Orange Juice Encounter: My Moment with Pikotaro

There was plenty to enjoy at this year's Grammy Awards, including Adele (and her infamous George Michael do-over), Beyonce, A Tribe Called Quest, Katy Perry and more. James Corden was a deft host, and the show hummed. (Read my recap here.)

But for me, the best moment at Staples Center happened in the hallway, when I happened upon Japanese comedian – and Internet sensation – Pikotaro. You know, the guy behind "PPAP" and "I Like Orange Juice":



Pikotaro was stopped by a few people (no surprise, his videos have been seen by millions), but his manager asked me how I knew who he was. "YouTube, of course!"

A Night at the Grammys: Whitney, Coldplay Wristbands and Collapsing Ice Sculptures

It was the second-most watched Grammy Awards of all time (39 million viewers), and we were there in person to witness the show. The Grammys wisely ditched most of the awards years ago, and has become an event known for "wow" performances and interesting pairings. This year was no exception, led of course by Jennifer Hudson's emotional tribute to Whitney Houston. She nailed it.

Meanwhile, I'm starting to think it's us, not them. Every time the Foo Fighters perform at the Grammys, they play outside the Staples in front of fans. I get it -- inside the Staples is a mostly industry crowd, and jaded at that. But I wonder if it's a coincidence, or if the Foos will only agree to play the show if they can be outside.

Nicki Minaj? Um.

Best part of the show for people inside the Staples Center: As the Civil Wars performed in the middle of the floor, we all heard a loud THUD. Looking up, we could see that a massive ice sculpture had just crashed on the floor. The workers stood there for a beat, dazed over what had happened, and then raced to clean up the mess (and mop the floor). Turns out it was part of Katy Perry's performance. When she came on stage, there were three ice sculptures still standing -- and folks at home were probably wondering, why three?

It's hard to get good pics on your camera phone when you're in a dark, massive indoor stadium. But here are a few more shots from this Sunday's Grammys:


Coldplay distributed 22,000 wristbands to attendees as they walked in the door. During a commercial break, we were instructed to wave our arms and wristbands in the air once they started lighting up. A microchip inside the bands must have been set off at the proper time... and here you go, a pretty neat sight to see inside the Staples Center.


Coldplay performs. I saw negative reviews online, but in person I thought the Rihanna/Coldplay combo worked.


Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys... not sure this tribute worked. Awkward covers by Maroon 5 and Foster the People.


Kenny Loggins at the afterparty. Kicks off with "Danger Zone," followed by "Footloose." And then... "I'd like to play some new stuff for you now." Time to dash to the bar.


At the end of the night, walking by the now-dark red carpet as workers dismantle the massive affair.

MIKE ON TV: Can Awards Shows Ever Be Good?

I recently sat down with my old Variety boss, Peter Bart, for his new KNBC/Encore show "Movie Talk with Peter Bart." This being awards season, we talked about how dreadful most awards shows still are, and whether or not there's any hope for the genre. (They don't appear to have any clips online, so yes, I recorded this on a Flip camera straight off my TV. Don't judge!)

Serene Branson Update: Feeling Better; KROQ Gagged From Talking About Her (VIDEO)

UPDATED

It's sometimes strange what ends up going viral; this video (above) of KCBS reporter Serene Branson suffering some sort of health-related speech issue quickly went around the world after its initial Sunday night broadcast. CBS eventually had YouTube take the video down, but Mediaite made a copy, which is what you see above.

KCBS has given Branson some time off in order to weather the Internet storm; the reporter also took that time off on Monday to meet with doctors.

CBS has been tight-lipped about the incident, other than releasing a statement. The company even blocked CBS Radio-owned KROQ morning DJs Kevin and Bean from referencing the Branson clip -- according to a Tweet by Bean, who was not too pleased. ("Yes, our company believes in supressing information that is available EVERYWHERE ELSE," he later added.)

Insiders said that a call was placed to CBS Radio asking that Branson's gaffe not be discussed; apparently some inside the TV station felt that the Kevin & Bean show was insensitive on Monday while discussing the reporter.

Meanwhile, according to LA Observed, KCBS addressed Branson's news clip and her health during one of the station's Monday night newscasts:

The statement read by the anchors noted that Branson went to the doctor for follow-up medical tests on Monday. "Serene, we love you, we support you and we hope you are feeling better," Sharon Tay ad-libbed on KCAL's 8 p.m. broadcast.

Here's video of that statement:

Bruno Mars: From Hawaii's Young Elvis Impersonator to Pop Superstar

I completely remember this 1990 cover (above) of Midweek, a free weekly newspaper mailed to homes in Honolulu. The idea of a pint-sized Elvis impersonator performing in Waikiki was enough of a novelty that this kid made an impression (so much so that he even appeared in the movie "Honeymoon in Vegas").

That kid? Bruno Mars.

As I watched live at the Staples Center as Bruno performed with B.o.B. and Janelle Monae, I couldn't help but think about how cool it was to see this local boy done good. And I also thought about how his upbringing in Hawaii influenced Mars' music -- including his R&B and reggae influences, two genres that dominated Hawaii's radio airwaves in the early 1990s.

It also got me to thinking about other Hawaii pop stars through the years. Bette Midler, for example, remains the most famous (and successful) graduate of my alma mater, Radford High School. A few more Hawaii stars:


Yvonne Elliman, "If I Can't Have You"


Kauai's own Glenn Medeiros, "She Ain't Worth It," featuring, yes, a rap by Bobby Brown. (Hey, that was a big thing in 1990.) This song hit #1, but Glenn is probably still best known for -- "Nothing's Going to Change My Love for You." That video has 6.6 million views on YouTube -- that's just insane.


Hoku (yes, the daughter of Don Ho), "Perfect Day"

Grammy Recap: Janelle Monae, The Roots and Yes, Mick Jagger, Own the Night

Maria and I were able to attend last night's Grammy ceremony, and I don't know how it played at home (live music is tough to translate on the small screen), but there were some pretty great performances at the show. The Janelle Monae/B.o.B./Bruno Mars mashup and the acoustic corner led by Mumford & Sons and the Avett Bros. (joined by Bob Dylan) were my favorites, while Maria enjoyed Mick Jagger's tribute to Solomon Burke. And Rihanna's performance with Eminem was standout.

Afterward, we were treated to the Roots, Philly's legendary hardworking crew who put on quite a show for the industry crowd.


The Roots' Black Thought on the mic at the Grammys afterparty.

A few more thoughts, as sent via Twitter last night:

-- "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum beats out some great tracks for record of the year. Sorry, but it's not the best record of the year by a long shot.

--What will it take to make you smile, Eminem?

-- Wow, I guess the "people we've heard of" vote was split between Bieber, Florence, Drake and Mumford. (At least winner Esperanza Spalding put the beat down on Mr. Bieber.)

--So did Gaga grab that ponytail at a Madonna "Blonde Ambition" yard sale?

--This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. This is Lady Gaga wearing your brain while walking the Grammys red carpet.

And yes, here's that KCBS clip of reporter Serene Branson that is flying virally around the world right now. Cue autotune remix in 3, 2...



UPDATE: Here's the KCBS statement on Branson's condition: "Serene Branson was examined by paramedics on scene immediately after her broadcast. Her vital signs were normal. She was not hospitalized. As a precautionary measure, a colleague gave her a ride home and she says that she is feeling fine this morning."

Last Night's Live Grammy Tweets: A Recap

From early ratings results, it looks like Sunday night's 52nd annual Grammy Awards on CBS performed strong -- up 44% from last year, and its best numbers in six years.

Sitting in the audience, I have to say, it was a pretty good show. Usually there are slow moments that drag, but this year the entire proceedings moved along rather fast. Stephen Colbert was an excellent choice to open the show -- he oughta just host the whole thing next year; but then again, perhaps the show moved swiftly this year beause there wasn't a host.

Best performance? Toss up between Beyonce and Pink -- but edge to Pink, whose acrobatics were amazing, and even more so when you realize that she wasn't lip synching. (Plus, as a bonus, it was great to watch the rich and famous freak out when a wet, nearly nude Pink soared above them, dripping all over.)

I wasn't planning on live Tweeting from the crowd, but I couldn't resist. Here's a roundup of my live coverage from last night:

OK. Ne-Yo, I'll wave my hands in the air. But I just DO care, Ne-Yo. I care.
#
At the Grammy afterparty. Jamie Foxx just jumped on stage with Ne-Yo. Please, people, stop encouraging his music career.
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Who will win album of the year? It seems like Beyonce's night.
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I fear Lady Gaga may accidentally stab someone with her sparkly Lady Liberty crown.
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Cool that the Grammys are paying tribute to Les Paul. I mean, he was no Lady Gaga...
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Ohmigod I think Maxwell just impregnated Roberta Flack on stage.
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Beyonce a Grammy winner... and from the look of that dress, a Golden Globes winner as well! HEY-OOOOOO!!!!!!
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Annual lecture from Recording Academy topper Neil Portnow. "Yo, don't download illegally."
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Wyclef Jean: "There are no more record companies." The few remaining record execs in the audience: "Sigh."
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Just recounted to @denisemartin that Mary J's "No More Drama" remains my fave Grammy perf of the past decade...
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Bon Jovi on stage. Where are fellow Jerseyites Snooki and the Situation? GET EM ON STAGE!
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Paris and Prince Michael on stage, accepting lifetime achiev. award for dad. But where's Blanket? FREE BLANKET.
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Federally mandated appearance by Ryan Seacrest, check.
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Turns out the Zac Brown Band is made up of the castmembers from The CW's canceled "Reaper." Tyler Labine on lead vocals.
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Alice Cooper refers to the "voluptuous" Katy Perry, who's surprisingly conservative with tonight's attire.
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Slash was blaming it on the alcohol long before T-Pain and Jamie Foxx.
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Get used to that Kings of Leon song (just won Record of the Year) -- AC stations like KOST will be playing it for the next 30 years.
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Surprised the Grammys avoided the Lady Gaga-Lady Antebellum-perform-"Lady Marmalade" duet idea. C'mon, Erlich!
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Just spotted Phil Keoghan. Philiminator! Plus Lady Gaga just walked by in wacky sparkly seaquest outfit. Lady Gaga sporting fins.
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Rare performance by the Black Eyed Peas. Those guys are like the JD Salinger of music!!
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Zac Brown Band? Didn't they sing the song in "Eddie and the Cruisers" in 1984?
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Was rooting for Silversun Pickups, but kinda weird they were up for Best New Artist (on their 2nd major release)
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It's raining Pink on the Staples Center expensive seats...
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Apparently Pink is trying out for Cirque du Soleil...
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Damn, I don't know how anyone's gonna top Beyonce, strong.
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Sasha Fierce on stage, performing with the Beyonce Man Group
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Green Day performed with cast of their Broadway show; the karaoke/Idol/Glee-ization of pop culture continues.
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In the Grammy audience. Stephen Colbert strong open (folks, it's time to hire him as an awards show host!); makes first iPad gag of night

Getting A Close-Up View of the American West

It turned into quite the Gene Autry weekend for us: On Sunday night, Maria and I got a sitter for the Blogger Preschooler and headed to the Staples Center, where we attended the Grammys. Among the Lifetime Achievement Award winners: The late Autry, "America's greatest singing cowboy."

The day before, the three of us checked out the Autry National Center of the American West in Griffith Park. (You may recall that admission was free this weekend for anyone with a Bank of America card.)

The museum was brimming with activity, as an auction of western-themed art was going on at its entrance. But inside, the museum wasn't too packed as we checked out the various exhibits.



Upstairs, one exhibit re-created a western movie set -- and in one corner, children could climb on a saddle in front of a blue screen and see themselves transposed onto old movie footage.



The section devoted to early-20th century western stage shows included memorabilia from the likes of Buffalo Bill.



And, of course, some Gene Autry memorabilia.



Downstairs, exhibits centered on the late 19th century rise of the west, including a restored stagecoach... and this life-size staged buffalo.



Other sites included a group of mannequins re-enacting the shootout at the OK Corral.



The real treat for Evan, however, was the Family Discovery Gallery, a hands-on display of what life was like for a Chinese American family in the 1930s. Evan was specifically interested in the re-creation of the family's restaurant (above), and spent about 45 minutes pretending to run the operation.



The current rotating exhibit, "BOLD CABALLEROS Y NOBLE BANDIDAS," looks at the world of stories, folktales and art related to bandits "who stand for social justice."

FREE L.A.: The Grammy Museum Goes Hawaiian

Hawaiian Eye/Aloha Friday Radio may be long gone, but the vibrant Hawaiian music scene lives on. This Friday, L.A. Live's Grammy Museum is offering a free program featuring this year's Grammy nominees in the Hawaiian category.

"Hawai'i Goes Grammy: A Tribute to Hawaiian Music" takes place this Friday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. Not only will the event give you an opportunity to check out the museum -- which we gave a good review back in December -- but you'll also get what promises to be a good show. Details:

Celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Hawaiian music with The GRAMMY Museum! Join us as 2009 GRAMMY Nominees in the Hawaiian Music category perform on our GRAMMY Sound Stage. Program will also include an onstage interview and musical history lesson with Chief Curator Ken Viste. Admission is free to the public. Museum members receive priority admission. Doors open at 7:30 pm. To reserve tickets, call 213.765.6830 or e-mail programs@grammymuseum.org.

This year's nominees -- yet another group heavy on the slack key guitar, shutting out other subgenres -- include "Ikena" by Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho; "Aumakua" by Amy Hanaiali'i; "Force of Nature" by Led Kaapana & Mike Kaawa; "Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Masters Series, Vol. II," compiled by Chris Lau and Milton Lau; and "The Spirit of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar," compiled by Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku Jr., Dennis Kamakahi, Paul Konwiser and Wayne Wong.

First Look at the Grammy Museum

Inside the new Grammy Museum. Pic via the LATimes.

I had the opportunity to attend Wednesday night's Grammy Nominations concert/TV special at the Nokia Theatre (a bland venue I still don't like).. the Foo Fighters singing "You're So Vain," cool; Celine Dion singing "At Seventeen," er, not so much.

The concert, telecast for an hour live on CBS, was the Recording Academy's attempt to inject some excitement into the usual award nomination announcement. The show wasn't too bad (the exceptions being Dion and Taylor Swift -- I don't get, she'd be voted off "American Idol" after a few rounds) -- especially when the Foos' Dave Grohl ironically announced the country duos category.

Also, from the audience, watching groups of pre-teens attempt to walk up to the Jonas Brothers -- only to be denied by security -- was amusing (that look of frustration on those girls' faces -- 'We're so close, yet so far away!!' -- was especially great).

After the broadcast, John Mayer stuck around to perform an hour-long acoustic set, offering up his usual easy-to-swallow-but-not-too-interesting brand of guitar pop. Mayer took the opportunity to blast the tabloid attention to his personal life -- name checking his pals at TMZ. (Nope, didn't see Jennifer Aniston anywhere.)


(Flickr pic by Intellichick.)

MEANWHILE, the highlight of the evening was afterward, when I got a chance to check out the new Grammy Museum at LA Live.

Rather than offering up a static collection of music memorabilia and Grammy statues, the museum offers up 21st century-style interactivity. In this post's top pic, you can see one of the highlights: A touch screen that allows you to search through an entire history of virtually every music genre at your finger tips.


(Flickr pic by Intellichick.)

Plenty of other stations include lessons on how to remix from Paul Oakenfold; how to sing, from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis; how to rap, with Jermaine Dupri; and creating beats with DJ Rap. There are several video displays devoted to things such as regional music; great Grammy performances; and more.


(Flickr pic by Intellichick.)

On the downside, sponsorship is everywhere -- logos from Target to JBL sprinkle the displays.

But on the bright side, there are plenty of cool pieces of memorabilia to see as well. One letter, from Elvis to a fan (sent right before he became famous)in 1955 reads:

"I don't love you and I doubt if I ever could, so please let's be friends and drop it there... P.S. If you write again, please send me a picture for my scrapbook."

Other items seen: Slick Rick's eyepatch; the handwritten album notes (by Tupac himself) for Tupac Shakur's "2pacalypse Now"; a 1957 letter from Buddy Holly to his mother (in which he notes that they were the only white act at a recent Washington D.C. show); a Guns n' Roses bass drum head from Matt Sorum; Billie Holliday's costume jewelry; Buddy Rich's drum sticks; a telegram to a promoter from Count Basie; the Presley Family bible; and one of B.B. King's suits.

Also: A sparkly dress from Celia Cruz; a 1964 concert program signed by Bob Dylan; the handwritten lyrics (by Eminem) to "Stan"; Louie Armstrong's neck tie; Glenn Miller's trombone; a 1966 bass owned by Jimi Hendrix; and a 1978 Davis clavitar (those cool, 80s-style keyboard guitars) from Herbie Hancock.

I'm no fan of how L.A. Live looks, but I'd say the Grammy Museum exceeded expectations. It's worth a visit, especially with visitors from out of town. And it's not a big time drain; the museum, which is spread over 4 floors, can probably be fully appreciated in 90 minutes. Tix are $14.95 for adults; $10.95 for kids 6-17.

Crappy Cell Phone Pics From the Grammys

Maria and I threw on some acceptable duds and headed down to the Staples Center on Sunday evening (sans Blogger Toddler -- sorry, BT) to catch the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.

Our seats were strong: Third row up from the floor, in the center of the audience... which meant we got to see celebs and performers walking up and down the aisle in front of us. As has become a Franklin Avenue tradition, I now present.. horrible camera phone shots from the Grammys. (And by the way, these are the good ones. I had to toss most of 'em.)


Coolest outfit of the night: Some guy decided to wear a jacket with a roster of his favorite pop divas.


The Grammy stage.


Robert Plant's hair.


Will.i.am gives a hip-hop tribute to the Grammys.


Tom Hanks throws on his glasses and signs a few Grammy programs for people in the front row of our section.


Maria with her former Rhino co-worker Masaki Koike, who won a Grammy yesterday in the Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package category (that's the one Maria was nominated in last year) for "What It Is! Funky Soul And Rare Grooves (1967-1977)." Congrats, Masaki!

Highlights from the show: Seeing Tina Turner still strut her stuff, with Beyonce, was very cool. Kayne West's tribute to his mother elicited a few tears from Maria. Amy Winehouse was great... but live via satellite, so the electricity wasn't felt in the room. Alicia Keys is a natural. Morris Day from The Time hasn't aged a bit; would have loved to have seen more of their reunion. I was hoping for more from the Cirque du Soleil/"Across the Universe" Beatles tribute. That Herbie Hancock-led orchestral performance of "Rhapsody in Blue" sounded great in the Staples Center... too bad that song will forever remind me of United Airlines. And Jason Bateman is a fantastic ad-libber.

USA Today Agrees: Maria Wuz Robbed!

Cheers to USA Today music blogger Ken Barnes, who had this to say about Maria's Grammy category:

The Chili Peppers' most undeserved win was in the Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package category. If you've seen either the Gothic Box or (especially) the amazing One Kiss Can Lead to Another girl-group anthology, you'd have to wonder how anything else was even in the running.

Agreed!

One More Grammy Post: The After-Party

Maria and I ducked out of the Grammys early (we had seen the performances we'd wanted to see, like the Police, Gnarls Barkley and Mary J. Blige) in order to hit the Warner Music Group after-party before the crowd crunch.

Indeed, when we arrived at the old St. Vibiana's Cathedral -- now just known as the Cathedral -- the place was just starting to get hopping. And because Maria was a nominee, we were immediately shuttled inside -- no waiting! Indeed, being nominated has its privileges.



Once inside, we marveled at the restoration of what was once the center of the L.A. Archdiocese. Can you believe the church wanted to tear down St. Vibiana's?! Thankfully, the L.A. Conservancy stepped in and the building was saved. There's no doubt what this building once was -- above, check out the confessionals.



More views from inside the Warner Music Group party. Among notables spotted in the crowd: Scarlett Johansson, Dangermouse from Gnarls Barkley and Quentin Tarantino.



The event also included a gospel choir (above, sticking with the Cathedral theme, natch) performing contemporary songs, including this year's nominated singles.



Food passed around included Kobe beef burgers, crab cakes, skirt steak with wasabi mashed potatoes, ahi tuna on rice crackers... and our favorite, above: Fried donuts covered in powdered sugar. Ohsogood.



It's not sacriligious if it's no longer a church. Above, I confess my sins.



And Maria does the same.



Some of the great details from St. Vibiana's is still there. I never got a chance to see it as a cathedral; the 1994 Northridge earthquake had shut the place down by the time I arrived in Los Angeles in 1996. Built in 1876, St. Vibiana's is surprisingly small -- but obviously perfectly fit the tiny Los Angeles of the time. The city had obviously outgrown the cathedral a century later. A compromise by the city swapped land near the 101 (now the home of the new Cathedral) in exchange for St. Vibiana's (which the Archdiocese was starting to tear down). Tom Gilmore now operates the site, which has been touted as a new community arts center. More details here.



The front of St. Vibiana's, as the Warner Music Group Grammy party begins.

[Updated with some corrections and new info.]

"It's An Honor Just To Have Been Nominated"

That's what you're supposed to say, right?

And indeed, it was quite an honor for Franklin Avenue's very own Grammy nominee, Maria.

I, for one, am beyond proud of Maria. And if Evan/Blogger Toddler were old enough to understand, I'm sure he'd be full of pride for his mommy as well. (That's Maria and me, above, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where the Pre-Telecast awards -- nearly 100 different categories! -- were passed out.)

It's been a career highlight for Maria to be recognized for her hard work in designing the Rhino box set "One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found." Leading up to the Grammys, Maria and her work were recognized by several magazines, which raved about the set's hat box-style design. Then came the nomination, and this weekend's Grammy events.



I really thought Maria was going to wind up on stage this afternoon accepting the Grammy. But I also worried about the real wild card among this year's nominees in the Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package category: The Red Hot Chili Peppers. (Above, the nominees in Maria's category flash up on the screen during the Grammy Pre-Telecast).

The Red Hot Chili Peppers members Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith were all listed as art directors on their "Stadium Arcadium," and therefore up for the award in Maria's category. Would voters, unfamiliar with most of the names in the category, wind up picking the one group of names that they did know?

Apparently, yes. Star power won out, and "Stadium Arcadium" picked up the award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package.



Rhino Entertainment was actually nominated twice in the category -- the also-excellent "A Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box" was also up for the Grammy. Above, the Rhino designers celebrate their non-victories.

I reminded Maria and her co-workers that Grammy doesn't always get it right: Witness the coronation in the late 1980s of Milli Vanilli as best new artist. (Granted, they later had to return their award). I also came up with an idea that I should pitch the Recording Academy: The non-winners suite. If you don't win, you oughta be directed to a special lounge where the booze is flowing freely and the party is hopping. And if you win a trophy, you're denied entrance.



I'd been to the Grammys before, but never as the date of a real-life nominee. To actually experience what it's like to be apart of an awards show -- the adrenaline, the excitement, the recognition -- was awesome. And I wasn't even the one nominated! It was obviously even more exhilirating for Maria.

Maria spent the morning getting her hair and makeup done, followed by putting on the new dress she had purchased during the holidays at the BCBG store at the Citadel. (In the meantime, I dropped Evan off with the sitter and bought Maria some good luck flowers.) Then it was time to test out the shoes (the black ones won out). After that, we hopped on the freeway and sped downtown.

The Pre-Telecast runs from 1:30 to 3:30, and it moves fast. We weren't sure when Maria's category was going to be announced; but just to be safe, we opted for the first decent parking lot we found -- and at $20, it was (gasp) a steal. (Another lot down the street was charging $50; later, when I headed back to drop something off in the car, I noticed our own lot had jacked up their price to $30).

We treked to the Convention Center, and discovered that Maria's category was fourth -- fourth! After a quick introduction from Recording Academy leaders, hosts Steve Vai and Miss Universe Zuleyka Mendoza began handing out the awards. After Maria's category was announced, we went back out into the lobby, managed to grab some wine and food right before the bar closed, and proceeded to hang out and people watch.

After a while, we decided to head over to the Staples Center. We got there early enough to stake out our seats and relax. At 5 p.m. sharp, The Police were officially reunited on stage (Sting's gotta work on those high "Roxanne" notes) and the Grammy telecast had begun.

Highlights: Gnarls Barkley, dressed as pilots, handling a reworked version of "Crazy." Mary J. Blige, belting out the sound as always. Prince, walking on stage unannounced and introducing Beyonce with just three words. And more.

Later, we drove over to the old St. Vibiana's cathedral for the Warner Music Group party. Stay tuned for more pics from that event.

And one more time, congrats to Maria. When you think about the sheer number of CD box sets (anything with more than one disc) that are released every year, it's already quite a feat to wind up as one of five projects competing for the Grammy Award. Like I told her, let's do this again next year!

It's Been a Big Grammy Weekend for Our Own Nominee, Maria

Above, Maria shows off her Grammy Nominee medallion at last night's nominee reception.

The event, held at the Wilshire Ebell, is one of the highlights for the nominees. There's a energy to the crowd, made up of Grammy noms and their guests, as pictures are taken, food and drink are consumed, musicians perform and strangers with medallions around their neck excitedly talk to other strangers with medallions around their neck (a popular question: "What are you nominated for?")



We wound up talking for a while to someone nominated in the Best Children's Album category. We ran into Daniel Ho -- the Hawaiian musician and record label owner, up for another Hawaiian Music Grammy. The sightings were all over the map: "Weird Al" Yankovic passed right by us, as did Joan Baez.


Maria gets her portrait taken

Maria's category -- Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package -- will be awarded sometime during the pre-show ceremony (where most of the 108 categories are handed out) at the Los Angeles Convention Center between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. We'll then swing across the street to the Staples Center for the big telecast, which this year kicks off with the much-hyped reunion of The Police.



Here's what Maria's up against:



Keep your fingers crossed! I think Maria's got a good shot. As you may remember, her "Girl Groups Sounds: Lost and Found" box set has earned several sweet notices since being released at the beginning of last year; including this mention in Print magazine: