Jay-Z predicted it a couple years back: all-black everything. While MTV Movie Awards night was kept light with the hilariously high number of awards — again — going to the “Twilight” folks, Foo Fighters and Lupe Fiasco had a pair of fairly dark performances. Couldn’t Generation Award winner Reese Witherspoon sung a happy tune? (Perhaps she’s intent on not pulling a Gwyneth.)
Pop hits from Katy Perry, J-Lo and Kings of Leon were played as bumper music throughout the show, but the Foos went with a lesser-known, new single “Walk” [Corrected: was thinking so hard of Michael Douglas…] the music video to which premiered this week. While the clip featured Dave Grohl doing his best “Falling Down” impression, the mop-haired frontman was standing up straight for this loud performance.
What started out as the veteran act’s best shot at a soft rock tune quickly turned into a battery of sound, a moment similar to that of Arcade Fire’s first performance at the Grammys this year on “Month of May.” Sudeikis, since when did this one-guitar song require three? I was confused, particularly since — as host Jason Sudekis said — the set looked like a Rainforest Cafe. Garbage from the “Alice In Wonderland” set. Eye-herpes.
I still don’t get the “Walk” hook, and it won’t touch the success of “Rope,” but for a straight-up rock show, the band did good. But Lupe did better.
The rapper appeared in his best rock garb after a chorus of viewers cried, “Trey who?”. Trey Songz people. No? Nothing? Yeah, I forget he’s on “Outta My Head” too. Fiasco didn’t stumble for a second, even as he transitioned to wirey, firey summer-hot “Show Goes On.” The Modest Mouse-sampling track burned with all-red lighting, a violinist, a spotlight-stealing hook singer and too many shots at the audience members who didn’t know the lyrics. There was just too much going on. But Lupe ripped off his sunglasses and it was like BOOM. He won. YOU’RE WELCOME, ATLANTIC.
Extra notes:
+ Sudeikis further implicated that he and Ed Helms cannot be in the same room at the same room, by “playing the piano” and writing theme songs to the nominated films. This was funnier than the majority of the show. It also helped me remember who the hell Brooklyn Decker is. Such a dude moment.
+ Three words: Justin Bieber’s earrings. #justinbiebersearrings has potential to go all the way. I wonder what Selena Gomez thinks?
+ I also wonder what Gomez though about her and “Monte Carlo” cohorts Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy’s presenter theme song “Drunk Girls.” Is that slander or just very, very funny?
+ Nicki Minaj cannot get through a single public appearance without her trademark Crazy Eyes (TM) and making a character voice. I tire of the butt jokes, though, can we talk about something else now?