MTV lights up Culture Capital (Events)

Last night saw the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) erupt in Liverpool with a show production that's been hailed as the largest event of its type in Europe.

Sat Bal spoke to MTV senior vice-president Richard Godfrey, among others, about  MTV's fifteenth annual EMAs outing. (6 Nov '08)

The 2008 MTV EMAs were broadcast live yesterday from the Liverpool Echo Arena, an 11,000-seat event and concert venue and MTV Networks International celebrated nine dramatic performances. Host Katy Perry (above) led the show sequence while over at the bar, Jared Leto and his cohorts supplied between performance banter from the Glamour Pit. 

Riding a cherry chapstick, Katy Perry opened the proceedings surrounded by cheerleaders in a performance of I Kissed A Girl, culminating in the chapstick exploding  a shower of glitter.

P!nk was the first award winner of the night, picking up Most Addictive Track for So What from the Sugababes. Beyoncé hit took to the stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards for the third time with her new single If I Were A Boy supported by an all-girl band.

Planning and managing the MTV juggernaut takes lots of time - and space.

The entire venue was utilised for the awards ceremony, including the BT Convention Centre, which was transformed into an artists’ village complete with purpose-built dressing rooms and a VIP bar and restaurant area.

Tim Banfield, general manager of the Echo Arena, explains: “To put it in context, in the arena business this is as big as it gets - there isn’t a higher profile event anywhere else in the whole of Europe.

“It has taken 10 days to put the production together which in terms of scale is unheard of. There is 130 tonnes of kit being installed in the roof alone and MTV has taken out 500 seats to accommodate the spectacular set. This is certainly the highlight of my career.”

Featuring six stages, the production took more than 5,000 man hours to put together.
Two giant video walls, weighing around four tonnes each, were also installed on either side of the stage. Hundreds of seats were removed to accommodate the Glamour Pit allowing stars to watch the performance front of house rather than retreating backstage.

"Last year Katy Perry was in her flat eating macaroni, this year she hosted the MTV EMAs - that's how fast things move now." Richard Godfrey, MTV

“The EMAs are the MTV brand made real and it's months of hard work that comes down to two and a half hours of TV," said Richard Godfrey, senior VP Content & Music, MTV Networks UK & Ireland and Executive Producer. “We're in the lap of the gods technically but all the plugs and switches worked and it was a very smooth show thanks to the production teams (see below) and their expertise. There are always lots of unknowns, including the audience, but the feisty Liverpool audience was very enthusiastic!"

Above - Pre-show production

By and large, suppliers to the EMAs remain unchanged each year, not that there's any complacency. "There is pressure on budgets - it's a fact of life," Godfrey says "and we have had to squeeze suppliers. But it's a fantastic deal because suppliers know that  they'll be exposed as part of an international platform."

The speed of activity within the music business means that the tableau is always changing. "Last year, Katy Perry was eating macacroni in her flat and this year she hosted the MTV EMAs!" he muses. "That's how fast things move now."

The success of the EMAs will be measured by MTV in a number of ways. "The immediate measure is TV audiences," says Godfrey. "Phase 2 is advertisers and sponsors who will know in the next two weeks whether the results justify returing for next year's event. Liverpool is commissioning an economic impact survey to assess the results of its investment. I think it's a done a great deal of good for Liverpool in changing its image from a football city back to a music city."

Yesterday was only the third time that the UK has hosted the Awards. Previously the event has been held in London (1996) and Edinburgh (2003). "This event was a fantastic showcase for the city and although we are still calculating the economic benefits, they are likely to be significant," said Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council and Deputy Chairman of Liverpool Culture Company. “It is fantastic for the city that we now have a venue which can cater for world class events of this nature.” 

MTV's global broadcast reach has traditionally made this awards property a magnet for sponsors.

This year the event was oiled by sponsorship partners edc by Esprit, Sony Ericsson and Dell.

                  Take That greet Liverpool

"The MTV EMAs is incredibly popular with our 16-24 year old audience," explained Jules Robinson, senior VP, Viacom Brand Solutions. "Additionally research tells us that our viewers are among the most sophisticated youth audience in terms of media consumption, use of technology and loyalty and affinity to strong brands that they can trust. Therefore an association with MTV adds an extra dimension to what are already strongly identified brands with young people. The three sponsors all have a direct connection with our young audience in terms of their lifestyles."

The show's Liverpudlian flavour went on with former Liverpool footballer Michael Owen and Anastacia presenting the Headliner award to Tokio Hotel while Take That performed an exclusive first of their new single Greatest Day.

30 Seconds to Mars were awarded Rock Out by Solange Knowles and Travis McCoy, lead vocalist for Gym Class Heroes and Britney Spears won the first of her two awards of the evening for Album Of The Year for Blackout. The Award was presented by UK r’n’b star Craig David.

Following their outdoor performance in Copenhagen in 2006, The Killers revealed the versatility of the set when the screen lifted up to reveal the band performing Human in a steel box installation accompanied by a stunning three dimensional visuals.

Kanye West and Estelle both made their performance debuts at this year’s show. Following a stylish rendition of Love Lock Down, Kanye West was joined by the first lady of UK urban music for a performance of American Boy. The artists used the performance to tribute to the next President of the United States Barack Obama. Following his performance Kanye West returned to the stage to pick up the Ultimate Urban Award from Leona Lewis.


Legend Grace Jones presented New Act to EMAs host, Katy Perry and Lil Wayne won his first MTV Europe Music Award, presented by Kelly Rowland, as voted for by his music industry peers.

Audience voting power saw Rick Astley scooped Best Act Ever while
Sir Paul McCartney was honoured in a special award - the Ultimate Legend Award – which was presented to him by U2 lead singer Bono.

The award recognised his status as one of the founding fathers that has earned Liverpool its recent accolade as Most Musical City in the UK.

P!nk led a dramatic finale to the event with her performance of So What, erupting from the glamour pit amid the audience with 30 pillow fighting fans scattering the audience in feathers.

Production VIPs __________________

For more detail on Suppliers click here

Crew/Labour supply Showforce

Audio/PA   Britannia Row

Video & Projection  XL Video

Furniture & Catering Equipment  Thorns Group

Barriers     Mojo Barriers

Catering     Eat Your Hearts Out

Artist Dressing Rooms/Furniture  GLD Productions

Lighting  PRG

Rigging & Drapes Blackout

Set Build/Design  Stage One Creative Services

Trucking    Stage Truck 

RK  _________________________________________