at 21:25 on February 10, 2007, EST.
By CASSANDRA SZKLARSKI

LOS ANGELES (CP) - Music's biggest night is dominated by glitz and glamour, but the marathon presentation of Sunday's Grammy Awards will be sure to leave some of today's hottest stars tired, uninspired and in desperate need of a meal, say former and current Canadian nominees for the coveted trophies.

Two members of Montreal sensation Arcade Fire describe their Grammy debut last year as an exercise in boredom and hunger. One of their two categories (they didn't win either) was presented at an untelevised afternoon ceremony where the lion's share of awards are handed out before the broadcast spectacle.

Although some of today's top musicians are on hand to dole out the hardware during the two-hour-and-15-minute ceremony at the Staples Center, they burn through roughly 95 categories in a rapid-fire manner that can induce unpleasant adolescent flashbacks.

"It's exactly like high school graduation but with adults," deadpans keyboardist Will Butler.

"It's just like, reading names and then finally you hear your friends' name and you're like, 'Yay!' And then you sit back down and you're like. 'OK, have I graduated yet?"

While sandwiches and nibblies are available during the early show - held in a separate auditorium from the main event - by the time the televised gala came around last year, Arcade Fire drummer Jeremy Gara says he and his bandmates were about to crash from hunger.

"Bring food," Gara advises this year's nominees, recalling that growling stomachs drove his band and some fellow musicians to extraordinary lengths last year.

"Like a bottle of water, a bag of almonds and a banana."

Desperate members of indie band Death Cab for Cutie managed to have a pizza delivered to the venue for themselves and Arcade Fire, but all were forced to enjoy their respite sitting on the floor outside the awards hall, Gara recalls laughing.

Grammy spokesman Ron Roecker says food is forbidden from the performance hall to maintain pristine appearances for the TV broadcast. But, he says, musicians have plenty of time to chow down during the afternoon ceremony, which he describes as more of a party atmosphere, where food and drink flow freely.

However, all alcoholic drinks are reserved for the lavish after-bash, he adds.

For fans of music genres outside of the mainstream, all the real action takes place before the TV broadcast when trophies for categories like jazz, alternative, country and polka are handed out.

Canadians up for prizes in the pre-telecast this year include jazz-pop crooner Michael Buble, songstress Sarah McLachlan, musical composers Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, aboriginal act Northern Cree and Friends, polka king Walter Ostanek, and songwriter Gordie Sampson.

Sampson, who's up for the best country song award (which will be presented before the televised show) and the song of the year award (which will be handed out on air), says he's thrilled by the prospect of attending the distinguished bash, but has been warned about the challenging day that's in store.

"It'll be exciting, but it'll be long as well," acknowledges Sampson, the Cape Bretoner that co-wrote Carrie Underwood's soaring Number 1 single "Jesus Take the Wheel."

Depending on when his category comes up during the pre-telecast, Sampson says he plans to bail from the ceremony as soon as he can to freshen up for the main event.

"If we weren't going to the TV show at night we'd stay but since we are going, we'll probably leave (the pre-show) whenever we can," he says.

Morrison joked that he may pack a little something special to help get through the long list of names.

"A flask and a camera could make the afternoon," quipped the Toronto-based Morrison, who is up for best musical show album with co-composer Lambert for "The Drowsy Chaperone."

The Grammy's evening telecast features a much-hyped reunion performance by the Police as well as a duet between pop superstar Justin Timberlake and an aspiring newcomer voted on by the Internet community. Other superstars expected to shine include funk and disco legends Earth, Wind and Fire who will perform with Mary J. Blige and Ludacris.


©The Canadian Press, 2007

luv4u said:

My sister and I attended the 2004 Grammy awards. We really enjoyed the pre-show--it seemed more geared toward musicians (the performances were fabulous) and not so much televised hype. It was hilarious to hear the announcer nail all those difficult-to-pronounce names in the Classical category! PLUS, you get to sit wherever you want, so we were sitting right next to Tony Bennett, Diane Reeves, Donnie McClurkin, Pharrel Williams, Sean Paul, Brian Setzer and Shirley Ceasar. There was food at the pre-show, but it's not true that you can't eat in the auditorium during the Grammy telecast. It's only the people with the floor seats who can't. We were up a bit in the arena, and you could bring food there. We didn't go to the Grammy after party, instead we went to Prince's show at the House of Blues.
[Edited 2/11/07 8:11am]

I just read another article kind of critical of the grammys but I guess that goes along with popular music in general being in freefall

Yeah, I'm sure I'd prefer the pre-telecast Grammys. Steve Vai presented them last year... That would have been great to watch.

Satriani didn't win. The Grammys suck! Down with the Grammys!!!!

coolcat said:

Madonna just won best dance album!

MikeMatronik said:

Grammys still suck!