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.

FRANKLIN AVENUE POLL: What's 2010's "Song of the Summer"?

This year's hunt to find the 2010 "Song of the Summer" feels like it was over before it ever began.

Unlike past years, when the debate over which song deserved "Song of Summer" honors ran into Labor Day, Katy Perry's "California Gurls" earned front-runner status from the beginning.

"Gurls," after all, hits all the proper hallmarks of a summer song: It's catchy, light and frothy, and everywhere. (I dare you to make it through the day without hearing Katy singing about her Daisy Duke/bikini combo somewhere.)

Most of the folks who pay close attention to the Song of the Summer competish seem to agree.

Radio consultant Sean Ross, who has extensively covered the Song of the Summer showdown for years, writes about the 2010 face-off here. And New York magazine's Vulture has been covering the competish as well.

Both Ross and Vulture have "Summer Gurls" on the brain: Ross has named it his "song of the week" for three out of the four weeks. Vulture called it "a saccharine confection we feared would be a problem from the moment it bubbled up," and believes it's the first unifying "Song of the Summer" since 2007's "Umbrella."

Buzzfeed, meanwhile, recently went one step further and compiled a list of the "Songs of Summer" for the past 70 years.

Last year, you picked the international smash "When Love Takes Over," by David Guetta and Kelly Rowlands, while I was partial to Madcon's "Beggin'."

Ross, meanwhile, chose "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas; others picked "I Got a Feelin'" by, yes, those ever-present BEPs.

But that was last year. In 2010, is it a cakewalk for Ms. Perry? Or will another song suddenly surge ahead as we head into mid-summer? Take the poll below.