Best of Berlin: U2, Jay-Z, Beyonce
It Happened Last Night
Bono and Jay-z / Photo by Getty Images
Thursday, MTV's European Music Awards took place in Berlin, Germany, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. U2, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Shakira, and others performed -- and Beyonce walked away with three trophies, the night's biggest winner. Check out our take on the event's best & worst moments:
Check out a photo gallery from the show here.
THE BEST:
Beyonce & Jay-Z Take Over Europe, the World
Ostensibly last night's show had a 1920s cabaret theme, but it was actually all about pop music's power couple. Beyonce took home the most awards of the night, winning for "Best Female," "Best Song," and "Best Video" and completely overshadowed host Katy Perry's tweaked-out pinup shtick with her mesmerizing, sexed-up rendition of "Sweet Dreams." Jay-Z delivered a show-stopping performance of "Empire State of Mind" in front of a swirling New York City skyline with backup singer Bridget Kelly standing in admirably for Alicia Keys, then made it across town in time to join U2 at the Brandenburg Gate for a blissfully over-the-top rendition of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." By the time Beyonce accepted her third trophy by cooing, "There's only one person I wanna thank, and that's J for putting a ring on it!," we were all unabashedly drunk on the gooeyness.
Green Day: Robots?
In the show's opening number, the "Best Rock" winners blasted through two songs in front of an orgy of pyrotechnic explosions, intermittently cursing into the microphone and inciting everyone to "stand the fuck up!" As the ageless, blonde-again Billie Joe Armstrong thanked the voters for granting the band the "Best Cock" award and ran through the crowd of German teenagers – most of whom really seemed to be biding their time before the incomprehensibly worshiped Tokio Hotel made their entrance – one got the feeling that the retro-punk trio have actually become petrified in time. No surprises, but no disappointments. Just Green Day.
Foo Fighters Balk, Then Deliver
When the band first started up with their somewhat boring twangy number, "Wheels," it seemed like a distracted-looking Dave Grohl might be phoning it in to this one. Not a huge surprise, considering he was there to promote a greatest hits album that he's said he never wanted to release in the first place. But then the band sprung into life and head-banged through a tight, driving rendition of "All My Life," and later Katy Perry gigglingly hinted that Grohl had been exposing himself backstage. Good to know you're still with us, Dave.
THE WORST:
Shakira Gong Wrong
The only thing worse than Shakira's skanky gold lame apron dress and the inexplicable gong dancers with kung-fu ponytails, was the song itself ("Did It Again").
The Hoff Does It Again
It's not the fact that David Hasslehoff showed up completely schloshed to a gig at a major, internationally broadcast event in the only place in the world where he's still considered somewhat relevant (or at least entertaining). It's not the fact that he staggered backwards down the red carpet in a seizure-inducing sequined suit, was difficult with journalists, and gave a squinty, slurry approximation of an award presentation. It's the fact that really, nobody expected anything different.
THE SO-SO:
Katy Perry Camps It Up
On one hand, she's cute, has a lot of energy and seemed to actually enjoy herself onstage. On the other hand, most of the time her "wacky outrageousness" feels canned, and her facial expressions are scary and intense, kind of like the soul of a spastic demon breathed into a Zooey Deschanel blow-up doll. Either way, it's hard to understand why MTV brought her back as the only person to host the EMAs twice. Maybe it has something to do with cutbacks?
U2 and MTV's Berlin "Fence"
Okay, so you're a little bit dead inside if you didn't mist up watching Bono belt out "One" in front of the bombastically illuminated Brandenburg Gate, where twenty years ago the citizens of a divided city partied on the ruins of the Iron Curtain. But in all their efforts to cash in on the symbolism of the 20-year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, MTV didn't think about the fact that building a giant security gate around the open-air concert to keep out those without tickets might not be the pinnacle of tact. When outrage about the setup began circulating in the German press, the network released a statement that the aforementioned structure was only a "temporary security fence," and that "[under] no circumstances did MTV build a 'wall' of any kind in or around the U2 production site." Whatever you say, Khrushchev.
56 Comments
Click here to comment- Posted By sammysue
11.11.09 7:16 PM
I really don't think anything else needs to be said by the public.
I THINK IT IS NOW TIME FOR SPIN TO STAND UP AND TELL THE PUBLIC WHY THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY TO PURPOSELY LEAVE OUT ANY MENTION OF TOKIO HOTEL,BAD OR GOOD.DO YOU HAVE THE BALLS TO STAND UP AND TELL THE TRUTH SPIN.
- Posted By Srey Pich
11.09.09 1:03 AM
I love the review of this article except for one thing. I agree with lots of people here, you seem to have left out one of the BEST performance of the night, which was without a doubt Tokio Hotel. Their performance of "World Behind My Wall" was so incredibly amazing and intriguing that I don't see how you could've forgotten to mention them. Their win for Best Group was also very notable. Is it bias of some sort that you leave out such a noteworthy band out of your article? I have to say that I am very disappointed at this situation. Anyways, the show was great and i did like Beyonce and J's performances as well as Tokio Hotel's. It is very questionable as to my opinion of the host though...
- Posted By Chrissysue
11.09.09 12:29 AM
When is everyone going to figure out that Spin does not like good bands in which the members are under 40? I have checked out the resumes of many of the upper management people and most qualify for their Social Security based on age.These young bands that are breaking into the scene just don't appeal to these old guys.They don't care what the younger listeners like or want.Like someone else said"Too pretty and they make them feel old".That's ok-the old guys don't realize that there is also some new publications coming out that in time will run them over.Same thing with Rolling Stone.
I am surprised they even have a website.Their accountants must have told them that it existed.I feel sorry for them.I hope when I get that old that I don't have that mindset.Oh well,I've still got 7 yrs before I hit 65.
Keep nailing it Tokio Hotel!!!You guys are way way hot!!!
- Posted By Lorna
11.08.09 7:45 PM
hmmm.........There seems to be something missing here. Maybe the fact that Tokio Hotel won the best group award and gave the best performance of the night with "World Behind my Wall?" Which illustrated the entire theme of the EMAs which was the aniversary of the fall of the berlin wall?
......that could be whats missing, but I don't know.
maybe you have to accept the reality that teenagers finally know what real music sounds like, and that Tokio Hotel are not going anywhere even if you snub them.
- Posted By Claudia
11.08.09 3:30 PM
I just love how you conveniently left out Tokio Hotel and the most poignant performance and most important award of the evening. They are one of the few if only bands in all of Europe to have international success breaking through stereotypes and actually coming from East Germany and you don't even mention them? Wow you need to get real and show some respect for what that evening meant to so many people and to Germany. This was a diss and completely unprfoessional and disrespectful.
Oh and Katy Perry was a disaster and a complete bore! Worst host ever!
- Posted By Nicole
11.08.09 2:05 PM
Why is there so much of everyone else and nothing of Tokio Hotel? They had an amazing performance of World Behind My Wall including ridiculous (in a good way) pyro effects. They also won "Best Group".
Considering that you added that the hall, filled with German teenagers, were waiting for TH, I think omitting why they were waiting & how it was worth the wait, doesn't make sense.
- Posted By Anonymous
11.08.09 1:24 PM
what you are doing here, dismissing Tokio Hotel so blatantly is downright ridiculous, immature and amateur. Also, you are showing a great deal of ignorance as for what is going on in the world today. Tokio Hotel is becoming one of the hottest acts out there and you fail to recognise this. It's pathetic. But the best this is that no matter how much you are trying to make them seem like they are worthless, to use your own word, incomprehensibly, they are getting higher and higher and this ride is far from being over any time soon. Oh, and if you are wondering, I'm no 13 year old teenage girl, ( the kind of person you seem to think makes up the majority of TH's fanbase), I'm well over 30 and I've been following the rise of this band since the beginning. They seem to stay, but you? With all the people not renewing their subscriptions, you, my lads, you go.
- Posted By Anonymous
11.08.09 4:05 AM
So fitting that Tokio Hotel, one of the few European groups that won an award at the European Music Awards, is blatantly omitted from this review. Anyone that was there can tell you their performance stole the show too. Please get over whatever bias you have against them and write a fair review next time, because they will be winning an EMA for the FOURTH time next year.
- Posted By Thylek
11.08.09 1:49 AM
Last time I checked this was an European music award show, yes, European, that was held in a European country, Germany, that was celebrating the anniversary of the wall of Berlin, the city in which such award show was being held AND then if I correctly remember 4 German dudes from East Germany performed a song called "World Behind my Wall", with images of the Berlin wall being torn down on the background, with pyrotechnics firing up the stage, people screaming their lungs out for them, subsequently winning an award for Best Group over Green Day, BOP, those other dudes and then some other dudes whose name hurt my brain to remember, yet you miserably failed to mention anything about the four German dudes, their spectacular and outstanding performance, the fact that they were one of the few European acts to be on stage, oh did I mention that they were the only Germans appearing on a European Music Award show, that was being celebrated in Berlin, capital city of Germany, that was commemorating an important historic event on that same day? Sorry if I am not making sense, but I am just lost for words here, I mean really? Really? Sorry I just can get through my brain that you purposely "forgot" to mention about the four German dudes. whose name by the way, is Tokio Hotel, with an i not a y. Try to remember that for next time, dude.
- Posted By Emily
11.08.09 1:32 AM
Good article, but TOKIO HOTEL?!??!?! the German band who you know, one BEST BAND, the MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD!? biased much? NOT to mention their phenomenal preformance with pyro brilliance. Considering the 20th anniversary and all, and they are a GERMAN BAND I think that they were a very very important part of the show. Their performance was amazing and it amazes me how u glazed over it. next time, dont review a night, and then choose to not write about the star of the show.
- Posted By saltydogfish
11.07.09 7:54 PM
I am at a total loss for words at the blatant and obvious shunning of Tokio Hotel by your magizine.
Would you rather have our kids listening to Eminem and 50 no-sense rapping about raping the white girls and slappin their mamas.That's some good stuff Spin.Let's give Britney a pat on the back for being able to lip-sync every concert on every tour she's ever gone on.That's right,let's give U2 a metal for getting Mick on stage and stealing his AARP card.After their little showing they went to a Keith Richards Look-a-Like contest.You know what? I beat both of them.This old guy took his little 13 yr old twin fangirls to see these kids last year and got his socks knocked off.I've seen em' all Spin.From Led Zep to the Who,Stones,Bruce,AC/DC,and more.You name them and I have probably seen them in my 58 yrs.
The only thing I can think of that would make you guys react like this is something a BBC guy wrote "They are prettyboys and they make me feel old."Yep.They are and they do.But I can get over it and admit that they are damn good.Damn good songwriters,musicians,singers,and most of all they are great young gentlemen.I've watched them since they were 16 and never seen a misstep.What's the first thing they did after winning that well deserved award last night?Made a video in German and English thanking their fans.Very classy and very heartfelt.I guess I missed U2's,Jay-Z's,Bey's,and everyone else's video to their fan's.
You have your blinders on(for whatever reason)and you are missing something very special happening.Your missing Tokio Hotel.I feel sorry for you.
By the way.I like many of these other people,will not be renewing my subscription.
- Posted By Myrania
11.07.09 10:25 AM
This is the EUROPEAN Music Awards, am I wrong? Because Tokio Hotel are actually German, pretty much the only true-born Europeans there giving a performance about the fall of the Berlin Wall during an appropriate time...
and you STILL don't mention them? Their performance was very significant to the EMA's, this year being the anniversary of the event.
So why, oh why, don't I see a little compliment in there? Are you serious?
- Posted By Ussilverstar91
11.07.09 10:14 AM
Tokio Hotel's performance was awesome, especially for the occasion of the 20th anniv. of the wall coming down. Best Group!!! Most of the performance's were awesome.
- Posted By Kristie of Kentucky
11.07.09 9:27 AM
Hello Spin Magazine, I just wanted to give a shout out to one of my favorite highlights which was the boys of East Germany, they put on a flawless performance and also won 'BEST GROUP" so i thought it was great for them to perform and win particularly with the anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall and I though that for them being such a young group of guys acted mature beyond their years and proved that they could be and roll with the rest of the big dogs, I also thought that yes U2's performance was phenomenal and Beyonce and Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, and all the others were great. I though that the Jonas Brothers did a great job with the Michael Jackson Tribute which by the way was very beautiful and amazing.
- Posted By Kaulitz - Fan
11.07.09 7:37 AM
NIce headline "Best Of Berlin" sounds good since I personally am German.
But you missed another "best" aspect here, the "best group" of 2009 - Tokio Hotel. Looking forward to read about them soon :)
- Posted By Phoenix120
11.07.09 1:50 AM
Best of Spin Magazine Online's EMA review:
The Best:
Pointing out that Green Day have become stuck in time. Totally agree.The Worst:
Completely missing out one of the highlights of the show, Tokio Hotel's superb and touching performance, followed by their Best Group win. Kind of important, considering both the location and the event being celebrated.The So-So:
Incorrectly classifying Katy Perry as "so-so" instead of "worst". I cringed whenever she appeared onscreen.
- Posted By Incandesent
11.07.09 12:58 AM
I liked the article, but am annoyed at how Tokio Hotel was not even mentioned. Nor Silberbond. The two German Artists at the award show held in Berlin. Tokio Hotel's performance didn't nor shouldn't go unnoticed. They took a song and gave it a new meaning, and were able to perform it stripped down as well as over the top.
I expected an article about the European Music Awards to mention more Europe born acts, especially ones who have gained not just followings, but stardom in other countries.
- Posted By Alpaca Mom
11.07.09 12:28 AM
You probably know by now that Tokio Hotel has a legion of faithful fans that enjoy their music, as evidenced by the numerous comments here. And not all their fans are teenagers, eiher! Maybe another article giving them their due might be in order? That might go a long way to helping soothe some irate fans!
01.08.10 12:08 AM
I don't get the bias against Tokio Hotel. TH's music & talent is light years ahead of a lot of these other people....Katy Perry. Tokio Hotel fans are not all under the age of 17. I am way older than that & I absolutely love them! Too bad Spin doesn't comment on good music. Now i know why i never come 2 this website. Peace out Spin!