2008 Woodie Awards
And the Grammy goes to...
Daniel Esquivel, Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/15/06 Section: Entertainment
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The Gorillaz and Madonna collaborated for a dazzling opening number at the 48th Grammy Awards. The show was jam packed with an eclectic mix of live performances; 26 to be exact.
Artists, including Coldplay, John Legend, Mariah Carey, and Kanye West, all strutted their stuff onstage and on the red carpet. If the night belonged to anyone, it's safe to say that it was U2's night to shine. After rocking out for over 25 years, the band remains one of music's prominent icons.
U2 walked away with a cool five awards, including Song and Album of the Year. Their performance got the audience pumping as they sung their hit "Vertigo." At one point, the smoke onstage hid the band from the camera's view, but the performance was simply entertaining.
One of the night's most memorable performances was by John Legend, winner of the Best New Artist award. Accompanied by a stunning grand piano, Legend's soulful voice carried over the audience as the camera panned over the stage.
Another classic performance was given by singer Paul McCartney. Ellen Degeneres introduced the renowned Beatle by wittily saying, "Our next performer needs no introduction," and simply walked offstage to allow McCartney to play "Helter Skelter." Although going home without a Grammy, McCartney's performance was enough to wow the audience.
2005 treated Kelly Clarkson extremely well. Clarkson's powerful performance of "Because of You" was enough to send chills down the spine of any viewer. She has come a long since her humble beginnings and has established herself as a bona fide superstar. Clarkson took home two awards: Best Pop Female and Best Pop Album.
Comeback queen Mariah Carey is definitely back alright. Snatching up three Grammy awards this year, Carey tastefully graced the stage and belted out her hit "We Belong Together." Her album, "The Emancipation of Mimi," has rocketed Carey back to her pop diva throne.
The most energetic performance of the night belonged to Kanye West and Jaime Foxx. Sporting flashy band uniforms and band members, West and Foxx got the crowd to their feet as they paraded onstage and through the audience.
In the country music categories, the big winners were Alison Krauss and Union Station. The group won for Best Country Song, Best Country Instrumental Performance, and Best Country Album.
Other noteworthy winners include Green Day winning Record of the Year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and Stevie Wonder winning Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
The show ended with a moving tribute to the city of New Orleans, which included U2 and Bruce Springsteen.
The entire Grammy telecast, a whopping three and a half hours, went off without a hitch.
No scandal, no drama, no emotional outbursts. Yeah, there were a few fashion faux pas, but it's not an award show if someone doesn't look horrendous. Let's see what next year's bunch has to offer.