These days, the Grammys' are a pretty by-the-numbers event. The old guard still tries to kick the dead horse that is the music business. They prop up who's still standing with lavish performances, call some fogies out of retirement, pay tribute to those who've passed, and usually, hand out most of the awards to whatever Hip Hop and Pop country act is selling. The results are what you would think, and they tend to be less memorable than the crappy wheel of death sandwich you got from the breakroom at work. It gives you heartburn, makes you a little uncomfortable, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
To say this year's Grammys' were any different would still be a stretch. When I heard that the Arcade Fire was going to play towards the end of the broadcast, also after seeing the Avett Brothers/Mumford and Sons/Bob Dylan actually make something incredibly memorable, I started to kind of clamor for Justin Bieber to have a "WTF" moment as soon as Win Butler and co. took the stage.
Usually, the likes of the AF, (and bands like them) don't really crash the party so much as stand to the side as the Eminems' of the world roll down the red carpet and pile up the hardware. Sure, you have a "best alternative record" category, but i'm pretty sure the presentation of said award doesn't even make the live broadcast. Austinites, Grupo Fantasma, won best Latin album and I heard about it at like 3:30 in the afternoon Austin time; which means they probably had the presentation at like 1:00.
So here we sit, with The Suburbs; AF's concept-driven, magnum opus. Personally this was my favorite album of 2010. After ripping through "Month of May", with fervor, moxy, and kids riding bikes around the stage, it was time for Babs and Kris Kristofferson to present the award of the night. Nonimated for best album amongst Lady Gaga, Eminem, Katy Perry, and some other stuff that had million dollar ad-machines behind it, We kind of all knew what was gonna happen next.
And then, what we thought was going to happen, didn't.
The Suburbs won album of the year.
These people don't show up on TMZ. their faces aren't plastered on every publication sitting on the newsstand. They don't have a 3-D movie coming to theaters soon, that dissects their "live show". AF sells records, and they do consistently play larger venues, but they're far from being a household name. Everyone, including the members of the band themselves, were taken aback by the academy's decision.
This isn't just a victory for an indie band, or indie culture; it's a victory for all of us. Music is starting to matter again. Real music, made by real people, who have real, tangible ideas and let the content, not the kind of hairspray they use, do the talking. They humbly accepted the award, then, did just that; they took the stage, picked up, and played "Ready to Start".
The Suburbs winning album of the year is a bit of a microcosm of the world we live in; The information age is beginning to morph into an age which WE can decide the future. WE can be creative, WE can make things happen. What happened on Sunday night spoke not for those who stand on a pedestal, detached from the space that we share, but for a community of humans who want to not shine a light on what divides us but what can bring us closer together. 2011 is an exciting time to be alive, kids.
Embrace it.
-Marty.
