The Grammys are live on the East Coast but don't begin here until 7:00 pm, 20 minutes to go. The West Coast doesn't air until an hour after that. I'd say no spoilers, except everything is broadcast all over the internet and Twitter, and being watched on live feeds, so spoilers are fine. If you don't want to know, don't read the comments.
Bruce Springsteen opens with "We Take Care of Our Own." Jennifer Hudson will do a tribute to Whitney Houston. Most of the awards were given out before the show, only 10 awards will be live during tonight's show. Here's the list of nominees with live up-dating of winners. Adele and Taylor Swift and the Foo Fighters were winners this afternoon.
As for the red carpet, the fashion is never as good as it is for the movie awards shows, and always a little bizarre. Here's some that stood out to me below (Photo links will come down at the end of the show, so look now): [More...]
Update 7:10 pm: LL Cool J is the best host I've seen on one of these shows in ages. He had a tough job and he sailed right through it with just the right combination of respect and "the show must go on." Really good choice.
Springsteen was fun to watch. I missed Clarence, his absence really stood out to me. And by the way, check out Steven Van Zandt's new original series Lillyhammer, available on Netflix streaming. It's about a New York mobster who goes into the witness protection program after testifying against a Mafia bigwig, and chooses Lillyhammer, Norway as the place he wants to live. There are 8 one hour segments, and instead of making you wait a week to see the next one, you can watch them all at one time if you want. I've already seen 5, and it's really good.
Update 7:23pm: Lady Gaga skipped the red carpet but here she is sitting in the audience with a black netted veil covering her face.
Is there a show Ryan Seacrest doesn't have a part in hosting? Do the Beach Boys look old or what? What a shocker. I didn't find anything happy in that performance. I just felt bad for them.
Interesting contrast with Paul McCartney, who has to be the same age as the Beach Boys, and while he looks his age, seems much younger. His voice was realy good tonight. He seemed filled with life.
Update 8:45 pm: Taylor Swift's face looks prettier than usual tonight. I think it's because it has some color. Great makeup artist. Her hair color looks more natural too. She also has a lot more self- confidence which is good. She used to be so fragile looking. But I wish all her songs didn't sound the same.
Update 9:00pm: Katy Perry mesmerized me. I can see why she earned $44 million last year. The pretend technical glitch was really convincing. But it was the angry lyrics to her new song "Part of Me" and the negative emotion with which she belted them out that had me transfixed. Russell Brand must be cringing. I know nothing about their marriage or split, and I've never seen his appeal, but this was like burning him at the stake without a trial.
The star of the night is definitely Adele. I'm not quite getting all the adulation. It's a good song, she sings it well and she's back after having surgery on her vocal cords which I'm glad for her went well. She just doesn't have personal magnetism or that "star quality" to me.
Update 9:21pm: Glenn Campbell, 75, singing Rhinestone Cowboy, simply amazing considering his Alzheimer's. What a trooper. Check out this Daily Mail article about his farewell tour. And this interview with CNN this week.
I could have done without the pitch for copyright protection from the Recording Academy official. At least there were no cheers. On another business note, the cost of a Grammy ad this year: $800,000.
Here's Jennifer Hudson's great performance of "I Will Always Love You" in her tribute to Whitney Houston:
