Liveblogging the 51st Grammy awards

Here we go! Three and a half hours of Grammy goodness.

8:00 Oh this does not look good. Why do we need performances from the Jonas Brothers AND Miley Cyrus. Disney is taking over the freaking Grammys.

8:01 Hello, Bono. I think I'm the only person who hasn't heard this song yet.

8:02 Ooh, and it's like karaoke! Trippy, swirly karaoke.

8:03 You'd think that you know, being a show about MUSIC, the Grammys wouldn't have such crappy sound. Hmm.

8:04 I have to say, Whitney looks pretty good tonight. And wait--Boys II Men have a new album? Hello, 1995.

8:06 I really thought Whitney was having an impromptu "moment" until they actually had the camera trained on Clive. Aw, and J-Hud wins for R&B album. Girl needs a good day after what she went through last year.

8:08 Oh, Dwayne Johnson. It's really hard to transition from "The Rock" to a name like that.

8:10 The Beatlefighters????? I can't tell if he meant for that joke to fall flat or not.

8:12 Al Green, Keith Urban, Boys II Men and Justin Timberlake... You think they'll do a rendition of "Dick In A Box"? Hey, it's a Grammy-winning song!!!

8:14 Are they gonna let Boys II Men sing lead or are they relegated to backup singers? And wow--Al Green can still hit a high note like nobody's business. Kevin remarks that he wants to go to Al Green's church, where he's the musical director. Road trip!

8:16 Comment from Kevin: "They're Boys II Men, they should be happy just to be up there." I still have a soft spot for them, however.

8:22 Regarding Coldplay, I like this song but really want them to play "Viva La Vida," dedicated to Joe Satriani

8:25 Will looks very confident in his purple army jacket. I can dig it.

8:28 Back to back performances? They've given away what, one award in the first half hour? Also, I'm sorry but country music gets their own whole award show, do we really need to see Carrie Underwood with her little beadazzled microphone here?

8:33 Uh oh, I think the Sugarland guy might get kicked out of country music for that snazzy little hat.

8:41 Aw, the Olds look so tickled by Al Green singing "Moon River." They must be wondering who all these young naked kids on stage all night are.

8:42 Wow, already with Song of the Year. Guess it makes sense, we have important Disney-sponsored performances to get to!

8:43 Oh, Coldplay, PLEASE dedicate your Grammy to the people suing you for copyright infringement.

8:44 Ohhhhh Kid Rock. I know war/soldier songs aren't funny but...oy. Is he entering a blues/gospel phase? And if so, what number reincarnation are we on here? Dude rivals Madonna in that department.

8:54 Confession: Until a couple months ago, I thought Taylor Swift was someone who had been on American Idol.

8:55 What does Miley Cyrus know about what it's like to be 15? They keep it real on the Disney set, chillin with Annie Liebowitz on the weekends. And just how low is Taylor's guitar in the mix? Don't hear much 12-string.

9:00 I love how the mic is level with Robert Plant's nose. Can't they fix that?

9:02 You think everyone will get off Jennifer Hudson's back for maybe lip syncing at the Super Bowl now?

9:08 We're listening to The Lonely Island album during commercial breaks over here. Think Lazy Sunday, Dick in a Box--those guys. It's good times.

9:09 Wow, I do not even recognize (NC native and ECU grad) Emily Proctor.

9:10 Whoa, whoa whoa.... Jonas Brother with STEVIE WONDER?? Does this give the J-Bros more street cred or Stevie less?

9:11 Kevin commentary to the brothers: Dude, you can get up there and rock just as much as you want next to him: HE'S NOT GONNA SEE YOU!

9:13 Floppy-haired, vested Jonas just tried to bust out some soul. Um...hmm.

9:15 I think Blink-182 thinks no one else knew they were getting back together. Also, they look like they have no interest in being on the same stage together.

9:16 Chris Martin just described Coldplay as "limestone rock" and then bucked tradition by going back to his chair and not going backstage with everyone else. It looks like someone told him to go back but he sat down anyway. Quick, someone speculate this must mean the band is in turmoil!

9:23 For the record, I cannot stand Katy Perry and think she needs to go away immediately. Though I did find the interview where her mom condemned homosexuality and worried for the bad influences on her daughter out in Hollywood hilarious.

9:25 Also, that the small videos in the background count as the "My Grammy Moment" thing is pretty lame, but at least it's more realistic than last year when the professional violinist got to play w/the Foo Fighters.

9:27 Oooh, Kanye. Danger! He may decide to break for a rant mid-song.

9:31 Anyone else think Adele was adorable accepting her best new artist award?

9:32 Afterthought: They hair stylist who sculpted Kanye's mullet-fro needs an award of their own.

9:37 Um, anyone else totally shocked when Morgan Freeman revealed his eloquent speech was about...Kenny Chesney?? (Kevin says, "I think pirates usually wear shoes")

9:40 Oh my god, guys, there are TWO MORE HOURS of this!!!!

9:42 Another one for the Plant/Krauss duo. I really want him to be the jackass and say he's never getting back w/Led Zeppelin on live tv.

9:49 Strobe lights seem to look more seizure-inducing in black and white. Anyone else wonder if M.I.A. will make it through the performance without her water breaking?

9:52 Kevin's commentary: "Hip hop's really come a long way that 4 egos like that can be on the stage together." He makes a good point--it wasn't that long ago that the whole east coast/west coast thing made bigger headlines than the music.

9:55 Time for Sir Paul!

9:56 Please, please, please let Paul McCartney come through Raleigh on his final tour. We missed out when he was here a few years ago and I've been kicking myself since.

10:06 Kid Rock vs Paul McCartney. WHO DO I ROOT FOR? John Mayer wins and my cable goes out momentarily. How fitting. Did that happen to everyone?

10:10 I'm guessing they meant to announce these performance as back to back, but I keep waiting for Adele to pipe up in the middle of Sugarland's song.

10:13 I know I'm late to the game here, but I suddenly find myself really digging Adele tonight.

10:19 Radiohead + USC marching band = Awesome

10:21 I'm sure there are other bands out there who could pull something like this off and make it as cool, but none are coming to mind.

10:32 I think I'm officially Grammy-ed out over here. How is there still an hour to go??

10:35 Grammy chairman dude gives Obama's Grammys as a segue to...something. Yes we can!

10:39 Good lord, who gave Jamie Foxx a microphone.

10:43 You know why they keep promoting album of the year? Because with 45 minutes to go, it is seriously the only award that hasn't been given out. Here's the full list of nominees and winners.

10:48 Neil Diamond--woo! My parents saw him at Nassau Coliseum when I was a kid and I listened to his album nonstop for a couple months after that. (Apparently when I get bored with the Grammys I tell you random things about myself.)

10:50 How cute is it that the Grammy audience is singing along the "ba ba ba's" and "so good's" of Sweet Caroline? No matter how "cool" you are, it's impossible to hate on Neil Diamond.

10:56 Nice little tribute to Bo Diddly. Keith Urban sure is getting his fair share of screen time tonight.

11:04 Lil Wayne and Robin Thicke are about as unlikely as pairings go, but so far so good!

11:10 Oops, I was wrong before that album of the year was the only award left. But following in that great Grammy tradition, Lil Wayne wins best Rap album (and brings his extended family on stage, it seems) directly after performing.

11:23 Final award! Welcome back, Green Day. Now, does this mean Plant/Krauss will win since they just performed?

11:24 YEP! It's a fix, I swear. Also, for those of you viewing in the Raleigh/Durham area, I love how they minimized the screen to show the Powerball numbers right before the winner was announced.

11:25 Robert Plant: "In the old days we would've called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend the Sundays."

11:26 Can you REALLY play out the album of the year winners after stretching out the last 45 minutes of the show? Something's not right there.

11:27 Stevie's back, sans Jonas Brothers to play us out. A nice little touch for the end of the show. And with that, I thank you all for sticking with us. Good night!