Be it Pharrell Williams’ hat, Billie Joe’s yawn or Ringo Starr’s messed up introduction, the award ceremony was full of surprises
What makes music special is its seeming randomness. The Grammy Awards proved that. In a room filled with music history and industry powerhouses there were moments — some moving, some boring, some baffling, some just plain fun. Here are some of the bitter-sweet moments of the 56th annual Grammy Awards:
Out of the door
By the time Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age and lindsey Buckingham hit the stage to close out the Grammys show, many celebs in attendance had already headed for the limo lineup outside, including Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift and Macklemore & Ryan lewis. But there were a couple of holdouts: Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. The Beatles stuck around until — as they once sang — The end.
Wedding fever
Couples exchanged rings in the aisle at the Grammy Awards as Macklemore & Ryan lewis performed their gay rights anthem Same love. With Queen latifah presiding from the stage and the music playing, 33 straight and gay couples lined the aisle dressed in wedding finery. Under latifah’s command, they exchanged rings near the end of the night’s show.
Joining Macklemore on the song were Mary lambert, Trombone Shorty and Madonna, who wore an all-white cowboy suit and carried a cane. Katy Perry caught a bouquet as the song ended and country star Keith Urban had tears in his eyes.
Ringo’s intro
Ozzy Osbourne had a very simple explanation for his flub on stage, when he appeared to lose his place while reading the teleprompter introducing Ringo Starr. The incident caused Osbourne’s Black Sabbath bandmates Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi to crack up.
Plastic cups
Katy Perry noticed Robin Thicke sitting in front of her and reached out to toast the Blurred lines singer during Ringo Starr’s performance.
Both pop stars were drinking out of plastic cups — though the cups weren’t quite as glamorous as the new “sippy cup” Jay-Z joked that he acquired for his daughter Blue as he accepted the Grammy for best rap/sung collaboration for Holy Grail.
McCartney’s lost moment
The day Paul McCartney stole away with Dave Grohl to write and record a new song, there were two other guys in the studio that the former Beatle didn’t recognise. Joining Grohl and McCartney in creating Cut Me Some Slack were Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear.
“It was magic for me playing with these guys,” McCartney said backstage after they won a Grammy for best rock song.“Tell you the truth, I didn’t know who they were. I found myself in the middle of a Nirvana reunion.”
Celebs relax
Inside the Staples Center, the celebrity reactions to the Grammys were ranging from enthusiastic — Taylor Swift rocking out to lorde, everyone heating up over Beyonce and Jay-Z — to downright bored.
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong yawned during the best new artist presentation, Macklemore and Ryan lewis sat stone-faced during Taylor Swift’s performance.
Tip your hat
Pharrell Williams’ hat is the fashion star of the night at the Grammy Awards — on Twitter. The puffy brown Canadian Mountie-style fedora — or should that be phedoraIJ — with a big brim was one of the night’s boldest fashion statements.
Williams’ choice of a tight red track jacket only added to the unconventional look amid tuxedos and evening gowns worn by other attendees. like Prince’s cane, Pharrell’s hat had its own Twitter handle within minutes of Williams’ first appearance on the broadcast and companies like Gain and Arby’s were trying to horn in on the attention.
Run Martin, run
Winners at the annual pre-telecast for the Grammy awards are warned to move it or lose it when it comes to acceptance speeches and Steve Martin took the advice literally. Martin fast-jogged to the stage after winning best American roots song for his collaboration with Edie Brickell, love Has Come for You. Martin made it to the stage before realising he’d left Brickell far behind. He turned around, fetched her and walked the last 50 feet the second time. “We are truly stunned. I can speak for Edie, and I will,” Martin joked.