While I usually abhor Kurt Loder, because he is probably the biggest sell out in the history of music journalism, he can still put together some decent thoughts. Example one:
"And then there was Prince. Prince opened the show because, even though his current music gets very little airplay, he remains a major, and highly influential, American artist. He's a flawlessly stylish performer and, as perhaps you noticed, a really ripping guitarist. Bringing Beyonc on for a little mini-medley was a shrewd move, Grammy-wise it added some up-to-the-minute heat. But Prince himself is a house afire whenever he steps onto a stage no help needed, thanks and we really must see more of him. Much more. Will somebody please do something about this?"
If PRINCE would only realise that the world would listen to him, if he would just allow somebody to put a record out for him and actually put some promotion behind it, the world would be a much better place.
And: "If, like me, you've felt that we seem to be living in a time of entirely disposable pop stars, this show demonstrated that not all of them are about to be disposed of. Although she sported the evening's most unfortunate hairstyle (it looked like black cotton candy had been pasted all over her head), Christina Aguilera's over-dramatic-but-so-what performance of "Beautiful," complete with serious string section, robed chorus and whole fog banks of smoke blowing by, might have stopped any lesser show. Her delivery still sometimes verges on Mariah Carey calling-all-dogs territory, but she pulls it back, and she's smart and she keeps getting better and I'd bet she's here to stay. (As she pulled out every possible stop, I pictured Britney Spears weeping in front of a TV somewhere. With good reason.)"
As much as I hate to SEE Christina's ugly face, when she sings, and doesnt try to overdo stuff, she probably has the best voice of the current "diva" roster.
2000: ECW on TNN (slashwrestling.com) by E.C. Ostermeyer 2001: Worldwide by E.C. Ostermeyer 2001: Jakked by The Cubs Fan 2002: Heat by The Cubs Fan 2002: WrestleMania X8: The Pre-Lines (PDF) by Robert Ortega 2002: WrestleMania X8 (Quick'n'dirty)