02/21/2008
Towleroad Guide to the Tube #247: Brit Awards Edition
The Arctic Monkeys and Take That each won two awards last night at the Brit Awards: "The Sheffield band [Arctic Monkeys] won the coveted Best British Group award. They also walked away with the Best British Album award for Favourite Worst Nightmare. Take That won Best British Live Act and Best British Single for "Shine", voted for by commercial radio listeners and The Sun Bizarre column readers. Gary Barlow described it as 'unbelievable'."
Mika and Beth Ditto opened the show with a medley of "Love Today", "Standing in the Way of Control" and "Grace Kelly" (above). Below, Kylie Minogue performs "Wow", Leona Lewis performs "Bleeding Love", Amy Winehouse performs "Love is a Losing Game", and Rihanna trots out "Umbrella" another time with The Klaxons.
A full list of winners AFTER THE JUMP...
Brit Awards 2008
British live act: Take That. (chosen by BBC Radio 2 listeners).
Critics' Choice Award: Adele.
British breakthrough act: Mika. (chosen by BBC Radio 1 listeners).
International male solo artist: Kanye West.
British male solo artist: Mark Ronson.
International female solo artist: Kylie Minogue.
International group: Foo Fighters.
British female solo artist: Kate Nash.
International album: Foo Fighters, “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace.”
British group: Arctic Monkeys.
British single: Take That, “Shine.” (Chosen by live public phone-in.)
British album: Arctic Monkeys, “Favourite Worst Nightmare.”
Outstanding contribution to music: Paul McCartney
Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 10:45 AM EST by Andy in Amy Winehouse, Awards, Beth Ditto, Great Britain, Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Mika, Music, Music Video, News, Rihanna, The Klaxons | Permalink
Comments
I love Ditto and Winehouse, but Mika's voice is like nails on a chalkboard...am I alone on this? A mixture of Freddie Mercury and a cat being drowned.
Posted by: Brian | Feb 21, 2008 11:05:52 AM
What a novelty... singers that actually sing.
By the way, you missed the best performance! Ronson with Adele/Meriweather/Winehouse! SO GOOD!
Posted by: David | Feb 21, 2008 11:25:18 AM
Brian- i am with you on Mika 100 PERCENT!!! My friend made me listen to it in her car OVERANDOVERANDOVERANDOVER again the other night going in and out of Philly! And i have been trying to get her to listen to Scissor Sisters for YEARS!!! What a shame...
Posted by: virgoboy | Feb 21, 2008 11:42:53 AM
Mika sounds terrible, is that falsetto supposed to be a joke? He drowns out Beth on SITWOC with his off-key cackling. What a hack, please go away.
Posted by: JLS | Feb 21, 2008 12:04:35 PM
Wow that Mika performance is just totally unlistenable.
Posted by: urban | Feb 21, 2008 12:05:11 PM
tho my taste inclines towards puccini, mozart and maria callas, i can't agree with you children, mika has a fabulous voice and i loved it...
Posted by: the queen | Feb 21, 2008 12:19:10 PM
watch Leona Lewis performs "Bleeding Love"
this is the first time i am seeing a two guys partner dance in a show before.
check from time 1.28 at the right
Posted by: johnosahon | Feb 21, 2008 12:20:02 PM
Can you even imagine Mika and Beth Ditto playing at the Grammys, much less opening them? Seeing a crowd jump on their feet for a flamboyant, falsetto-ed singer was pretty surreal.
That said, as much as I like the CD, what was that performance? It went from boring to train wreck (Mika should never sing falsetto with Beth Ditto) back to boring.
Posted by: Donny B | Feb 21, 2008 12:58:33 PM
No, BRIAN, you are not alone. I cannot stand Mika's voice, his vocal style or his music. I sincerely wish he would just go away.
Posted by: peterparker | Feb 21, 2008 1:11:53 PM
You know, maybe Mika really isn't gay. After all, Beth Ditto blamed gay men for women's anorexia and Ditto clearly hasn't abandoned the Twinkies despite sharing the stage with Mika.
Posted by: peterparker | Feb 21, 2008 1:22:49 PM
Sorry for the multiple posts, but I had to comment on the list of winners. That is the most melba toast list of winners I've ever seen in a music awards show. It makes the Grammys look practically cutting edge. Pathetic.
And what in the hell were The Klaxons, a pretty cool band, doing backing up Rihanna, a third rate disco diva at best? And for the record, I *hate* the song 'Umbrella'.
Posted by: peterparker | Feb 21, 2008 1:35:44 PM
I love Mika. I love Winehouse too. I'm 50, and I can tell you, I never saw someone that open/out when I was growing up. He's an incredible talent. Read his bio - he had to be home schooled because of bullying.
Even so, UK is a much more tolerant society than America. I agree with DonnyB - you won't see these people as mainstream popular in the US.
Posted by: Diogenes | Feb 21, 2008 2:21:49 PM
Mika's music is absolutely not to my taste, and they were a few odd notes, but he can do some incredible things with his voice. The range is pretty impressive, and his enthusiasm and love of performing are endearing.
All that said, I would never buy his music.
Posted by: Paul R | Feb 21, 2008 3:11:44 PM
how funny, i actually liked Mika.. haha
the klaxtons and rihanna ... was not feeling that *at all*
i'm not a whinehouse fan, i really try and i just dont think its anything that great.. but maybe the problem is that she was SO hyped up for me that i expect something so amazing
Posted by: gabriel | Feb 21, 2008 4:42:07 PM
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