Although the 59th Grammy awards show chose controversial and unexpected winners, but the night was not a total loss with a whirlwind of unforgettable performances . The evening opened with a classic rendition of “Hello” by Adele and featured performances from Beyoncé, Adele again, Chance the Rapper, Little Big Town, Lady Gaga and Metallica, Demi Lovato, Tori Kelly and Andra Day, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Lukas Graham, Maren Morris and Alicia Keys, Anderson Paak and A Tribe Called Quest, Sturgill Simpson and more. Each performance added something to the evening’s ambiance but these were the most memorable:
The Queen B Reigned:
Beyonce’s Performance of “Love Drought” and “Sandcastle”:
Beyoncé owned the Grammy’s stage with a nine-minute ode to motherhood, proving that being pregnant with twins will not slow her down. Her performance of “Love Drought” and “Sandcastle” were accompanied by hypnotic cgi graphics and poetic verses. Beyoncé herself radiated the aura of a goddess with her glittering dress, heavenly headpiece, and adoring dancers. Singing from a throne and surrounded by venerating women, Beyoncé delivered a powerful performance that championed mothers everywhere and reminded everyone that “Your mother is a woman, and women like her cannot be contained”.
Technical Difficulties Persisted:
Lady Gaga and Metallica’s Performance of “Moth Into Flame”:
Last year technical difficulties plagued Adele and her performance of “All I Ask”, and this year Metallica’s James Hetfield fell victim. Hetfield belted the first part of his call and response with Gaga into an unplugged mic. He regained composure enough to join Gaga at her mic and continue their duet, but the incident detracted from the original fiery energy of their performance. Lady Gaga enjoyed a good old fashioned crowd surf in the middle of the song, but Hetfield was noticeably put out, kicking his mic stand and throwing his guitar aside at the performance’s end.
Perfection Was Demanded:
Adele’s Performance of “Fastlove:
After a somewhat shaky start to her George Michael tribute, Adele stopped the performance and asked to start again. She swore and apologized for both swearing and restarting saying, “I can’t do it again like last year” and “I’m sorry. I can’t mess this up for him”. The second time did the trick, and Adele delivered a powerfully emotional rendition of “Fastlove” as images from George Michael’s life moved behind her. It was the tribute Adele wanted to give and the tribute George Michael deserved.
Political Views Were Expressed:
Katy Perry’s and Busta Rhymes with A Tribe Called Quest:
With a shout out to Hillary Clinton, Katy Perry rocked a white pant suit for her performance of her brand new single “Chained to the Rhythm”. Other notable accessories included an armband with “PERSIST” and what is rumoured to have been a Planned Parenthood pin. Katy finished her performance, which included the talent of Skip Marley, with the two of them standing hands held high in front of a projection of the Constitution and Katy’s chant of “No Hate”.
Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest were far less subtle. Busta Rhymes christened President Trump with a new nickname saying, “I just want to thank President Agent Orange for perpetuating all the evil that you been perpetuating throughout the United States”. He also thanked ‘President Agent Orange’ for the unsuccessful Muslim ban. Together the group knocked down a faux wall in the background during their performance of “We the People”, and Q-Tip ended the performance with a four time chant of “Resist!”.
A Guitar Was Shredded:
Bruno Mars’s Performance of “Let’s Go Crazy”:
Bruno Mars channeled his inner Prince in a surprising Prince tribute. Rocking the iconic eyeliner, purple suit, and white Schecter guitar, Mars delivered a confident rendition of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy”. Mars stole the show when he proved the white Schecter was far more than a prop and delivered a high performance shred-worthy guitar solo. Prince’s guitar solos were legendary, but Mars proved more than ready and willing to hold his own.