2009 European Music Awards in Berlin on MTV

November 7, 10:14 PMCable TV ExaminerChristine Nyholm

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Irish singer Bono performs with his band U2 at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009. The concert is in conjunction with the 2009 European MTV Awards.
(AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

The MTV European music awards dazzled the audience in at the O2 Arena and in front of Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the demise of communism. The MTV European Awards, on November 5, 2009, were televised live on MTV.

The 2009 EMAs featured electrifying live performances from Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Green Day, Leona Lewis, Tokio Hotel, Foo Fighters, Shakira and U2 – broadcasting to more than 500 million households around the world.

The EMAs burst into thrilling life with an electrifying opening number by Green Day, followed by Katy Perry’s irreverent mash-up of the five Best Song contenders that included Beyoncé’s monster hit Halo and Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody.

Beyoncé was the major winner of the evening at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in Berlin, Germany. The versatile singer, writer and producer took home a total of three EMA trophies - Best Female, Best Song and Best Video.

Eminem won the Best Male category at the Awards, which honors and celebrates Europe’s contemporary music stars. Jay-Z triumphed in the Best Urban category. U2 clinched a Best Live Act – scoring their third EMA award win since the MTV Europe Music Awards debuted in 1994.

Creative powerhouse Lady Gaga was honored in the Best New Act category while Green Day scored a victory over the Best Rock contenders.

Best Group went to German rockers Tokio Hotel, who also wowed the 9,000-strong crowd with a stunning rendition of their hit The World Behind My Wall, culminating in an explosive pyrotechnical display and the band’s instruments consumed by flames. Placebo captured the Best Alternative prize while Turkey’s maNga carried off the crown for Best European Act. Best World Stage Performance was won by Linkin Park while Pixie Lott was pronounced the first ever MTV Push Artist – both categories were added to this year’s EMAs for the first time in recognition of the artists who have been championed by MTV on their global music franchises.

 Effervescent host Katy Perry brought her trademark energy and quirky humor to the awards, appearing in a dazzling array of costumes and looks inspired by burlesque and Liza Minnelli’s Oscar-winning appearance in Cabaret, the novel which lifted the lid on decadent 1930’s Berlin. The stunning hostess fulfilled her role with signature relish and flair, equally at home in a stylish bowler hat covered in thousands of crystals, or reclining in a giant cocktail glass, or soaring high above the audience on a glittering half-moon shaped swing.

Rock icons U2 brought Berlin to a standstill with an awe-inspiring performance beamed into the show from the city’s historic Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of peace and reconciliation to people around the world and site of the first ever MTV Europe Music Awards. In front of 10,000 music fans, the music legends performed a short set comprising some of their best loved songs including a powerful rendition of Sunday, Bloody Sunday and an uplifting medley of Magnificent and One – the haunting anthem inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Among the many show highlights was a strikingly sexy performance of Happy by Leona Lewis, an upbeat version of Sweet Dreams by Beyoncé and a high octane rock medley of Wheels and All My Life by the Foo Fighters. Colombian siren Shakira sent temperatures rising with a steamy performance of Did It Again, performed with dancers dressed only in skimpy towels.

Guest presenters at the EMAs included actor, musician and international celebrity David The Hoff Hasselhoff, hip hop star Lil’ Kim, World heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, actor Jesse Metcalfe, pop/rock phenomena Jonas Brothers, Backstreet Boys, Juliette Lewis, Jean Reno, Miranda Cosgrove, Asia Argento, Bar Refaeli, Brody Jenner, David Guetta and Batista. Soul singer Joss Stone hosted digital show 2009 EMA: Red Carpet Show while Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz hosted digital show 2009 EMA: All Access. Guests at the show included Inglorious Basterds actor Daniel Brühl, supermodel Franziska Knuppe, German soccer legend Lothar Matthäus, David Guetta, Pixie Lott, Tara Reid and Daniel Merriweather.

2009 MTV Europe Music Awards Winners

• Best Male: Eminem
• Best Female: Beyoncé
• Best Urban: Jay-Z
• Best Group: Tokio Hotel
• Best Video: Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
• Best Song: Beyoncé – Halo
• Best Rock: Green Day
• Best New Act: Lady Gaga
• Best Live Act: U2
• Best Alternative: Placebo
• MTV Push Artist: Pixie Lott
• Best World Stage Performer: Linkin Park
• Best European Act: maNga

The MTV Europe Music Awards is one of the world’s most prestigious live music events. The Awards was broadcast to 532 million MTV homes around the world. In 2008, the EMAs generated more than 4 million unique visitors to www.mtvema.com and over 100 million online votes.

Berlin celebrates the Fall of the Wall

The Fall of the Berlin Wall on BBC America