The Brit Awards 2011 - Minor Celebs On A Massive Stage?
The 02 is becoming the venue of choice for more and more award ceremonies and the 2011 Brit Awards were the latest to fall under its hypnotic laser spell last night.
But the problem is that this magnificent setting seems to dwarf everything and everyone that climbs onto its stage.
Alan Carr huffed and puffed to reach the end of the catwalk and the cheers for Dermot O'Leary died out minutes before he was anywhere near the stage.
Take That, veteran award recipients, you would think would have it taped, but they too arrived at the mike in a bedraggled state and seemed too weary to put a suitable acceptance speech together between them.
Even legend Roger Daltrey was made to look small despite the initial burst of enthusiasm at his appearance, but he certainly died, not before he got old as he once wished, but at least before he'd got to the end ofthat runway.
I couldn't put my finger on it, but the whole affair seemed hopelessly off-key for some reason.
The size of the venue may be one reason, the boozy, inattentive crowd another.
James Cordon presenting, was at his usual affable best and a few pounds lighter by the look of it, but even his cheeky charm failed to spark an otherwise comatose patient.
Certainly, the musical talent was there, with Arcade Fire and Plan B putting together some exciting live performances, but poor Justin Bieber, minuscule star as he is, had no chance at all on that massive platform.
Perhaps, it pains me to say, but the current trend, which exists not only in the record industry, to turn new celebrities into idols before their time, has finally backfired.
The Brits were on a massive stage, suitable for a Nelson Mandela welcome home or a Paul McCartney revival, but just too, too huge for a Fern Cotton "hello folks!" Most of the performers and presenters were unheard of just a couple of years ago and even now are only just on the first wave of media success.
It felt a bit like the precocious baby was being pushed out of the pram and expected to do a Royal Variety Performance.
Maybe it's the Simon Cowell influence that is panicking this industry, or perhaps the recession has depressed everybody, but there doesn't seem to be any real stars around at the moment big enough to inspire a venue like this.
But the problem is that this magnificent setting seems to dwarf everything and everyone that climbs onto its stage.
Alan Carr huffed and puffed to reach the end of the catwalk and the cheers for Dermot O'Leary died out minutes before he was anywhere near the stage.
Take That, veteran award recipients, you would think would have it taped, but they too arrived at the mike in a bedraggled state and seemed too weary to put a suitable acceptance speech together between them.
Even legend Roger Daltrey was made to look small despite the initial burst of enthusiasm at his appearance, but he certainly died, not before he got old as he once wished, but at least before he'd got to the end ofthat runway.
I couldn't put my finger on it, but the whole affair seemed hopelessly off-key for some reason.
The size of the venue may be one reason, the boozy, inattentive crowd another.
James Cordon presenting, was at his usual affable best and a few pounds lighter by the look of it, but even his cheeky charm failed to spark an otherwise comatose patient.
Certainly, the musical talent was there, with Arcade Fire and Plan B putting together some exciting live performances, but poor Justin Bieber, minuscule star as he is, had no chance at all on that massive platform.
Perhaps, it pains me to say, but the current trend, which exists not only in the record industry, to turn new celebrities into idols before their time, has finally backfired.
The Brits were on a massive stage, suitable for a Nelson Mandela welcome home or a Paul McCartney revival, but just too, too huge for a Fern Cotton "hello folks!" Most of the performers and presenters were unheard of just a couple of years ago and even now are only just on the first wave of media success.
It felt a bit like the precocious baby was being pushed out of the pram and expected to do a Royal Variety Performance.
Maybe it's the Simon Cowell influence that is panicking this industry, or perhaps the recession has depressed everybody, but there doesn't seem to be any real stars around at the moment big enough to inspire a venue like this.
Source...