Lady Gaga kicked off the show with a theatrical version of "Poker Face" — which featured a steam-powered set dubbed "The Fame Factory," some flames and a pair of seriously sparkly shoulder pads — then welcomed Elton John to the stage for a dueling-piano take on Gaga's "Speechless" (and a few bars of the John/ Bernie Taupin classic "Your Song"). And, in keeping with the rather flamboyant nature of both artists, show producers made sure their conjoined piano was topped with severed mannequin arms.
It was a pretty epic opening, but Beyoncé didn't back down from the challenge. She stormed into Staples with an army of riot-gear-clad escorts, then got down to belting out a fiery version of "If I Were a Boy," complete with a shredding backing band and a brief foray into Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." She wrapped up her performance by channeling her inner Tina Turner, dropping to her knees and singing for the rafters. By the time B had gotten to her feet, so had the audience, who showered her with applause.
Pink got aerial (and soaking wet) during her performance of "Glitter in the Air," which saw her wrapped in linen, sent soaring above the crowd at Staples, then dipped into a pool of water. The Black Eyed Peas rattled the roof with a booming medley of their hits, which featured a battalion of electric-clad dancers, Fergie donning her Robocop finest and Will.I.Am rocking an inexplicable black molding of his head on his head. Green Day offered a preview of their American Idiot musical, featuring members of the cast. And Lil Wayne, Eminem, Drake and Travis Barker roared versions of Weezy's "Drop the World" and D's "Forever," though, judging by the frequent audio drops, it would seem the network censors got a little too anxious with the "delay" button.
There was also a 3-D tribute to the late Michael Jackson, which featured Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson performing Jackson's "Earth Song," while 3-D images played around them (and featured unintentionally comical shots of stars like Rihanna, Beyoncé and Will.I.Am wearing their 3-D glasses in the audience). It will probably be remembered best for what happened next, as two of Jackson's children — son Prince and daughter Paris — accepted an honorary lifetime-achievement award in their father's memory.
It was an emotional moment in a night largely bereft of them, though the Dave Matthews Band's stirring performance of "You & Me," and Wyclef's from-the-heart speech about his native Haiti — in which he spoke in Creole and thanked the world for their support, before adding, "We will continue" — did manage to tug on the heartstrings. But this night will probably be best remembered for Beyoncé and Swift's dominance, not to mention the sheer spectacle of the performances, which proved that even in dour times, the music industry knows how to throw a party — a massive, eye-popping, over-the-top one at that.
-James Montgomery (mtv.com)
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