Los Angeles, CA: Grammy Awards Day 2

Coldplay performing at the Grammys above. Click any photo to see a larger image.

It’s Grammy day! The Grammy’s start early in the day, for two reasons: The first is that the show airs live in prime time on the east coast. That means the televised portion has to start at 5:00 p.m. on the west coast. The second reason is that most of the Grammys are actually presented during the pre-telecast awards. The awards show itself is primarily devoted to performances. The pre-telecast starts at 1:00 p.m. We arrive an hour before that to work the red carpet, meaning the band does interviews with press that show up from all over the world. The band does a great job on the red carpet, doing interviews for the entire hour. One of the best was with Guillermo from The Jimmy Kimmel Show. Matt got him to switch jackets with him. There is a considerable difference in their respective sizes. It was pretty funny.

At the pre-telecast in the convention center:


We get into the pre-telecast and anxiously await Superchick’s category. It’s in the 40th slot. Sadly, someone else wins. Oh well. Being nominated is a huge deal. I’m extremely proud of them. After three hours of the pre-telecast, we walk to the Staples Center for the telecast. We try to get something to eat and have to settle for candy bars. They closed the concession stands before we could get there.

The show itself is one of the best overall Grammy shows I’ve ever attended. There is no shortage of great performances, including ones from Radiohead, U2, Paul McCartney with Dave Grohl, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Jay Z, Jennifer Hudson and more. It sounds great as well, a big accomplishment in a place like the Staples Center.

The show is a huge production that’s probably hard to grasp the size of on television. Most performances you see are happening on about a third of the total performance space. The next performance is being set up on another part of the stage while the current performance is occurring.

Paul McCartney with Dave Grohl on drums:

Kanye West and Estelle:

M.I.A., Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, and T.I.

U2 performing the opening number of the show:

T.I. and Justin Timberlake

Jennifer Hudson gives a very stirring performance, especially considering what she and her family have been through this year. Jennifer's sisters are sitting near us. They go crazy when she performs and are completely ecstatic when she wins. It is such a sweet moment. We take our picture together. I want to remember this special time for their family:

After the show, we head back to the convention center for the after party. It's been transformed in a 60's-70's psychadelic, tie-dye decor with circus performers. Wolfgang Puck is there and he has set out an incredible buffet. We see some friends and other interesting people. I run into actor Alan Tudyk aka Steve The Pirate from Dodgeball, Simon from Death At A Funeral. A very nice guy.

Robin Thicke performs the first part of the party. The band I really want to see is next - Morris Day and The Time. They absolutely slam.

It's been a great night. It's time to head to the hotel. I have to take Teresa to the airport in the morning and start a week of work here.

Los Angeles, CA: Grammy Awards Day 1

Duke Fakir of the Four Tops accepting their Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award.

Teresa and I have an exciting weekend ahead of us. We’re thankful to have a couple of days to be together in Los Angeles. We’re also going to the Grammy Awards. It’s Teresa’s first time to go. It’s also Superchick’s first Grammy nomination. We have great anticipation for an exciting weekend.

We land in LA on Friday afternoon, get the rental car, and head straight for the Staples Center. We are picking up everyone’s Grammy tickets. We’re thinking this will be fifteen or twenty minutes, then we’ll get on with our day. Instead, we see a loooooong line that isn’t moving. Ultimately, we spend over two hours waiting in line to pick up the tickets. We then walk out to find it raining and us with no umbrella. No big deal. We get a little wet, but it’s still great to be here.

Teresa and I drive to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, check in, then head to Santa Monica and Ocean Avenue Seafood for dinner. They have an oyster sampler that is very interesting. It features oysters from all over. It’s surprising the difference in the flavor of the different varieties. We are wiped out and head to the hotel to turn in for the night.

Saturday morning, we head back to Santa Monica and the Farmer’s Market. The colors and variety here are spectacular. It’s always interesting to see foods that you’ve never seen or even heard of before.

We take a long walk along the beach line and grab lunch at Gates of India. The food is good. It is accompanied by a near constant, tense discussion between the husband and wife owners. We can’t understand what they’re saying, but neither one appears to be backing down.

Along the beach:

After taking Teresa to the hotel and making an airport run, it’s time to attend the Grammy nominees reception and Special Achievement Awards at Wilshire Ebell Theatre. This has always been a great event and tonight is no different. It’s so encouraging and uplifting to celebrate the lifetime work of so many great people – Brenda Lee, jazz pianist Hank Jones, the Four Tops, Leo Fender, A&R man George Avakian, Allen Toussaint, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and more. The show was followed by an incredible reception with great food and a chance to meet many of the people above, plus see many more friends.

Me with piano great Hank Jones, Dave with Grammy winner/actor Beau Bridges