Dubbed “the biggest live music event in radio history,” iHeartRadio Music Festival has taken over Las Vegas this weekend.
The inaugural iHeartRadio festival, hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Elvis Duran, was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 23 and September 24.
Biggest pop radio stars took the stage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival.The festival started on Friday with the Black Eyed Peas.
The band opened with laser lights, a cadre of jailbird-themed backup dancers, and one of their biggest hits, Boom Boom Pow. The audience (12,000 people) danced listening to Just Can’t Get Enough, Don’t Stop the Party,The Time (Dirty Bit), I Gotta Feeling.
With huge screens flanking the stage, and numerous confetti blasts iHeartRadio Music Festival enchanted and energized the public. Ryan Seacrest first appeared after the Black Eyed Peas left the stage. “This weekend all roads lead to Vegas,” he said and later announced Lady GaGa would appear on Saturday night with Sting, something that made the fans to go wild.
Kelly Clarkson, World Idol runner-up, launched with Walk Away, followed by Because of You, then new radio offering: Mr. Know It All, and in the end, My Life Would Suck Without You.
Bruno Mars took the stage with The Lazy Song, Grenade, Just the Way You Are. He paid a tribute to Amy Winehouse (as he did on the VMA 2011), singing his cover of Valerie, Amy’s photos appeared on the screens behind him and a brass quartet waved their horns in unison.
Carrie Underwood, American Idol winner, sang Cowboy Casanova, Last Name, Before He Cheats, which made the attendees to stand up.
Karmin, YouTube sensation, did an inducing performance of Nicki Minaj’s Super Bass, then Jane’s Addiction came with Mountain Song, Been Caught Stealing, Irresistible Force.
Coldplay electrified the party-goers with the symphonic, opening of Viva la Vida, made the fans to cry with Fix You, and brought excitement for their latest single, Paradise. Chris Martin wins the award for Best Stage Collapse, fireworks dusted the stage as Martin rolled over backward and a psychedelic piano joined him at the end of Vida. Chris Martin urged the public to join him in a mournful chorus of Amy Winehouse’s Rehab.
Alicia Keys performed Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart, No One, and Jay-Z appeared on stage. Everyone sang along to: “bright lights, big city!” J-Z doled out a stream of his hits: Big Pimpin’, 99 Problems, Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Empire State of Mind with Alicia Key. The rapper bounced across a stage outfitted with two drum sets and two guitarists and swung two gold chains hanging from his neck.
On the second day of the iHeartRadio Music Festival Steven Tyler (with special guest Jeff Beck), Nicki Minaj, Rascal Flatts, Jennifer Lopez, Sublime with Rome, David Guetta (with special guest Usher), Kenny Chesney, Nicole Scherzinger (special appearance) and the most waiting Lady Gaga (with special guest Sting) made the concert-goers to dance and sing frenetically.
The American Idol judge, Jennifer Lopez, wore a candy apple red frock, and performed Papi, Get Right and Lets Get Loud.
Usher took the stage to support David Guetta and performed Without You (their new international dance anthem), some said it was an unusually calm rendition, but others found it amazing.
Lady GaGa‘s grimace of a nervous artist with something to prove was replaced with a playful stage presence, the public enjoyed her hits from Bad Romance to You and I, Poker Face, Edge of Glory, Just Dance/Love Game, Born This Way, Sheiße/Judas, Alejandro/Telephone&Paparazzi.
Lady Gaga hid her tears and dedicated Hair to Jamey Rodemeyer, 14, who apparently committed suicide because was bullied at school. She sang while his image appeared on the screen behind her.
“I know it’s a bit of a downer, but sometimes the right thing is more important than the music,” she said. Lady Gaga stopped and said “Bullying is for losers,” before ending and said to Jamey in Heaven: “Jamey, you’re not a freak.”
Sting (The Police) and Lady Gaga began with Stand by Me before Sting took his guitar and sang along with the piano-playing Gaga to a funky King of Pain. She closed the show in a thong for Born This Way.
iHeartRadio Music Festival was the grand opening of iHeartRadio, Clear Channel’s free digital radio product combining more than 800 broadcast radio and digital-only stations from 150 cities.
iHeartRadio, Clear Channel’s revamped free personalized music website allows users to create custom radio stations and is meant to compete with the web’s most popular online music service (Pandora). The beta site launched September 8. BlackBerry, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPad 2, and iPod Touch, Android, webOS (Palm Pre/HP TouchPad), Windows Phone 7 are devices that support it.
At the iHeartRadio Music Festival more than 53% of ticket buyers live more than 1,000 miles away from the festival. Tickets sold out in 10 minutes.
iHeartRadio Music Festival was broadcasted to more than 10 million radio listeners across the country.
Lady GaGa plays Hair at iHeartRadio Music Festival (video)
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The Black Eyed Peas opens at iHeartRadio Music Festival (video)
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Bruno Mars plays Valerie at iHeartRadio Music Festival (video)
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Lady GaGa and Sting play Stand by Me at iHeartRadio Music Festival (video)
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Lady GaGa plays You and I at iHeartRadio Music Festival (video)
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Lady GaGa plays Sheiße/Judas at iHeartRadio Music Festival (video)
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