the action before her bedtime. Taylor delivered a dramatic performance full of pyrotechnics that will have Phoebe talking about for days. ... And Taylor won the Dick Clark Award for Excellence. Grand.
My favorite performance of the night, though, was Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj knocking out "Bang Bang" -- and brought Taylor and company into the act at the seats. The women are ruling pop music right now, and I don't expect to tire of this song anytime soon ...
Rolling Stone recaps all of the performances here.
Nonetheless, I tuned it and was entertained by the performers I expected to entertain me and tuned out for the ones I don't care for.
Fortunately for Phoebe, Taylor Swift opened the showcase with "Blank Space," which allowed Phoebe to get in on some of the action before her bedtime. Taylor delivered a dramatic performance full of pyrotechnics that will have Phoebe talking about for days. ... And Taylor won the Dick Clark Award for Excellence. Grand.
My favorite performance of the night, though, was Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj knocking out "Bang Bang" -- and brought Taylor and company into the act at the seats. The women are ruling pop music right now, and I don't expect to tire of this song anytime soon ...
Rolling Stone recaps all of the performances here.
11.06.2014
Girls still rule
I didn’t watch the Country Music Awards last night. … I’ve never watched the Country Music Awards.
But the CMAs' attempt to pop it up -- and the ladies' continued music dominance -- was all over social media this morning.
Meghan Trainor performed a country-fied “All About That Bass” with Miranda Lambert. But the clip I watched of it just made me cringe. So I'm not posting it here. … It’s ok. I still like Meghan a lot. Read this.
Ariana Grande also showed up to perform “Bang Bang” with Little Big Town. And it was fantastic. … Not to mention visually stunning.
As usual, Entertainment Weekly has the full run down of bests and worsts of the night.
So does Rolling Stone.
The women are still ruling the top of the charts, and Taylor Swift – who was nowhere to be found at the CMAs last night now that she’s a poppy New York girl – isn’t budging.
The girl is on fire. Consider …
But the CMAs' attempt to pop it up -- and the ladies' continued music dominance -- was all over social media this morning.
Meghan Trainor performed a country-fied “All About That Bass” with Miranda Lambert. But the clip I watched of it just made me cringe. So I'm not posting it here. … It’s ok. I still like Meghan a lot. Read this.
Ariana Grande also showed up to perform “Bang Bang” with Little Big Town. And it was fantastic. … Not to mention visually stunning.
As usual, Entertainment Weekly has the full run down of bests and worsts of the night.
So does Rolling Stone.
The women are still ruling the top of the charts, and Taylor Swift – who was nowhere to be found at the CMAs last night now that she’s a poppy New York girl – isn’t budging.
The girl is on fire. Consider …
One of only 19 albums, ever, to sell a million in a week: The club of artists able to shift a million albums in seven days is a truly exclusive one. Swift is not new to that list; in fact, she was the last artist to sell a million in a week, when 2012’s transitional country-to-pop crossover album Red moved 1.208 million in its debut.
The first artist to score a trio of platinum-weekers: Selling a million albums in a week is an extraordinary feat. Doing it twice is elite; Backstreet Boys, ’N Sync, and Eminem each scored two. Three times is madness, and only Swift has done it: Her last two albums—2010’s Speak Now (1.047 million) and the aforementioned Red—debuted to seven figures. Now, with 1989, Taylor scores an improbable trifecta—and by the way, her opening sales actually increased slightly on each of the three albums.
Instantly the year’s second-best seller, and the top seller by a single artist: All year, from January through October, only one album had sold more than a million copies cumulatively—the unkillable Frozen soundtrack (3.2 million sold in calendar 2014). The next two top-selling albums, Beyoncé and Lorde’s Pure Heroine, have sold just under 800,000 apiece in 2014. (Each sold additional copies in 2013.) With over a million sold in just its first week, Swift’s 1989 toppled both those ladies’ albums (by roughly half a million!) and now ranks second for the year, behind only the various-artists Disney soundtrack.
Only 2014 release to sell a million—not just in a week, TOTAL: Here’s the thing about Frozen, Beyoncé, and Pure Heroine—they’re all 2013 releases still selling well in 2014. Among albums dropped since January, the best-seller to date is Coldplay’s spring release Ghost Stories, which has sold 740K. And that number is cumulative—Coldplay sold that much in 23 weeks. Put another way: Taylor’s album is platinum-level out of the box; no other disc released in 2014 has even crawled to platinum.
10.24.2014
Ladies rock
I caught this one on Twitter yesterday ...
Pretty much. But I'm not complaining.
Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor continue to get a lot of play in our household these days, as does "Bang Bang." (Here's a good read about Trainor's "Bass.") In fact, we're in a phase now in which Phoebe begs me to let her fall asleep to Taylor Swift songs at night.
Here's a fun review of Taylor's new album from USA Today ...
I was looking forward to my shot at downloading and reviewing Taylor's album after it drops next week. ... Until I logged into my eMusic account to download some songs and manage my cue -- only to learn that eMusic has stripped its music library of mainstream content and is going indie. I love my share of indie bands, but a some earlier notice would have been nice. The music wish list that I've built through years as a loyal eMusic subscriber also was gutted. And I'm thinking my days as a subscriber are numbered. Grrrrrrrrrr.
You want indie? Here's an artist I'm really into right now: Daphne Willis, singing an acoustic of her excellent "Bluff."
Are we out of the woods yet? No. pic.twitter.com/0gwNrzVS7h
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) October 23, 2014
Pretty much. But I'm not complaining.
Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor continue to get a lot of play in our household these days, as does "Bang Bang." (Here's a good read about Trainor's "Bass.") In fact, we're in a phase now in which Phoebe begs me to let her fall asleep to Taylor Swift songs at night.
Here's a fun review of Taylor's new album from USA Today ...
If you are not aware that Taylor Swift has a new album out Monday, it's certainly not her fault, or ours. The rollout for 1989 (***½ out of four stars, named for the superstar's birth year, has been as meticulous and as eagerly pored over as a presidential campaign, and its ascent on the pop charts is as certain as death and taxes — and likely anticipated with as much dread by some folks.And from Rolling Stone ...
If there's nothing as grandiose as "All Too Well" or "Dear John" or "Enchanted," that's because there wasn't meant to be. 1989 sets the record for fewest adjectives (and lowest romantic body count) on a Swift album. Most of the songs hover above the three-minute mark, which is a challenge for Tay – she's always been a songwriter who can spend five minutes singing about a freaking scarf and still make every line hit like a haymaker. But if you're into math, note that the three best songs here – "How You Get the Girl," "This Love," "Clean" – are the three that crash past four minutes. This is still an artist who likes to let it rip. Deeply weird, feverishly emotional, wildly enthusiastic, 1989 sounds exactly like Taylor Swift, even when it sounds like nothing she's ever tried before. And yes, she takes it to extremes. Are you surprised? This is Taylor Swift, remember? Extremes are where she starts out.
I was looking forward to my shot at downloading and reviewing Taylor's album after it drops next week. ... Until I logged into my eMusic account to download some songs and manage my cue -- only to learn that eMusic has stripped its music library of mainstream content and is going indie. I love my share of indie bands, but a some earlier notice would have been nice. The music wish list that I've built through years as a loyal eMusic subscriber also was gutted. And I'm thinking my days as a subscriber are numbered. Grrrrrrrrrr.
You want indie? Here's an artist I'm really into right now: Daphne Willis, singing an acoustic of her excellent "Bluff."
9.18.2014
Meghan Trainor does cutesy ukulele cover of Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off'
Here we are enjoying Taylor Swift's and Megan Trainor's ride on the airwaves ...
Then Megan Trainor delivers this ...
Then Megan Trainor delivers this ...
8.19.2014
Shake It Off
Ferguson is still under protest. The Royals are still winning. And Taylor Swift is still cool – in my eyes at least.
In case you're living under a rock -- and if you are, you definitely wouldn't be reading this -- Taylor Swift unveiled her latest single yesterday. And, whaddaya know, it was trending today.
For the record, I watched it as I was getting ready to leave my office last night, and I love it.
The protests happening in Ferguson have me shaking my head. No one is blameless for what is happening there. But even then, the news media is fanning the flames of the situation as much as anyone.
Last night, I got caught watching the “breaking news” coverage – even though there was no breaking news to report when the news channel cut into the Late Show with David Letterman. An anchor on the station actually exclaimed, “Oh boy, here we go!” when law enforcement officers began firing teargas – as if it was the start of a Fourth of July fireworks display.
Now people who have no affiliation with Ferguson and possess a limited knowledge of the facts are joining in, and the protesters seem to be taking on a personality of little more than attention seekers.
Talk about police tactics all you want. I get that. But, based on my experiences, I also believe cases like the one involving Michael Brown almost always can be traced back to people who made poor choices and failed to abide by the law in the first place.
In the meantime, innocent people who live in Ferguson and have no association with the case are being portrayed in a harsh light. We know how they feel in The ‘Ville. I’m proud of our state, and it saddens me to see another one of our cities portrayed in the national media this way.
That’s all I have to say about that.
I had tuned into CBS to watch the Late Show, fully anticipating a tribute to Robin Williams because Letterman was in reruns when Williams passed last week.
As I wrote the other night, a Robin Williams appearance on Letterman was always special. Letterman begins talking about that feeling in the video below at the 6-minute mark.
Well, said Dave. There will never be another one like Robin Williams.
The Royals are hot. They’ve won eight straight series. They are the highest they’ve been above .500 since 1994 – I was there – and the Tigers continue to crumble. This is really fun.
Last night, via Royals beat writer Andy McCullough …
Yep. Good thing the Royals picked up Erik Kratz. And Josh Willingham, too.
How can you not root for the Royals right now?
In case you're living under a rock -- and if you are, you definitely wouldn't be reading this -- Taylor Swift unveiled her latest single yesterday. And, whaddaya know, it was trending today.
For the record, I watched it as I was getting ready to leave my office last night, and I love it.
* * *
The protests happening in Ferguson have me shaking my head. No one is blameless for what is happening there. But even then, the news media is fanning the flames of the situation as much as anyone.
Last night, I got caught watching the “breaking news” coverage – even though there was no breaking news to report when the news channel cut into the Late Show with David Letterman. An anchor on the station actually exclaimed, “Oh boy, here we go!” when law enforcement officers began firing teargas – as if it was the start of a Fourth of July fireworks display.
Now people who have no affiliation with Ferguson and possess a limited knowledge of the facts are joining in, and the protesters seem to be taking on a personality of little more than attention seekers.
Talk about police tactics all you want. I get that. But, based on my experiences, I also believe cases like the one involving Michael Brown almost always can be traced back to people who made poor choices and failed to abide by the law in the first place.
In the meantime, innocent people who live in Ferguson and have no association with the case are being portrayed in a harsh light. We know how they feel in The ‘Ville. I’m proud of our state, and it saddens me to see another one of our cities portrayed in the national media this way.
That’s all I have to say about that.
* * *
I had tuned into CBS to watch the Late Show, fully anticipating a tribute to Robin Williams because Letterman was in reruns when Williams passed last week.
As I wrote the other night, a Robin Williams appearance on Letterman was always special. Letterman begins talking about that feeling in the video below at the 6-minute mark.
Well, said Dave. There will never be another one like Robin Williams.
* * *
The Royals are hot. They’ve won eight straight series. They are the highest they’ve been above .500 since 1994 – I was there – and the Tigers continue to crumble. This is really fun.
Last night, via Royals beat writer Andy McCullough …
The Royals second half in a nutshell: Salvador Perez tweaks his knee. His late-game replacement homers. Twice. http://t.co/GVbgKGdPwC
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) August 19, 2014
As he wrote in his game recap ... The sequence confirmed the blessed fortune shining on the Royals, even as the events hinted at the organization’s darkest fear. In the seventh inning of a 6-4 victory over Minnesota on Monday, Salvador Perez stood inside the dugout with his shirt untucked and his right knee sore. It was his turn to bat. He would not. Instead Erik Kratz, a 34-year-old backup acquired last month, headed to the plate.
Yep. Good thing the Royals picked up Erik Kratz. And Josh Willingham, too.
How can you not root for the Royals right now?
If they're able to finish the deal, it will be impossible to measure the emotion, not just in the executive offices, not just in the clubhouse, but also in the community. Remember what it was like in Pittsburgh last fall when that ballpark was full and fans were rocking the place to its bones? That's what it'll be like in Kansas City, too. …
The Royals have been through so much these last 29 years, endured so much hope and so much disappointment. Maybe, just maybe, that'll make the endgame that much sweeter. Maybe this time it'll work out in a way that makes all that patience seem worthwhile.
8.22.2012
Music break
I’ve been listening to Nickel Creek almost non-stop this week. And I. just. can’t. break. the spell.
Over the last couple years the trio has become one of my go-to bands during stressful times. And it’s been one of those weeks.
Here’s hoping their hiatus doesn’t last much longer.
Worth watching and hearing …
This Side and Speak.
We have a new favorite song in our household.
“Good Time” by Owl City, featuring the one and only Carly Rae Jepsen.
It’s so fitting. With Phoebe's help, Owl City has inspired dozens of memorable sing-alongs and dance parties in our house. And Carly Rae nabbed Gotye’s hold on the “it” song with her summer smash, “Call Me Maybe” (Remember, this song was so hot, everybody from Cookie Monster to the U.S. swimming team was spinning it.)
I heard “Good Time” for the first time a few weeks ago and was hooked after one listen. I played it for Phoebe and Kates that night and hooked them, too. Then it was all over NBC’s promos for the Today Show during the Olympics.
Phoebe calls it “The Camping Song.” Watch the video and you’ll understand why.
The honorable mention for recent hits goes to Fun’s “Some Nights,” which has me lamenting the missed opportunity to see them at Summerfest this year.
Plus, I love the take WTMX – which remains a staple of my morning routine, thanks to the wonders of internet streaming – had on the song. Watch.
Oh, but there’s another song rising fast for the fall.
Check out Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. It’s got an Avril Lavigne vibe with sort of a Kelly Clarkson pop-rock hook. I love it.
Over the last couple years the trio has become one of my go-to bands during stressful times. And it’s been one of those weeks.
Here’s hoping their hiatus doesn’t last much longer.
Worth watching and hearing …
This Side and Speak.
* * *
We have a new favorite song in our household.
“Good Time” by Owl City, featuring the one and only Carly Rae Jepsen.
It’s so fitting. With Phoebe's help, Owl City has inspired dozens of memorable sing-alongs and dance parties in our house. And Carly Rae nabbed Gotye’s hold on the “it” song with her summer smash, “Call Me Maybe” (Remember, this song was so hot, everybody from Cookie Monster to the U.S. swimming team was spinning it.)
I heard “Good Time” for the first time a few weeks ago and was hooked after one listen. I played it for Phoebe and Kates that night and hooked them, too. Then it was all over NBC’s promos for the Today Show during the Olympics.
Phoebe calls it “The Camping Song.” Watch the video and you’ll understand why.
* * *
The honorable mention for recent hits goes to Fun’s “Some Nights,” which has me lamenting the missed opportunity to see them at Summerfest this year.
Plus, I love the take WTMX – which remains a staple of my morning routine, thanks to the wonders of internet streaming – had on the song. Watch.
* * *
Oh, but there’s another song rising fast for the fall.
Check out Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. It’s got an Avril Lavigne vibe with sort of a Kelly Clarkson pop-rock hook. I love it.
3.04.2012
Taylor Swift and Zac Efron cover "Pumped Up Kicks"
So I was catching up on weeks worth of email, internet reading and random links this morning when I stumbled onto this video.
Taylor Swift and Zac Efron doing their own version of "Pumped up Kicks" on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Classic.
Kates, Phoebe and I watched this with delight.
Taylor Swift and Zac Efron doing their own version of "Pumped up Kicks" on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Classic.
Kates, Phoebe and I watched this with delight.
2.13.2012
Grammy night!
Oh, Grammys, how nice it was to spend some time with you again last night. I missed you.
Last night's Grammys show was arguably the most anticipated in recent memory. ... It seems like it's been a couple years, since I really got to soak it in and enjoy the show. So, maybe it was the blur of the last couple years' shows that caused me so much excitement for this year's awards.
Either way, I was not disappointed.
We counted down the nights last week as the big show drew closer. For our household it was like the Super Bowl all over again. But perhaps more exciting than the football. Few things make me happier than good music.
Our pregame was the Adele interview on "60 Minutes." ... I've said it again and again. The woman was everywhere in 2011, and rightly so. Those who follow music closely had her "21" album pegged as a serious Album of the Year candidate even before its release early last year. Some of my most vivid memories of the year have that album playing in the background, from unpacking boxes in our new house on a Saturday morning last spring, to being mesmerized with the "Rolling in the Deep" video from the first time I saw it, to a late night of work last fall with my cohorts in the office as a student group blasted the album outside, to the instant classic of a "Saturday Night Live" skit that featured "Someone Like You."
I keep wondering if this is what it was like in 1977 after the release of "Rumours," or in 1983 after the release of "Thriller." I have some recollection that this is what it was like in 1993 after "The Bodyguard" was released.
... Plus, there's so much to like about Adele.
* * *
On with the Grammys show ...
Bruce Springsteen opened the festivities. I'm not a big fan of Bruce, but I really enjoyed his opening act -- strings and all.
With the first performance out of the way and the crowd settled, we got the standard pan of the stars. There was Taylor Swift, looking pretty as usual. Katy Perry, with blue hair. And Lady Gaga, wearing a full body fish net. ... At one point during the telecast, the TV flashed a shot of Lady Gaga sitting next to Miranda Lambert, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the odd pairing.
The moment that LL Cool J led the Grammys audience in a prayer for Whitney Houston was a touching one. ... Then, during a montage of Whitney that followed, Phoebe stood in front of the TV, staring at the screen. And at a point where Whitney was shown hitting one of her out-of-this-world notes, Phoebe blurted out "Who is that singing?!"
For me, the first highlight of the night came courtesy of Bruno Mars. To quote one of my Twitter friends, he killed it. ... Arguably, my favorite performance of the night.
Shortly afterward, the award for Best Pop Solo Performance. As the songs up for the award were run off, I thought, Tough category when you think of the play the songs and artists in this category have had during the last year. Lady Gaga: "You and I." Bruno Mars: "Grenade." Katy Perry: "Firework." Pink: "Perfect." Adele: "Someone Like You." ... Alas, Adele won it, and I said, "Let the route begin."
The Rihanna-Coldplay collaboration was a disappointment. And awkward.
But the Chipotle Foundation commercial that followed -- featuring Willie Nelson redoing Coldplay's "The Scientist" -- was fantastic.
In the Best Rock Performance, I was rooting for Coldplay. But it went to the Foo Fighters, to the surprise of almost no one. … In the acceptance speech, Dave Grol said he’s proud of his band's record because they made it in a garage with some microphones and a tape machine. He went on to say making good music isn't about sounding perfect or having the latest and greatest technology. I almost stood up and applauded.
While it might have been the most anticipated Grammys show in recent memory, there was no individual performance I anticipated more than that of the Beach Boys, especially when I learned Foster the People would perform with them.
And speaking of artists who were everywhere last year, another was Foster the People, thanks to their "Pumped Up Kicks." Which, by the way, is currently Phoebe's favorite song. She knows and sings to most of the chorus -- hey, don't judge my parenting skills; it's got a fun melody and I had no idea she'd learn to like the song so much -- and she's calls it "the children song" because the chorus includes the word kids. Cute. ... In addition to watching Adele's "60 Minutes" interview, we warmed up for the Grammys by playing "Pumped Up Kicks" and dancing in the living room.
Somewhere I missed the note that Foster the People would play as part of a tribute performance with the Beach Boys. Instead, I was having giddy visions of Foster the People performing "Pumped Up Kicks" with the Beach Boys adding their own twist and harmonies. After all, the song has a summery surf vibe that's right up the Beach Boys alley. And oh, that "Pumped Up" base line ...
As it turned out, that's not at all what happened. But the tribute was just as swell.
Maroon 5's cover of "Surfer Girl" was so slick that if it appears on iTunes tomorrow, I'll download it in a heartbeat. Foster the People’s take on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” wasn't as good, but still pretty decent for my tastes. I especially liked that they dressed in the Beach Boys' vintage striped look.
When the real Beach Boys appeared, I was pleased to hear them perform "Good Vibrations," although I would have preferred a longer Beach Boys montage that also included hits like "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "I Get Around." ... Unfortunately, the performance was more fun to hear than to watch. Quite simply, they're hardly the band they once were.
Check out this gem featuring Jack Benny and Bob Hope getting hip with the Beach Boys.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by Taylor Swift’s cheerful, bouncy performance of "Mean." ... I like Taylor’s music a lot. But if you think about her history of poor live performances (See: The 2010 Grammys, 8:46 mark), her Grammys showing this year was pretty good. ... I'm a sucker for cheerful, bouncy performances.
Plus from Twitter ...
Adele won Song of the Year, hands-down for "Rolling in the Deep."
And then she sang. ... And the twitterverse either exploded, or went silent, depending on your point of view.
She was amazing. As expected. ... And if it wasn't for Bruno Mars' dazzling dance moves, this would've been my favorite performance of the night.
There was the Glenn Campbell tribute, which was another neat moment. I must admit though, I only know about Glenn Campbell because he toured with the Beach Boys back in the day. I’d be hard pressed to name one of his songs.
Carrie Underwood with Tony Bennett went down as my favorite collaboration on a night filled with them. From Alicia Keys with Bonnie Raitt, to Kelly Clarkson with Jason Aldean, to Rihanna with Coldplay. And all the kids that played with the Beach Boys.
When Bon Iver won Best New Artist, I sprang from the couch, pumped my fist and let out a loud "Yes!" I thought The Band Perry had that one wrapped up, but I was glad to be wrong. … I was hooked on the guy when I caught the buzz surrounding his first album already a couple years old. The shout out to Eau Claire, Wis., was nice, too.
And how could you not have chills running through your spine as Jennifer Hudson performed “I Will Always Love You” ?
Icing on the cake: Watching Sir Paul jam it up with Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh and Dave Grol.
"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
Thank you, Grammys. See you next year!
Good reads ...
a Grammys 2012: The full list of winners
a A Prayer, a Celebration and a Coronation
a Chicago Tribune music critic
a The New York Times Critics' Notebook
a Rolling Stone
a EW: We Grade the Performances
a Nicki Minaj levitates, lights fires, speaks in tongues for Grammys performance of new single 'Roman Holiday' ... Worst performance ever.
a There's more to Adele's song than lyrics, more than music
Last night's Grammys show was arguably the most anticipated in recent memory. ... It seems like it's been a couple years, since I really got to soak it in and enjoy the show. So, maybe it was the blur of the last couple years' shows that caused me so much excitement for this year's awards.
Either way, I was not disappointed.
We counted down the nights last week as the big show drew closer. For our household it was like the Super Bowl all over again. But perhaps more exciting than the football. Few things make me happier than good music.
Our pregame was the Adele interview on "60 Minutes." ... I've said it again and again. The woman was everywhere in 2011, and rightly so. Those who follow music closely had her "21" album pegged as a serious Album of the Year candidate even before its release early last year. Some of my most vivid memories of the year have that album playing in the background, from unpacking boxes in our new house on a Saturday morning last spring, to being mesmerized with the "Rolling in the Deep" video from the first time I saw it, to a late night of work last fall with my cohorts in the office as a student group blasted the album outside, to the instant classic of a "Saturday Night Live" skit that featured "Someone Like You."
I keep wondering if this is what it was like in 1977 after the release of "Rumours," or in 1983 after the release of "Thriller." I have some recollection that this is what it was like in 1993 after "The Bodyguard" was released.
... Plus, there's so much to like about Adele.
* * *
On with the Grammys show ...
Bruce Springsteen opened the festivities. I'm not a big fan of Bruce, but I really enjoyed his opening act -- strings and all.
With the first performance out of the way and the crowd settled, we got the standard pan of the stars. There was Taylor Swift, looking pretty as usual. Katy Perry, with blue hair. And Lady Gaga, wearing a full body fish net. ... At one point during the telecast, the TV flashed a shot of Lady Gaga sitting next to Miranda Lambert, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the odd pairing.
The moment that LL Cool J led the Grammys audience in a prayer for Whitney Houston was a touching one. ... Then, during a montage of Whitney that followed, Phoebe stood in front of the TV, staring at the screen. And at a point where Whitney was shown hitting one of her out-of-this-world notes, Phoebe blurted out "Who is that singing?!"
For me, the first highlight of the night came courtesy of Bruno Mars. To quote one of my Twitter friends, he killed it. ... Arguably, my favorite performance of the night.
Shortly afterward, the award for Best Pop Solo Performance. As the songs up for the award were run off, I thought, Tough category when you think of the play the songs and artists in this category have had during the last year. Lady Gaga: "You and I." Bruno Mars: "Grenade." Katy Perry: "Firework." Pink: "Perfect." Adele: "Someone Like You." ... Alas, Adele won it, and I said, "Let the route begin."
The Rihanna-Coldplay collaboration was a disappointment. And awkward.
But the Chipotle Foundation commercial that followed -- featuring Willie Nelson redoing Coldplay's "The Scientist" -- was fantastic.
In the Best Rock Performance, I was rooting for Coldplay. But it went to the Foo Fighters, to the surprise of almost no one. … In the acceptance speech, Dave Grol said he’s proud of his band's record because they made it in a garage with some microphones and a tape machine. He went on to say making good music isn't about sounding perfect or having the latest and greatest technology. I almost stood up and applauded.
* * *
While it might have been the most anticipated Grammys show in recent memory, there was no individual performance I anticipated more than that of the Beach Boys, especially when I learned Foster the People would perform with them.
And speaking of artists who were everywhere last year, another was Foster the People, thanks to their "Pumped Up Kicks." Which, by the way, is currently Phoebe's favorite song. She knows and sings to most of the chorus -- hey, don't judge my parenting skills; it's got a fun melody and I had no idea she'd learn to like the song so much -- and she's calls it "the children song" because the chorus includes the word kids. Cute. ... In addition to watching Adele's "60 Minutes" interview, we warmed up for the Grammys by playing "Pumped Up Kicks" and dancing in the living room.
Somewhere I missed the note that Foster the People would play as part of a tribute performance with the Beach Boys. Instead, I was having giddy visions of Foster the People performing "Pumped Up Kicks" with the Beach Boys adding their own twist and harmonies. After all, the song has a summery surf vibe that's right up the Beach Boys alley. And oh, that "Pumped Up" base line ...
As it turned out, that's not at all what happened. But the tribute was just as swell.
Maroon 5's cover of "Surfer Girl" was so slick that if it appears on iTunes tomorrow, I'll download it in a heartbeat. Foster the People’s take on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” wasn't as good, but still pretty decent for my tastes. I especially liked that they dressed in the Beach Boys' vintage striped look.
When the real Beach Boys appeared, I was pleased to hear them perform "Good Vibrations," although I would have preferred a longer Beach Boys montage that also included hits like "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "I Get Around." ... Unfortunately, the performance was more fun to hear than to watch. Quite simply, they're hardly the band they once were.
Check out this gem featuring Jack Benny and Bob Hope getting hip with the Beach Boys.
* * *
Paul McCartney’s “My Valentine” nearly put me to sleep. I didn’t love it. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Taylor Swift’s cheerful, bouncy performance of "Mean." ... I like Taylor’s music a lot. But if you think about her history of poor live performances (See: The 2010 Grammys, 8:46 mark), her Grammys showing this year was pretty good. ... I'm a sucker for cheerful, bouncy performances.
Plus from Twitter ...
@Spinner: Taylor's surprise face never fails to amuse. "People clapping for me!?
* * *
Adele won Song of the Year, hands-down for "Rolling in the Deep."
And then she sang. ... And the twitterverse either exploded, or went silent, depending on your point of view.
@globerodman: Adele! Adele! Adele! Starting off a cappella. Translation: "This is live singing, y'all!" #welcomeback #Grammys
@EW: Quiet now. Adele's singing
@USATodayMusic: Adele. Nuff' said. #Grammys
@JPosnanski: How magical is it to be able to just suddenly do something and make jaws drop? #adele
She was amazing. As expected. ... And if it wasn't for Bruno Mars' dazzling dance moves, this would've been my favorite performance of the night.
* * *
There was the Glenn Campbell tribute, which was another neat moment. I must admit though, I only know about Glenn Campbell because he toured with the Beach Boys back in the day. I’d be hard pressed to name one of his songs.
Carrie Underwood with Tony Bennett went down as my favorite collaboration on a night filled with them. From Alicia Keys with Bonnie Raitt, to Kelly Clarkson with Jason Aldean, to Rihanna with Coldplay. And all the kids that played with the Beach Boys.
When Bon Iver won Best New Artist, I sprang from the couch, pumped my fist and let out a loud "Yes!" I thought The Band Perry had that one wrapped up, but I was glad to be wrong. … I was hooked on the guy when I caught the buzz surrounding his first album already a couple years old. The shout out to Eau Claire, Wis., was nice, too.
And how could you not have chills running through your spine as Jennifer Hudson performed “I Will Always Love You” ?
* * *
Finally, Paul McCartney performed the Beatles' "Abbey Road" medley of "Golden Slumbers," "Carry That Weight," and "The End." Classic.Icing on the cake: Watching Sir Paul jam it up with Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh and Dave Grol.
"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
Thank you, Grammys. See you next year!
Good reads ...
a Grammys 2012: The full list of winners
a A Prayer, a Celebration and a Coronation
a Chicago Tribune music critic
a The New York Times Critics' Notebook
a Rolling Stone
a EW: We Grade the Performances
a Nicki Minaj levitates, lights fires, speaks in tongues for Grammys performance of new single 'Roman Holiday' ... Worst performance ever.
a There's more to Adele's song than lyrics, more than music
7.16.2011
2.01.2010
Grammy night!
... So I wasn't sure last night that I would write, as has become my tradition, a minute-by-minute blog post of the Grammys (See: 2009, 2008, 2007). But when the show got underway, I couldn't help myself ...
I've waited until tonight to post so I could throw in some related links -- like these interesting inside looks from the Associated Press and from The New York Times ...Enjoy.
7:03
I still can’t stand Lady Gaga … Then again, the dancing during her “Poker Face” performance wasn’t half bad, and the vocals were pretty decent too. Maybe I’ve heard Gaga so much and become so tired of the ogling over her that I’m numb to her.
Her piano duet with Elton John, however, and that mash-up of “Your Song” was pretty sweet.
7:10
I’m liking Stephen Colbert’s opening monologue … “Ran into the Jonas Brothers. Or maybe it was just one of them three times.” … The bit with his daughter isn’t working though.
7:12
Song of the Year. I’m rooting for “Single Ladies” … I’m so sick of Kings of Leon … Nice. It’s “Single Ladies.” Taylor Swift FINALLY got beat on something.
7:17
Love, love, loving! the performance of “21 Guns” with Green Day and the “American Idiot” cast. I much prefer this version over the Green Day album version. Where I can download it!?
7:24
I’ve got a major crush on Kristen Bell …
7:26
Best Country Album … Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” is the only one I’ve heard, let alone heard of … Not surprisingly, Taylor just won … I do give her major props for writing her own songs.
7:28
Beyonce. Troops marching in behind her and she’s looking like she wants to tear someone apart … She’s singing “If I Were a Boy.” Not liking it at all. Come to think of it, I didn’t like the song when it was on the radio, either.
7:31
Is she really covering Alanis Morissette!? … Just did an Internet search for it. Looks like Beyonce’s done it live before. Still, that just doesn’t seem right. Like Madonna trying to cover “American Pie.”
7:41
I think I’ve got a little crush on Pink, too. … Don’t know what she’s singing, but I’m really liking it. She has one of the greatest pop voices of our time … Whoah, she just stripped down in the middle of the arena … And now she’s twirling and doing a Cirque du Soleil thing. Very, very cool! … She’s dripping with water. Where’s that water coming from!? It’s like a fountain … Visually, a dazzling, stirring performance! Wow, so cool! … The crowd is applauding and looking about as breathless as I am.
7:47
Best New Artist. I’m totally rooting for the Ting Tings! Or I’ll take Keri Hilson … Ugggggg. It’s Zack Brown Band!? Who the heck are they!?!
7:49
Commercial break. It’s kind of nice to be watching the Grammys live for once and not on delay with the DVR … Just checked Twitter. Apparently Pink performed “Glitter in the Air.”
7:53
Target commercial with the Black Eyed Peas. So cool.
7:54
Oh boy. It’s Miley time … The rings on her fingers are almost as big as her hands. … Bring on the Black Eyed Peas!! They’re dressed like something out of a futuristic version of the “Wizard of Oz,” starring Will.I.Am as the Tin Man. What up!? … Yeah. Not liking the song. … All right, now we’re rocking. “I gotta feelin… !” … The backing band is dragging. … Not the best performance I’ve seen of “I Gotta Feeling,” but the song still rocks.
8:05
Jonas Brothers presenting. Overrated. Glad to see Nick going out on his own … Lady Antebellum is my new favorite country band. So glad to see them doing well, and banging my head for not willing myself to see them at Summerfest a couple years ago when I had the chance. I’m loving “Need You Now,” on the radio and this performance tonight.
8:09
Add Kaley Cuoco to my celebrity crush list … Best Comedy Album. Not sure I care.
8:13
So glad to see Shiny Toy Guns performing on the Lincoln commercial … Still wanting to see them live, too.
8:17
Norah Jones and Ringo Starr. What a pairing. Norah Jones = yep. Crushing. … Record of the Year. Rooting for Black Eyed Peas. Definitely not Kings of Leon or Lady Gaga … Ugggggg. It’s Kings of Leon. Pleeeeeease.
8:20
Opera. I’m turning out … Jamie Foxx? Now, I’m really tuning out.
8:25
All I know is somebody’s wailing on a guitar. I just looked up and it was Slash. I’m so not paying attention to this. Back to Twitter.
8:32
Best Rock Album. Rooting for Dave Matthews Band … Annnnnnnd it’s Green Day. Ok, fine. … I hadn’t heard about that Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood live album. I’ve got to check that out!
8:35
So this is the Zack Brown Band? I’m feeling like I should be paying attention … But I’m tuning out again.
8:45
We’re halfway through. So far I give the show a C- … Performance of the night easily goes to Pink.
8:46
Bring on Taylor Swift. Ryan Seacrest's introduction of her made her sound like some kind of legend. C’mon Ryan, Taylor’s accomplished a lot already, but let’s not throw her in the Hall of Fame just yet… Ok, I admire Taylor for who she is and what she represents. But I seriously can’t stand watching/listening to her live. Never have. …
(... I'm going to interupt my play-by-play here to refer to a commentary from the Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot this morning that was spot-on! ... Yes, I do remember her duet with Miley Cyrus at last year's Grammys, which helped form my first impressions of Miley and Taylor, and it was awful! ... And yes, Neko Case's "Middle Cyclone" deserves a place among the pop albums of the year. It's been at or near the top of my playlist for weeks ...)
Glad to see Stevie Nicks on stage with her, but Taylor’s definitely not adding anything to “Rhiannon” either. … Ok, this musical arrangement of “You Belong To Me” is pretty cool. Where’s the rest of Fleetwood Mac when you need them!? … I give that “You Belong To Me” diddy the second best performance of the night, a distant second behind Pink.
8:53
This Michael Jackson tribute better be good. … I’m really wishing I had a pair of 3D glasses. Unfortunately the nearest Target is 45 minutes away. … Really, really liking it so far. Celine Dion and Usher are great. Just wish it wasn’t hurting my eyes. Maybe I should have driven those 45 minutes … Getting chills. Jennifer Hudson. Celine Dion. Smokey Robinson. Usher. Carrie Underwood. Singing MJ‘s “Earth Song.” THAT is one heck of a grouping.
9:00
Applause, applause. Don’t tell me this is it (Ha. Now on DVD and Blu-ray!) … Hey, it’s Prince and Paris. … Um, Ok. Commercial, go. I'm dissappointed there wasn't more to that tribute. I would have prefered a medley of MJ songs featuring several different artists.
9:07
“Leaving Las Vegas” is playing. That must mean Sheryl Crow is coming on. Yep, there she is … I think she’s introducing Dave Matthews Band? Nope. Bon Jovi. … Seriously. I appreciate the effort, but they’re reaching Rolling Stones status = aged and no longer relevant. I’m also not digging the country vibe.
9:14
I didn’t vote for the third Bon Jovi song, but I was really hoping it would be “Living on a Prayer.” Now THIS is Bon Jovi.
9:17
Best Rap Collaboration. Totally rooting for “Knock You Down.” … It‘s “Run This Town.” Blech. I have about as much patience for Rhianna as I do for Lady Gaga.
9:26
Andrea Bocelli and Mary J. Blige on “Bride Over Troubled Water.” Very cool.
9:28
Starting to get bored. Let’s wrap this thing up with a bang, folks.
9:36
President of the academy. Blah, blah, blah.
9:40
Adam Sandler. Nice Usher quip about the jacket and the guy in jail. … He’s introducing Dave Matthews Band. Aw yeah. … So great to hear the band sounding like their old selves again. R.I.P. LeRoi. … Wow, check out that backing choir! Sorry Taylor, your performance is now a distant third! DMB, your performance is now a close second in the rankings, behind Pink. I was totally bouncing around my living room. That rocked!
9:47
Best Female Pop Vocal. Tough choices … Hmm. Beyonce’s “Halo” wouldn’t have been my first choice.
9:53
LL Cool J is introducing another lifetime achievement winner. Losing interest. Tuning out …
10:00
Time for the tribute montage for those who have died in the last year … So many greats gone this past year. … Les Paul, legend.
10:03
Hellooooooooooo Lady Gaga has the Statue of Liberty (or something like it) sitting on her head. The woman gets weirder and weirder every time a camera sets its sight on her.
10:04
Loving the Les Paul tribute. Rock on, Waukesha, Wisconsin! … Seriously, this is so cool! I’m thinking it gets a tie for second-best performance of the night with Dave Matthews Band.
10:11
Quentin Tarantino. A hip hop performance. Tuning out again …
10:18
The hip hop performance is still going. Gah! Turn it off! All the muting to cover the bad language and that stupid siren they’re playing are driving me crazy.
10:25
Album of the Year. Bring it on. … I’m rooting for Black Eyed Peas or Dave Matthews Band. It better not be Lady Gaga … The Grammy goes to Taylor Swift. Wow. As if that girl’s year couldn’t get any better. I really admire her for staying true to herself. Good for her.
10:29
This just in from one of my Twitter feeds …
I've waited until tonight to post so I could throw in some related links -- like these interesting inside looks from the Associated Press and from The New York Times ...Enjoy.
7:03
I still can’t stand Lady Gaga … Then again, the dancing during her “Poker Face” performance wasn’t half bad, and the vocals were pretty decent too. Maybe I’ve heard Gaga so much and become so tired of the ogling over her that I’m numb to her.
Her piano duet with Elton John, however, and that mash-up of “Your Song” was pretty sweet.
7:10
I’m liking Stephen Colbert’s opening monologue … “Ran into the Jonas Brothers. Or maybe it was just one of them three times.” … The bit with his daughter isn’t working though.
7:12
Song of the Year. I’m rooting for “Single Ladies” … I’m so sick of Kings of Leon … Nice. It’s “Single Ladies.” Taylor Swift FINALLY got beat on something.
7:17
Love, love, loving! the performance of “21 Guns” with Green Day and the “American Idiot” cast. I much prefer this version over the Green Day album version. Where I can download it!?
7:24
I’ve got a major crush on Kristen Bell …
7:26
Best Country Album … Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” is the only one I’ve heard, let alone heard of … Not surprisingly, Taylor just won … I do give her major props for writing her own songs.
7:28
Beyonce. Troops marching in behind her and she’s looking like she wants to tear someone apart … She’s singing “If I Were a Boy.” Not liking it at all. Come to think of it, I didn’t like the song when it was on the radio, either.
7:31
Is she really covering Alanis Morissette!? … Just did an Internet search for it. Looks like Beyonce’s done it live before. Still, that just doesn’t seem right. Like Madonna trying to cover “American Pie.”
7:41
I think I’ve got a little crush on Pink, too. … Don’t know what she’s singing, but I’m really liking it. She has one of the greatest pop voices of our time … Whoah, she just stripped down in the middle of the arena … And now she’s twirling and doing a Cirque du Soleil thing. Very, very cool! … She’s dripping with water. Where’s that water coming from!? It’s like a fountain … Visually, a dazzling, stirring performance! Wow, so cool! … The crowd is applauding and looking about as breathless as I am.
7:47
Best New Artist. I’m totally rooting for the Ting Tings! Or I’ll take Keri Hilson … Ugggggg. It’s Zack Brown Band!? Who the heck are they!?!
7:49
Commercial break. It’s kind of nice to be watching the Grammys live for once and not on delay with the DVR … Just checked Twitter. Apparently Pink performed “Glitter in the Air.”
7:53
Target commercial with the Black Eyed Peas. So cool.
7:54
Oh boy. It’s Miley time … The rings on her fingers are almost as big as her hands. … Bring on the Black Eyed Peas!! They’re dressed like something out of a futuristic version of the “Wizard of Oz,” starring Will.I.Am as the Tin Man. What up!? … Yeah. Not liking the song. … All right, now we’re rocking. “I gotta feelin… !” … The backing band is dragging. … Not the best performance I’ve seen of “I Gotta Feeling,” but the song still rocks.
8:05
Jonas Brothers presenting. Overrated. Glad to see Nick going out on his own … Lady Antebellum is my new favorite country band. So glad to see them doing well, and banging my head for not willing myself to see them at Summerfest a couple years ago when I had the chance. I’m loving “Need You Now,” on the radio and this performance tonight.
8:09
Add Kaley Cuoco to my celebrity crush list … Best Comedy Album. Not sure I care.
8:13
So glad to see Shiny Toy Guns performing on the Lincoln commercial … Still wanting to see them live, too.
8:17
Norah Jones and Ringo Starr. What a pairing. Norah Jones = yep. Crushing. … Record of the Year. Rooting for Black Eyed Peas. Definitely not Kings of Leon or Lady Gaga … Ugggggg. It’s Kings of Leon. Pleeeeeease.
8:20
Opera. I’m turning out … Jamie Foxx? Now, I’m really tuning out.
8:25
All I know is somebody’s wailing on a guitar. I just looked up and it was Slash. I’m so not paying attention to this. Back to Twitter.
8:32
Best Rock Album. Rooting for Dave Matthews Band … Annnnnnnd it’s Green Day. Ok, fine. … I hadn’t heard about that Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood live album. I’ve got to check that out!
8:35
So this is the Zack Brown Band? I’m feeling like I should be paying attention … But I’m tuning out again.
8:45
We’re halfway through. So far I give the show a C- … Performance of the night easily goes to Pink.
8:46
Bring on Taylor Swift. Ryan Seacrest's introduction of her made her sound like some kind of legend. C’mon Ryan, Taylor’s accomplished a lot already, but let’s not throw her in the Hall of Fame just yet… Ok, I admire Taylor for who she is and what she represents. But I seriously can’t stand watching/listening to her live. Never have. …
(... I'm going to interupt my play-by-play here to refer to a commentary from the Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot this morning that was spot-on! ... Yes, I do remember her duet with Miley Cyrus at last year's Grammys, which helped form my first impressions of Miley and Taylor, and it was awful! ... And yes, Neko Case's "Middle Cyclone" deserves a place among the pop albums of the year. It's been at or near the top of my playlist for weeks ...)
Glad to see Stevie Nicks on stage with her, but Taylor’s definitely not adding anything to “Rhiannon” either. … Ok, this musical arrangement of “You Belong To Me” is pretty cool. Where’s the rest of Fleetwood Mac when you need them!? … I give that “You Belong To Me” diddy the second best performance of the night, a distant second behind Pink.
8:53
This Michael Jackson tribute better be good. … I’m really wishing I had a pair of 3D glasses. Unfortunately the nearest Target is 45 minutes away. … Really, really liking it so far. Celine Dion and Usher are great. Just wish it wasn’t hurting my eyes. Maybe I should have driven those 45 minutes … Getting chills. Jennifer Hudson. Celine Dion. Smokey Robinson. Usher. Carrie Underwood. Singing MJ‘s “Earth Song.” THAT is one heck of a grouping.
9:00
Applause, applause. Don’t tell me this is it (Ha. Now on DVD and Blu-ray!) … Hey, it’s Prince and Paris. … Um, Ok. Commercial, go. I'm dissappointed there wasn't more to that tribute. I would have prefered a medley of MJ songs featuring several different artists.
9:07
“Leaving Las Vegas” is playing. That must mean Sheryl Crow is coming on. Yep, there she is … I think she’s introducing Dave Matthews Band? Nope. Bon Jovi. … Seriously. I appreciate the effort, but they’re reaching Rolling Stones status = aged and no longer relevant. I’m also not digging the country vibe.
9:14
I didn’t vote for the third Bon Jovi song, but I was really hoping it would be “Living on a Prayer.” Now THIS is Bon Jovi.
9:17
Best Rap Collaboration. Totally rooting for “Knock You Down.” … It‘s “Run This Town.” Blech. I have about as much patience for Rhianna as I do for Lady Gaga.
9:26
Andrea Bocelli and Mary J. Blige on “Bride Over Troubled Water.” Very cool.
9:28
Starting to get bored. Let’s wrap this thing up with a bang, folks.
9:36
President of the academy. Blah, blah, blah.
9:40
Adam Sandler. Nice Usher quip about the jacket and the guy in jail. … He’s introducing Dave Matthews Band. Aw yeah. … So great to hear the band sounding like their old selves again. R.I.P. LeRoi. … Wow, check out that backing choir! Sorry Taylor, your performance is now a distant third! DMB, your performance is now a close second in the rankings, behind Pink. I was totally bouncing around my living room. That rocked!
9:47
Best Female Pop Vocal. Tough choices … Hmm. Beyonce’s “Halo” wouldn’t have been my first choice.
9:53
LL Cool J is introducing another lifetime achievement winner. Losing interest. Tuning out …
10:00
Time for the tribute montage for those who have died in the last year … So many greats gone this past year. … Les Paul, legend.
10:03
Hellooooooooooo Lady Gaga has the Statue of Liberty (or something like it) sitting on her head. The woman gets weirder and weirder every time a camera sets its sight on her.
10:04
Loving the Les Paul tribute. Rock on, Waukesha, Wisconsin! … Seriously, this is so cool! I’m thinking it gets a tie for second-best performance of the night with Dave Matthews Band.
10:11
Quentin Tarantino. A hip hop performance. Tuning out again …
10:18
The hip hop performance is still going. Gah! Turn it off! All the muting to cover the bad language and that stupid siren they’re playing are driving me crazy.
10:25
Album of the Year. Bring it on. … I’m rooting for Black Eyed Peas or Dave Matthews Band. It better not be Lady Gaga … The Grammy goes to Taylor Swift. Wow. As if that girl’s year couldn’t get any better. I really admire her for staying true to herself. Good for her.
10:29
This just in from one of my Twitter feeds …
The Kanye watch is on ... Album of the Year is ... Taylor Swift! A Beyonce upset? Nice.Ha-larious.
11.25.2009
Music & TV bits
So how about those American Music Awards on Sunday night?
I would have been a little upset if Michael Jackson won the Artist of the Year award. I mean, I love MJ and all; he's a legend. But, seriously, what did the guy do this year besides die an untimely death – ok, and star in a pretty swell documentary? ... Taylor Swift was far more deserving of the award, and I was glad she got it, even if it meant watching her gush, "Thank you sooooo much!" one more time.
The performances? … eh.
Janet Jackson’s opener was good – but it was just a run-of-the-mill medley of her hits … The Black Eyed Peas were good – but we’ve been watching them perform the same songs on every thing from Oprah to Saturday Night Live for months …
I couldn’t care less about Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Shakira. And I wasn’t even paying attention when Jennifer Lopez fell.
My favorite performance – easily – was Alicia Keys and Jay-Z doing “Empire State of Mind.”
Oh yeah. And then there was that Adam Lambert performance everybody’s talking about …
I watched the act from bed, and regret that his performance was the last image I saw before going to sleep. Ugh. … I thought Lambert’s singing – more accurately it was screaming – was awful, and it lowered my desire to get his debut disc even farther.
The other stuff Lambert did … All I could think was Wow. How are they able to show this on TV?
Some other reads ...
a Best & Worst: American Music Awards 2009
a The audacity of hype
a Television: Two standards, or too racy?
Here, Jason Segal of "How I Met Your Mother" teams up with The Swell Season ... Pretty sweet.
The TV season is in full swing now, and at the close of November sweeps we’ve landed just about where I predicted …
“Hank,” “FlashForward,” and “The Middle” are have all been demoted from our DVR.
“Cougar Town” is losing its luster.
“Accidentally on Purpose,” “Modern Family” and “Glee” have become the mainstays for new shows … Right next to the rest of CBS’s Monday night lineup, “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “Grey’s Anatomy” – and come January, “Lost” and (gulp) “American Idol.”
And, surprisingly, “NCIS: Los Angeles.” … Traditionally, I can’t stand to watch any television shows having to do with crime. “CSI,” “Law & Order,” “The Mentalist” – they make me crazy … But I’ve got an old friend on NCIS this season: Adam Jamal Craig. To see him doing his thing on network television and working with such a talented cast has become one of the highlights of my Tuesday nights.
Go Adam.
This American Express commercial is one of the most beautiful things I've seen ...
I would have been a little upset if Michael Jackson won the Artist of the Year award. I mean, I love MJ and all; he's a legend. But, seriously, what did the guy do this year besides die an untimely death – ok, and star in a pretty swell documentary? ... Taylor Swift was far more deserving of the award, and I was glad she got it, even if it meant watching her gush, "Thank you sooooo much!" one more time.
The performances? … eh.
Janet Jackson’s opener was good – but it was just a run-of-the-mill medley of her hits … The Black Eyed Peas were good – but we’ve been watching them perform the same songs on every thing from Oprah to Saturday Night Live for months …
I couldn’t care less about Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Shakira. And I wasn’t even paying attention when Jennifer Lopez fell.
My favorite performance – easily – was Alicia Keys and Jay-Z doing “Empire State of Mind.”
Oh yeah. And then there was that Adam Lambert performance everybody’s talking about …
I watched the act from bed, and regret that his performance was the last image I saw before going to sleep. Ugh. … I thought Lambert’s singing – more accurately it was screaming – was awful, and it lowered my desire to get his debut disc even farther.
The other stuff Lambert did … All I could think was Wow. How are they able to show this on TV?
Some other reads ...
a Best & Worst: American Music Awards 2009
a The audacity of hype
a Television: Two standards, or too racy?
* * *
Here, Jason Segal of "How I Met Your Mother" teams up with The Swell Season ... Pretty sweet.
* * *
The TV season is in full swing now, and at the close of November sweeps we’ve landed just about where I predicted …
“Hank,” “FlashForward,” and “The Middle” are have all been demoted from our DVR.
“Cougar Town” is losing its luster.
“Accidentally on Purpose,” “Modern Family” and “Glee” have become the mainstays for new shows … Right next to the rest of CBS’s Monday night lineup, “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “Grey’s Anatomy” – and come January, “Lost” and (gulp) “American Idol.”
And, surprisingly, “NCIS: Los Angeles.” … Traditionally, I can’t stand to watch any television shows having to do with crime. “CSI,” “Law & Order,” “The Mentalist” – they make me crazy … But I’ve got an old friend on NCIS this season: Adam Jamal Craig. To see him doing his thing on network television and working with such a talented cast has become one of the highlights of my Tuesday nights.
Go Adam.
* * *
This American Express commercial is one of the most beautiful things I've seen ...
11.10.2009
Saturday Night's all right
Kates and I got around to watching last weekend’s Saturday Night Live last night, which is a record turnaround for this season. Considering the bad buzz and awfulness of the episodes this season, it’s taken us at least a week to watch other episodes …
But finally -- finally! -- we got an SNL over the weekend that had more than one or two sketches worth watching. And a host we actually cared to see (Megan Fox!? Gerard Butler!? Seriously!?) … Taylor Swift turned in a fine appearance last weekend, and I'd like to think that was only a warm-up for another great one next weekend -- Mad Men’s January Jones will host and the Black Eyed Peas will perform. Aw yeah!
I have to admit, I've gained a newfound respect for Taylor during the last few months, with the catchiness of her recent hits, the success of her album, and the whole run-in with Kanye at the MTV music awards.
But the thing that put me over the top – dare I admit this – was Taylor's Oprah appearance a few weeks ago ... I was flipping through the TV channels one day when I stumbled on it and caught this 11-year-old girl, who happened to be a huge fan of Taylor's, and Oprah hooked her up for an exclusive interview with the country star. I was charmed by how sweet Taylor was with the young interviewer, and I was equally taken by Taylor's openness and wit and the drive she showed during her conversation with Oprah. For all her success and the attention she garners, it appears it's hardly changed her from her roots as a simple country girl. (And by the way, this surprise for a pair of twin girls was classic! ...)
Saturday night’s SNL wasn’t great from top to bottom, but it did have some good moments that, at the very least, brought out a smile -- from the opening sketch lampooning Fox News’ insanely right-wing views on last week’s not-so-important election, to the “Roomies” sketch that had Swift and Nasim Pedrad playing a pair of roommates who cuddled and loved each other more than Pedrad's character did with her own boyfriend …
I loved that Taylor showed off some strong acting chops and that she held nothing back, doing excellent impressions of Kate Gosselin and Shakira …
Best of all was her hilarious and adorable “Monologue” song – which I was repeating the rest of the night (“ … In my Mono-logue … La la la …” ), and her public service announcement for T.R.A.A.A.P.D. (That’s Teens Raising Awareness About Awful Parents Drivers).
Apart from Taylor, I was quite pleased to see the return of Nicholas Fehn – my favorite “Weekend Update” character – even though his bit was hardly memorable. And better yet was Seth Myers’ introduction of another “Really!?! With Seth & Amy” segment, which gave way to Amy Poehler’s surprise appearance / return to the “Weekend Update” desk. …
Here’s what EW’s Ken Tucker had to say ...
But finally -- finally! -- we got an SNL over the weekend that had more than one or two sketches worth watching. And a host we actually cared to see (Megan Fox!? Gerard Butler!? Seriously!?) … Taylor Swift turned in a fine appearance last weekend, and I'd like to think that was only a warm-up for another great one next weekend -- Mad Men’s January Jones will host and the Black Eyed Peas will perform. Aw yeah!
I have to admit, I've gained a newfound respect for Taylor during the last few months, with the catchiness of her recent hits, the success of her album, and the whole run-in with Kanye at the MTV music awards.
But the thing that put me over the top – dare I admit this – was Taylor's Oprah appearance a few weeks ago ... I was flipping through the TV channels one day when I stumbled on it and caught this 11-year-old girl, who happened to be a huge fan of Taylor's, and Oprah hooked her up for an exclusive interview with the country star. I was charmed by how sweet Taylor was with the young interviewer, and I was equally taken by Taylor's openness and wit and the drive she showed during her conversation with Oprah. For all her success and the attention she garners, it appears it's hardly changed her from her roots as a simple country girl. (And by the way, this surprise for a pair of twin girls was classic! ...)
Saturday night’s SNL wasn’t great from top to bottom, but it did have some good moments that, at the very least, brought out a smile -- from the opening sketch lampooning Fox News’ insanely right-wing views on last week’s not-so-important election, to the “Roomies” sketch that had Swift and Nasim Pedrad playing a pair of roommates who cuddled and loved each other more than Pedrad's character did with her own boyfriend …
I loved that Taylor showed off some strong acting chops and that she held nothing back, doing excellent impressions of Kate Gosselin and Shakira …
Best of all was her hilarious and adorable “Monologue” song – which I was repeating the rest of the night (“ … In my Mono-logue … La la la …” ), and her public service announcement for T.R.A.A.A.P.D. (That’s Teens Raising Awareness About Awful Parents Drivers).
Apart from Taylor, I was quite pleased to see the return of Nicholas Fehn – my favorite “Weekend Update” character – even though his bit was hardly memorable. And better yet was Seth Myers’ introduction of another “Really!?! With Seth & Amy” segment, which gave way to Amy Poehler’s surprise appearance / return to the “Weekend Update” desk. …
Here’s what EW’s Ken Tucker had to say ...
9.14.2009
Cheers and jeers
“Brett, who?” was exactly what I said last night when the Packers clinched their first win of the season.
I will try not to wax about every Packers game this season …
But last night’s game was fantastic.
I decided early on I would have to sacrifice my valuable sleep time. I wasn’t going to bed early. I wasn’t going to risk missing the end of a Packers-Bears game …
In between brushing teeth and changing to pajamas, I caught Mason Crosby’s 39-yard field goal to give the Packers a lead early in the fourth quarter. And then I watched Jay Cutler lead the Bears down the field, only to settle for the field goal of their own, and the lead returned to the Bears …
Then, I settled into bed as the Packers regained the ball with barely two minutes left in the game …
Bring up third-and-1. When Aaron Rodgers launched that ball toward the sideline, and it fell into Greg Jennings’ arms, I sat straight up in the bed, thrust both fists in the air, and shouted a squelched “Yes!” so as to not wake Phoebe who was sleeping across the hall.
Still, it was enough for Kates to shush me from the bathroom.
If only Pheebs knew what she was missing.
In the meantime ...
I've been hearing all morning about something Kanye West did at last night's MTV's Music Video Awards ...
Now, I've finally seen the video and read the accounts of him stealing the stage from Taylor Swift.
I heard about one musician who equaled the display to "stomping on a kitty."
Pretty much.
I will try not to wax about every Packers game this season …
But last night’s game was fantastic.
I decided early on I would have to sacrifice my valuable sleep time. I wasn’t going to bed early. I wasn’t going to risk missing the end of a Packers-Bears game …
In between brushing teeth and changing to pajamas, I caught Mason Crosby’s 39-yard field goal to give the Packers a lead early in the fourth quarter. And then I watched Jay Cutler lead the Bears down the field, only to settle for the field goal of their own, and the lead returned to the Bears …
Then, I settled into bed as the Packers regained the ball with barely two minutes left in the game …
Bring up third-and-1. When Aaron Rodgers launched that ball toward the sideline, and it fell into Greg Jennings’ arms, I sat straight up in the bed, thrust both fists in the air, and shouted a squelched “Yes!” so as to not wake Phoebe who was sleeping across the hall.
Still, it was enough for Kates to shush me from the bathroom.
If only Pheebs knew what she was missing.
* * *
In the meantime ...
I've been hearing all morning about something Kanye West did at last night's MTV's Music Video Awards ...
Now, I've finally seen the video and read the accounts of him stealing the stage from Taylor Swift.
I heard about one musician who equaled the display to "stomping on a kitty."
Pretty much.
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