The Agency's Posts

Review: Kevin Bacon helps make 'The Following' worth following: The actor plays a former FBI agent tracking an escaped serial killer (James Purefoy). It can be....
Read More>

'The Americans' -- From Russia in love?: FX's "The Americans" was inspired by a true-life incident: The arrest in 2010 of 10....
Read More>

Jennifer Lawrence, comfortable in her skin: Jennifer Lawrenceslides into a booth at the casually elegant Culina restaurant at the Four....
Read More>

Justin Timberlake releases new single, announces upcoming album: The wait -- all three days of it -- is over. After posting acryptic video messageon his....
Read More>

Golden Globes analysis: 'Argo' shakes up Oscar best picture race: 'Argo's' big wins at the Golden Globes shifts some attention in the Oscar best picture race from '
Read More>

PBS chief defends delayed 'Downton Abbey' run in U.S.: The chief ofPBShas a message for"Downton Abbey"fans: I'm not trying to make your....
Read More>

Golden Globes 2013: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler raise the bar: The co-hosts bring their A-game to the show. Can the Oscars meet their standards? PoorSeth....
Read More>

The real magic in 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone' is the comedy: 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone' stars Steve Carell and Jim Carrey as magicians. Its climax....
Read More>

After the Oscar nominations comes the ultimate popularity contest: Critic's Notebook: The Oscar Awards are all about politics and personalities, and 'Lincoln's'....
Read More>

Oscar nominations 2013: 'Lincoln' leads field; surprises, snubs seen: Only in Hollywood could a tiny, low-budget tale of a little girl named Hushpuppy who lives in....
Read More>

Nicki Minaj to get tough on 'American Idol': Nicki Minajis tired of singing judges who are "overtly passive." So she's ready to....
Read More>

Al Pacino's secret history with 'Phil Spector': A character likePhil Spectormust make quite an impression on all who meet him, right? Well,....
Read More>

Winter TCA: Will NBC's "Smash" finally be a smash in Act Two?: NBC's"Smash"which mixed music, colorful production numbers anddramawhile telling the....
Read More>
Grammy nominations concert on CBS tries to find its rhythm
Posted on: 12/05/11
Share/Save/Bookmark
 

'Grammy Nominations Concert Live,' in its fourth year, airs Wednesday on CBS with Lady Gaga, Usher and pauses for reading nominee names.


It's not a true trophy show (no awards are handed out) nor is it a pure prime-time concert special (the music stops every few minutes as envelopes are unsealed), so viewers aren't to blame if they can't quite get a bead on the breathlessly named "Grammy Nominations Concert Live: Countdown to Music's Biggest Night" which airs Wednesday on CBS.

This is the fourth edition of the spinoff show and executive producer Ken Ehrlich concedes that the show is still searching a bit for its identity, although the network is plenty happy to have an all-star music event to break up the post-Thanksgiving leftover diet of weeknight repeats.

"It's still establishing itself, it's a little different of an animal," Ehrlich said. "Essentially, with the Grammys show that airs every February, people know they want to watch to see what people do. We're trying to head this show in that direction and I don't think we really did it in the first three years. I think we were trying to find ourselves. I really believe with this year's show we're headed on that road."

Last year's program drew just 5 million total viewers, down 20% compared with the previous year's telecast, according to Nielsen. The show clung to barely half the viewership from its lead-in, a repeat of the drama "Criminal Minds." The Grammy noms telecast has dropped significantly in each of its three airings since it started in 2008.

This year's show will again be hosted by LL Cool J and it features performances by Lady Gaga, Usher, Ludacris, Rihanna and Sugarland. The vibe will be quite different in the room — the show will be staged at the 7,100-seat Nokia Theatre and open up to the public (tickets are $35 to $75) after two years at adjacent Club Nokia, which had only 2,200 seats that left limited room for anyone outside the music industry.

The show's great challenge is the obvious anti-climactic nature of reading out nominees and then reminding the audience that they can find out who wins by tuning in … next year. The "real" Grammys are Feb. 12, and while that is a long way off, the show this Wednesday will offer a glimpse into the story lines to expect.

One of the big names on Wednesday night will be a star who won't be in the room — expect to hear the name Adele over and over after the cross-genre and cross-generational success of the 23-year-old British singer-songwriter. Many observers believe she could be poised for an avalanche of awards not unlike the historic romps by Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones, each of whom left the Grammy stage with bouquets of gramophone trophies for their breakthrough solo albums.

Adele underwent throat surgery on Nov. 7 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to stop bleeding on a benign polyp on her vocal cords, and Grammy producers hope that the Feb. 12 broadcast will be her big return to the public spotlight — but they are also privately anxious that some medical setback might give them a star who can't sing on her spotlight night. Ehrlich (who is celebrating his 30th anniversary with the Grammys) and his team are already in contact with Adele's managers and keeping tabs on her recovery.


Get breaking news alerts delivered to your mobile phone. Text BREAKING to 52669.

For the nomination show this Wednesday, the big draw is Gaga, whom Ehrlich compares to a Madonna or David Bowie as far as being a shape-changing creature of fashion and music trend.

The nomination concert is now an established part of the award-show circuit and falls less than two weeks after the American Music Awards. While the AMAs are veering further toward the MTV model of anything-goes in the name of product and project promotion (during her AMAs performance this year Jennifer Lopez brought a Fiat on stage with her), the producers of the Grammy nomination concert are aiming for more gravitas.

In an effort to expand the nomination show's mission — and perhaps signaling that it will become a mini-Grammys at some point — the Wednesday night broadcast will feature a tribute to songwriters who died this year. With two facing pianos, Usher will perform with Valerie Simpson of the duo Ashford and Simpson, and Mike Stoller of the songwriting team Leiber and Stoller, as a tribute to their recently lost partners. The number will feature "You're All I Need to Get By" and "Stand by Me."

Also, in another nod to the past, LL Cool J, Common, Lupe Fiasco and Rick Ross will perform the rap classic "The Message" with Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel and Scorpio, a hip-hop moment that ties into the 1982 track being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

geoff.boucher@latimes.com

COMMENTS
Be the first to post a comment!


Post A Comment:




  • It's 2020! Start booking roles in commercials, fashion, films, theater and more with The Agency Online!

  • NEW WORKSHOP with Barbara Barna & Sean De Simone!

    Hi Everyone and Happy Summer! Sean at Sean De Simone casting and Barbara Barna are teaming up for a super informative and fun Hosting for Home Shopping workshop. A great opportunity for established or experienced TV Hosts and Experts interested in learning how to get noticed and how to get in....
  • MASTERCLASS W. Robin Carus & David John Madore

    A Special Offer for the Agency Community, from one of our favorite NYC Casting Directors! EMAIL FacetheMusicWithUs@gmail.com Or Eventbrite To Sign Up! Class Size is Limited.
  • Don't Fall Into The Comparison Trap

    Hi Everyone! As the second installment in an ongoing series of features by the Agency's amazing community, here's some sage advice from our own Regina Rockensies; a humble (& awesome)veteran we've had the pleasure of working with for a long time. Have an excellent week! : ) - The Agency....
  • One Model's Agreement

    Hi Everyone! As the first piece in an ongoing series of original articles by the Agency community, here's a short reflection on some of the values of professional acting & modeling that we can all keep in mind for our next casting. Good luck on your castings &shoots this week! : ) -....




 
home       castings&news       privacy policy       terms and conditions      contact us      browser tips
Official PayPal Seal