Girl Gone Grammys
It was one of the most electrifying moments in live musical performances, seen all around the world.... It was Grammys night, 2000, and I was watching it in person...
It was one of the most electrifying moments in live musical performances, seen all around the world. I'm talking about the live performance of "Smooth" with soulful Rob Thomas on vocals, and guitar legend Carlos Santana shreddin' it up in Los Angeles' Staples Center. It was Grammys night, 2000, and I was watching it in person from an arena box with a straight-on view of the stage, transfixed by one of the best experiences of my life.
(Here's a photo showing my view of the stage before the show began.)
It's easy to tell you how I came to be at the Grammys, though it's not the story people always expect. They expect me to say that I was there covering the awards show in my capacity as a journalist. No, that's not the way this door to an amazing event was opened for me. I just happened to have a childhood friend whose brother did extremely well selling off the company he'd founded; it sold the year before, and buying this skybox for the Grammys on Ebay was his way of celebrating with family and friends. Lynn, I'll always be grateful!
So here we were, in the stretch limo, pulling up to the Staples on Grammy night. We were guided to a different entrance than the red carpet path. I actually felt sorry for the stars who had to travel that way, because it was raining steadily. Even the best umbrellas couldn't keep some of those long dresses dry.
I wish there had been cell phones with video capabilities back then. So many amazing moments mesh together in my head, and I don't recall the exact order of performances. The Grammys that night were saluting Latin music stars. In the skybox two doors down, Jimmy Smits and Christina Aguilera were performing some live hosting duties. We could see it taking place next to us, and then playing out on the big screens around the arena.
After they'd finished, I was curious, so I stepped outside, and had the opportunity to get my picture taken with Mr. Smits, who was graciousness personified. Ms. Aguilera had a beefy bodyguard, so I just snapped a pic in passing. I didn't want to annoy her, but I'm sure she's used to it. 
What's funny is that during those Grammys the musicians and stars are wandering around the Staples Center just like as they might at any basketball game! A few of the concession stands were open, selling burgers and popcorn, and there were long lines of guys in tuxes and stunning women in stunning dresses. I guess the glamorous people get hungry just like the rest of us! That's how I happened to pass by P. Diddy and Jennifer Lopez, in THAT dress. You know the one I'm talking about. 
The green Versace that didn't leave alot to the imagination. The people in my group were so shocked by the navel-grazing plunging neckline, nobody remembered to snap a photo till she was way past us. That's her back in the middle of their entourage, with Diddy in all-white to her left.
When Carlos Santana started performing those opening licks of "Smooth", the crowd went wild. People everywhere, down in the front rows, all the way to the highest seats in the arena, leapt to their feet. I had goose-bumps up and down my arms from the sheer musical genius I was hearing. The entire arena was electrified. Sometimes I think that in the years since, the Grammys' organizers have been trying, with varying success, to replicate that perfect joining of so many musical eras and genres.
Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" is another performance that stands out in my memory. It was at the height of his success, and epitomized the theme of the night, honoring Latin musicians. They had these inflated people-balloons on stage, and it was the first time I'd ever seen one of those, even though now every car dealership you pass seems to have one!
As the night wound down, we weren't really sure what to expect. We had tickets that guaranteed us entry to the after-parties at the Governor's Ball site and elsewhere. None of us had any idea what that meant. In reality, it was probably the most exciting part of the experience. In this big facility away from the arena, they had several different venues set up with performers entertaining intimate audiences of a few hundred people.
All different types of music were represented: country, rap, pop, etc. Meanwhile, everywhere you turned, there was some famous face in the crowd. 
We saw Arlo Guthrie, Dwight Yoakum, Glenn Campbell and others on the country stage. I spent quite a bit of time there, because the crowds in the other areas were getting too crushing. I was standing there listening next to a not-quite-well-known-then comedian, Ray Romano and his cute daughter. He, too, was pretty cool when I asked for a photo. 
Too bad my friend forgot to frame it up right! At some point along the way, actor Chevy Chase had taken over the ivories in a piano lounge. I had no idea he was so multi-talented. But he was not happy with any of us snapping photos. Oh well, it's not like I plan on seeing him again!
If you wonder why I don't have any photos of some of the standout moments of the Grammys 2000 that I've mentioned, there's a really simple explanation. I was having too much fun enjoying the music, to remember to take a photo for posterity or for my scrapbook. And that's really at the heart of the Grammys. Sure, they may be commercial, and may not always be spot-on in bestowing honors to those who most deserve them (Milli Vanilli, anyone?)... but they are a celebration of an art form that speaks to all of us: music. 
Speaking for myself, I may not be the most knowledgeable or most sophisticated in my musical appreciation, but that's the great thing about it. We all have our favorites, and that's what makes us, and the music we enjoy, unique.
