Be sure to hit “refresh” a lot, as we’ll be updating all night.
11:31pm
And there’s Dave Grohl. Albeit with Joe Walsh, Bruce and Paul. But still…
11:28pm
Sir Paul, trotting out a bit of a deep track in “Carry that Weight.” Nice. We’re not counting out Dave Grohl just yet. He could jump up on the piano at any moment just to make sure he’s totally overexposed.
11:22pm
Adele puts a bow on the whole thing. It’s like Silence of the Lambs at the Oscars.
11:13pm
Adele keeps racking them up.
11:08pm
Nicki Minaj: the poor man’s Lady Gaga. Again, this isn’t a musical performance. It’s a scene from a twisted Broadway musical. This is not the forum for five random, context-free minutes from a would-be concept album.
10:54pm
Chris Brown on stage again, which means we’ll beat this drum again. The producers should be ashamed of themselves. And all the props to the Foo Fighters, but in a dance remix or not, they didn’t need to perform twice. Overexposure is imminent.
10:48pm
Not bad, Jennifer Hudson. Given two days to prep after someone taps you on the shoulder and says “We want you to do the Whitney tribute.” Yikes.
10:37
Bon Iver takes Best New Artist, in this year’s Arcade Fire moment. And he provides the closest thing to an Eddie Vedder moment that we’ll get. There’s “a lot of talent that’s not up here,” he said. “And I’m also uncomfortable because when I first started making records, I did it for the inherent pleasure of making records”–not for accolades like this, he seemed to say. What he didn’t address: why the fuck he was nominated for Best New Artist when For Emma, Forever Ago was released FOUR-PLUS YEARS AGO.
10:36
Tony Bennett schools Carrie Underwood in their duet. Her voice is not suited to crooning.
10:26pm
The Allman Brothers are in the middle of a resurgence, playing on tour as well as they’ve played in 20 years. You’re telling me the producers couldn’t find five minutes to let them perform, or even get their lifetime achievement award on stage?
10:25pm
Glen Campbell: definitely singing live. With Taylor Swift on banjo behind him, no less. Still rocking the ’70s production values with the strings behind him, too.
10:09pm
Adele starts it a capella just to show them she’s got it! Not the most emotional performance out of Adele, but the voice is there. A lot of times, pop stars’ backup singers are better outright singers than they are. Not so with her.
10:08pm
If you don’t have anything nice to say, it’s probably because Gwyneth Paltrow is on stage.
10:02pm
Lady Antebellum takes Best Country Album, with a disc so poppy it’s almost not country.
10:01pm
Katy Perry: more of a theater/dance performance than a musical performance.
9:53pm
Trotting out all the CBS prime time stars is getting a little bit tedious. Adele takes another in the Song of the Year category for “Rolling in the Deep.”
9:45pm
Wait, when did we get transported to the set of Hee Haw?
9:42pm
The Civil Wars hit the stage, fulfilling the Grammys’ annual “affirmative action for roots music” moment, aka the Avett Brothers slot. They get about 60 seconds to perform, before yielding to Nashville’s favorite daughter, Taylor Swift.
9:39pm
Proving the Academy knows no shame, Chris Brown wins. Who votes for this guy? Aren’t half the voters women? They even had him waiting in the wings to collect his award.
9:38pm
Sir Paul: Great performance, although McCartney backed by a jazz string section and Joe Walsh on classical guitar is about the last thing I thought I’d ever see.
9:26pm
The Beach Boys themselves are hurdling the (admittedly low) expectations. Harmonies sound great. Arrangement is solid. Brian Wilson looks somewhat lucid.
9:20pm
If you’re going to pay tribute to the Beach Boys, you better nail the harmonies. Maroon 5 did not. Foster the People fared much better on “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” Singing in a lower key = better chance of success. Extra credit for the Beach Boys–style outfits.
9:16pm
After picking up four awards pre-telecast, the Foos land their first on the show, for “Walk.” Says Dave: “Singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument” is what it’s all about. “It’s not about being perfect. It’s about what’s in [your heart].” Amen.
9:11pm
Hold the phone. Speaking of Coldplay, the Chipotle ad featuring Willie Nelson doing “The Scientist” might be the Grammy moment of the night so far. Haunting, poignant and a brilliantly delivered message. And you can download the track. So now we’re shilling for Chipotle. Awesome.
9:03pm
Oh, wait. Here they are. It took 20 years for Bono to become “Bono.” Chris Martin is trying to do it in half the time. How many times can you say “Para, para, para-dise”? Ap-parent, parent, parent-ly a lot.
9:00pm
Rihanna‘s performance is already better than Madonna‘s at the Super Bowl. But where’s Coldplay? Are they among the backup dancers?
8:50pm
Jack Black is right. The Foos have managed to somehow retain their indie cred in the face of countless appearances at events like this. Probably why they get to play in a tent outside. No surprise that they picked “Walk,” the most radio-friendly song on the disc. But Dave gets points for the Slayer T-shirt.
8:40pm
No matter what she wears, Reba McEntire always looks like she’s about to show up at the soccer game with a bag full of orange wedges.
8:38
Jay-Z and Kanye win for Best Rap Performance. They both no show. Might be the first time Kanye ever gives up a chance at the spotlight.
8:28
First SNL and now the Grammys. One needn’t be a feminist to ask why the industry continues to give convicted woman beater Chris Brown a forum. Especially when the one who was beaten is a Grammy winner herself. And the beater takes his first big shot back in front of everyone and decides to lip-sync with flown in background vocals.
8:26
Adele is 1 for 1 during the broadcast for “Someone Like You.” She thanks her co-writer Dan Wilson from stage. Check out our interview with him here.
8:20
Etta James tribute: Alicia Keys a little shaky at first, but Bonnie Raitt had enough soul for both and pulled her up.
8:14
Bruno Mars kills it. Classy, talented, and Jagger-meets-James Brown showmanship.
8:12
Paul McCartney is classy enough to look amused at LL Cool J calling him an “O.G.” and “my homey.”
8:10pm
Christina Aguilera must have been watching Whitney Houston’s Grammy performance back in the day, thinking to herself, “You know, I should over-sing everything.”
8:08pm
LL Cool J’s opening prayer is weird.
8:00pm
Bruce and the E Street Band prove they’re still the best live act out there, because they kill it even with a song that sounds like a warmed-over version of an outtake from The River sessions. With lyrics that could be from a Toby Keith song, to boot.
7:34pm
The Civil Wars take home honors for Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo. Apparently, they’ve crossed genres.
7:27pm
A red-hooded Nicki Minaj shows up on the red carpet with a guy in a pope costume.
7:20pm
Kelly Osbourne talks about how she used to sneak Skrillex into London clubs.
7:14pm
Katy Perry‘s blue hair is dreadful. Prediction: she’s so covered up right now because when she performs later, she’ll be doing it in about half as much clothing.
6:50pm
On red carpet, Dave Grohl says winning Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for “White Limo” was the most satisfying award of the night, because it’s the heaviest song they’ve ever written. The band won three other awards as well, including Best Rock Album.
6:44pm
Bon Iver wins for Best Alternative Album.
6:26pm
Adele wins her first Grammy of the night, for Best Pop Vocal Performance … and the Foos win their first, for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. Alison Krauss wins for Best Bluegrass.
6:24pm
Foster the People and Maroon 5 will pay tribute to the Beach Boys.
6:06pm
Kanye West wins Best Rap Album for “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”
5:49pm
More awards: Betty White wins for best spoken word album (new trivia question: What do Betty White and Barack Obama have in common?). Skrillex gets Best Dance Recording. “The Book of Mormon” takes home best musical theater album.
5:35pm
Sir Paul McCartney is going to end the show with Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl.
5:28pm
Sources say The Foo Fighters are performing with Lil Wayne, Skrillex, Deadmau5 and Chris Brown.
5:26pm
So much for questions about Adele‘s voice after her surgery. Our insider says she KILLED “Rolling in the Deep” during dress rehearsal, and ended the take sobbing.
5:08pm
Alison Krauss wins an early award for producing and Skrillex takes best remix. A harbinger of things to come for Skrillex?
